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Eight years ago, Jake Karls set out to be the modern day Willy Wonka, jumping into an industry dominated by Big Chocolate. His startup, Mid-Day Squares, created protein-filled chocolate bars in various flavor profiles such as “almond crunch” and “brownie batter” that would compete with the likes of multinational companies such as Hershey’s and Mars.

Founded alongside his sister Leslie Karls and brother-in-law Nick Saltarelli, Montreal-based Mid-Day Squares launched in 2018. After initially struggling to find the right manufacturer, the trio decided to do it themselves. By 2022, their chocolate factory was churning out 90,000 bars a day and hit some $17 million in revenue. That landed Karls, now 32, on the 2023 Forbes Under 30 list.

What sets Mid-Day Squares apart is its personality. All three cofounders have taken to social media to “show everything—the good, the bad, the ugly of building this business,” Karls previously told Forbes. That’s turned into some 5 million likes and 215,000 followers on TikTok. Karls calls himself the Chief “Rainmaker” of the company—taking on the task of showing off the people behind the brand.

While more than 10,000 stores, including Target, Costco Canada and Sprouts, now stock their chocolate bars, Wonka’s worst nightmare became reality in 2024. Cocoa prices hit record highs, largely due to adverse weather and disease impacting West African harvests, which “almost destroyed the entire business,” Karls told Forbes.

“We had two options: raise prices or innovate,” he says. “We decided to innovate.”

Now, some two years later, their first innovation launched in Target stores nationwide: a “no-bread peanut butter and jelly.” Cutting out the bread, the company has essentially launched a bar that reduces the amount of cocoa, but still looks like their chocolate bars. A thick jelly top on a bed of smooth peanut butter is how they describe it.

“It’s very hard to innovate out of a product that you’re known for,” Karls says. “That was a big decision, but it was well worth it because it opens up the market for us.”

The strategy for the company has now changed from chocolate bars to indulgent afternoon snacking, he says. Even so, their chocolates are still being produced—they just had to find a way to negotiate prices on the rest of their ingredients, and still pay the higher costs of cocoa.

If anything, though, Karls says this crisis has been a lesson on building a business.

“It’s a marathon, not a sprint,” he says. “The biggest lesson that I’ve learned is that it takes longer than you think, and you have to be able to stay around the rim a little bit longer. I thought it was going to be a lot easier and faster to whatever that meant in terms of destination.”

Despite the obstacles, Mid-Day Squares has been performing well. It ended the last fiscal year with $32 million in revenue, and is anticipating $45 million when this fiscal year ends in May. Now, the challenge is to see if their “breadless” PB&J can perform as well as their chocolate bars.

Inside the Forbes 30/50 Summit: New Voices, New Energy

Kicking off on International Women's day, Forbes is returning to Abu Dhabi for the fifth annual 30/50 Summit! From fashion and entertainment to sports and entrepreneurship, this Summit convenes women shaping what’s next. Join emerging leaders and established icons, including speakers: Diane von Furstenberg, Georgina Chapman, Jordan Chiles, and so many more for powerful conversations, mentoring moments and immersive experiences that spark connection across generations.

Apply to attend today!

Creator Startup Fanvue Raises $22 Million To Fuel The Future Of AI Influencers

The London-based startup is helping creators make millions by giving fans access to exclusive content. Can its AI tools help it outcompete incumbents like Patreon and OnlyFans? Read to find out.

Lister Lowdown

-Born, the game developer founded by Under 30 Europe Sports & Games lister Fabian Kamberi, launched a new AI product this week: Life. Life is a photorealistic AI “companion” that the startup says will communicate through chat, photos, video, voice notes and real-time, FaceTime-style calls.

-This week Sam Eckholm, a U.S. Air Force vet-turned-content creator who was named to the 2026 Social Media list, launched his new social media documentary series, Access Granted. The show will cover the world’s most secure environments—from nuclear bunkers to military aircrafts—“revealing the people, missions, and technology that shape global power and human innovation.”

