Dr. Samantha St. Clair
Sunrise Greens
At the center of everything has been health and wellness. As a first-generation college student who grew up with two diabetic parents, Samantha St. Clair new at a young age that health and wellness were assets. What she didn’t know at the time was that she would go on to earn a doctoral degree in Nutrition Science and become an Assistant Professor at Northern State University, and a startup business owner of Sunrise Greens, a business aimed at the heart of wellness and nutrition.
Along with her partner Nicholas Tucker, they have created a business grounded in their passion for health and wellness. Samantha shares that when she moved to Aberdeen, she noticed there was a gap in direct access to fresh produce, and due to the climate, there were barriers to growing it year-round. With her background in academia, she was also aware of the rising obesity rates in the region. She quickly realized that the lack of access to affordable greens was an issue that needed an answer. She had been aware of microgreens for a while, but it wasn’t until Dr. Sal Villegas encouraged her to seize the opportunity during the Idea to Market workshop by the Northern Innovation and Startup Center that she decided to act on the problem.
Microgreens were the solution to all the roadblocks Samantha was seeing. They could be grown indoors, in a short duration, and produce a great yield, with few leaves packed with cancer-fighting phytochemicals and antioxidants. She says that broccoli is a customer favorite, as well as purple radish, each carrying its own set of unique health benefits. She shares that at the farmer’s market; it’s not just health-conscious people who are drawn to these greens; even kids enjoy the uniqueness of the product. During the summer, sales happen primarily at the farmers' market; however, once the season is over, new markets must be found. This has been an avenue of opportunity. During the winter, Sam plans to sell through Natural Abundance and expand to local grocery stores, while also capitalizing on the growing role of technology. She says that in Aberdeen, “Facebook is where all the action happens.” She hopes to create an online platform for her business as well as use social media for marketing and outreach. She also explains that Microsoft Excel has been a lifesaver, helping them manage details like what has been planted and how long the growing times are. She notes that down the road, she hopes to mechanize the planting of the seeds.
The duo was also named finalists at the Aberdeen Pitch Competition. Samantha says the platform was incredibly helpful, coming at a time when she needed the connections it provided. She explains that the Small Business Development Center and the Northern Innovation and Startup Center always guided her on the next steps and ensured that she didn’t hit a wall. It was also an opportunity to showcase and debut her business to the Aberdeen community. Samantha is now set to give back to the community that helped her build her small business. Serving as faculty at Northern, she helped launch a community grant that allocates $15,000 to support small businesses in the region, as well multiple $2500 to support a student who works with those businesses and aids in research.
Her favorite part of starting this business has been being able to step out of the academic bubble and serve as a human bridge between science and the community at large. She explains, “We publish a lot of important research, but being able to translate that into a tangible form for the people around you is just as important.” During graduate school, she served as a Public Service Fellow, which gave her firsthand experience working with community partners and applying research to practice. She explains that entrepreneurship has been the journey where all facets of her life have collided beautifully.
For future entrepreneurs who might be afraid to take that step, she says: “Stick with your idea and be unafraid to ask questions.” Pulling off owning a small business while being a full-time faculty member and maintaining a zebrafish facility isn’t easy, but asking for help has been the key. No one knows everything, so become comfortable asking for help in areas you don’t yet know how to navigate. And find your teammates and cheerleaders, they will be your best allies in your entrepreneurial journey.
