In 2016 I began taking meds to address a long-term acne problem. Having taken it before, I understood it would deliver severe mental health problems as a side effect.

Between that, legal & financial woes, and being a full-time student - the pedal had to go to the floor.

Two Jobs, 40+ hour work weeks, 40+ hours dedicated to studying per week. Each day waking up more tired than the last. A couple times, I had to stay up for consecutive days to get it all done. Those meds really put my brain into a pretzel.

I quickly found solace in my restaurant jobs. It was a place away from all the negative. No easy work, but somehow it let me escape the insurmountable despair. My brain quickly rewired - I fell in love with cooking and of course, came across a few spices as well. I owe quite a bit to the restaurant industry for helping me through all of that.

While I eventually stopped taking the hellish acne meds, the 80+ hour weeks continued for years. I could only improve my situation with work, work work. Cooking continued to be an area of joy in an otherwise difficult few years.

Doing more with less, fighting out of corners and getting creative was slowly installing an entrepreneurial framework into the ole brain.

After about 4 years of hustle, it finally felt like I had my life back.

Sometimes the work paid off, sometimes it didn't. But keeping a focus on the long-term helped me find discipline through the volatile day-to-day.

In 2022 I began messing around with spice blends, seeing what exploratory flavors I could bottle. After two years of experimentation and some setbacks, I opened up shop.

I created (what I believe to be) the world's first Korean Coffee Rub and some other curious blends for home cooks wanting quick, exploratory flavors. It did alright.

Then in September of 2024, my brother passed away and I took a couple months off from the business.

I had received a portion of his life insurance proceeds and savings. I knew I could play it safe and save it, but I never got anywhere doing that - so it went into the business.

I had been saving up to enter the restuarant / wholesale market before that. We opened up that line of business in early 2025. We now focus on both retail and wholesale.

I used to have no money.

Spices were a durable, relatively affordable way to switch up meals as I cooked everyday. A simple spice blend can take an everyday meal into a new geography.

The home cook is bored and grocery store spices suck. Experimental, yet approachable, blends give home cooks an easy solution to zest up their meals.

For food service, spices solve a problem. Chefs want great ingredients, but not everyone has a michellin-star budget. Quality spices are a cost-effective way to let food "punch above its weight" in flavor without significantly raising food costs. It bulletproofs flavor and improves visual perception. With our custom blends, chefs get a culinary resource, expertise and someone to bounce ideas off.

On the Name: The name Tigerbird comes from my "misery era" - it is the combination of my two mascots at the schools I was attending while going through it all.

I named the company "Tigerbird" as a middle finger to the dark days I have experienced, and as a reminder that its the grit that got me through that.

On the Vision: We are a scrappy company. It is not easy to de-throne decades-old spice companies - nor is it easy to sell to restaurants in a post-COVID world. But we are fighting tooth and nail do to so. Blends are battle tested and as affordable as we can make them. They are for honest people - those wanting to serve others with good ingredients. We go toe-to-toe with billion dollar companies , but you aren't going to get customization with them. Every day is a fight, but everyday we put our best in front of you.

On inspiration : part of my family came to the United States 110 years ago, leaving poverty behind in Ireland. While not having it easy in the US either, they eventually found their footing through entrepreneurship, which gave me a better life years later. I seek to do the same, and truthfully .... I want to hire all of my buddies. I love that our restaurant customers share their passions and culture through food, and I see my familial story in much of them. Being able to work closely with other food entrepreneurs is blessing.