-Sauz, a 2026 Forbes Under 30 Food & Drink company that sells pasta sauces with bold flavors like miso garlic and hot honey marinara, last month announced it raised a creator-led funding round. The amount of the strategic investment is undisclosed, but participants include several Under 30 alumni such as creator Serena Kerrigan and DJ group Forester Music. Sauz previously raised some $22 million from CAVU Consumer Partners, DJ and record producer Kygo’s Palm Tree Crew and more.

One Minute With Kimberly Bizu

We’re bringing you the scoop on a new Under 30 community member. Up this week: Kimberly Bizu, who made the Under 30 Media list in 2026 as the founder of Rich Little Brokegirls, a media company that publishes a twice-weekly podcast and hosts events around New York, L.A. and London. She says it started as a way to create her own seat at the table, and became the space that she wished existed for the types of conversations young women were already having behind closed doors.

The following has been slightly edited for length and clarity.

Prior to building Rich Little Brokegirls you held roles at media companies and consumer brands, how did those roles lead into becoming a founder? Are there lessons you learned that became pivotal to your time as a builder? I always say my five years being an assistant in New York were like a crash course in persistence.

​​Working behind the scenes for powerful women taught me that power isn’t given. It’s taken. I watched how they didn’t wait their turn. If they saw an opening they took it. For example, there’s an art to the follow-up. I saw how a well-timed email, a strategic check-in, or looping back at the right moment can turn a missed opportunity into a closed deal. And there’s an art to turning a “no” into a “not right now.”

Where did the name Rich Little Brokegirls come from? There’s always someone a little perplexed when I say the name Rich Little Brokegirls, because it’s one of those things—you either get it or you don’t. The name was inspired by the book Poor Little B*tch Girl by Jackie Collins, the late British novelist and one of my first female idols. She wrote about powerful Hollywood housewives and badass CEOs, women who bent the world to their will. At 16, her stories shaped how I understood ambition, femininity and freedom, and taught me that feminism, at its core, is a woman’s right to choose the life she wants.

You share a lot about books you should read online. What are your top three recommendations of books people should read this year? The Tyranny of Merit by Michael Sandel, Women Who Run With Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés, The Happiness Myth by Jennifer Michael Hecht.

Do you have any new year’s resolutions? If so, can you share? I’m focused on working my system, because as James Clear says, “You don’t rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your systems.”

What’s the biggest challenge that comes with building a business? Reaching positive cash flow. But once the faucet turns on, it overflows. It’s worth the wait. Keep going.

What’s been the most exciting opportunity that’s come from building your brand? Interviewing Vice President Kamala Harris on the Rich Little Brokegirls Podcast.

How did you land former Vice President Harris for an episode? Someone on her team follows me and thought it’d be a great fit for the show! It was pure alignment.

What’s the biggest lesson or takeaway, in your eyes, from that interview? Nothing is as far out of reach as it seems. Dream bigger. It will happen.

What’s the single most important step someone can take when starting a personal brand today (besides the generic tips like “just start posting” or “get over embarrassment”)? Consistency. But beyond that, you have to learn how to actually hold attention through strong verbal, visual and personality hooks.

How many creators is too many? Will this industry ever get too saturated? The creator economy is projected to surpass $480 billion by 2027. The crème will always rise to the top. People are starting to realize this isn’t just a hobby some happen to be good at. It’s a real skill set and a viable career.

What’s a prediction you have about where the media industry is headed in the future? Creators will become the new networks. The most powerful platforms will be built around individual voices, not traditional institutions.

Favorite hobby outside of work? Vintage shopping!

What’s your morning routine? Since it’s Q1: wake up, full skincare, put on Hermanos Gutiérrez’s “Low Sun,” make steamed milk tea or an oat milk matcha, write my “list” then get straight to work.

How do you unwind after a crazy day? Desperate Housewives and a gummy.

Who are some women in business or culture today who you look up to? Emma Grede, Felicia Horowitz, Diane von Furstenberg.

What’s something that the Forbes community doesn’t know about you, but they should? I love connecting people and collaborating, so if I can help answer even one question, I’m always happy to be a resource.