Three brothers pooled $1,000 to start an English muffin side hustle in 2014; it reached its first $100,000 month in its second year and became an eight-figure company

A $1,000 investment was all Cam, Kyle and Nick Meekins needed to test whether their English muffin idea could become a business.

The brothers put the money toward a mixer and flour in 2014 and started making English muffins in Kyle’s apartment. They delivered the products to restaurants themselves as they worked to build Stone & Skillet.

The business has since grown far beyond those early days. Stone & Skillet recorded its first $100,000 month in its second year and eventually became an eight-figure business, according to Entrepreneur.

The idea behind Stone & Skillet

The business began with an idea from Kyle Meekins.

He wanted to sell premium English muffins to restaurants in Boston, particularly those with elaborate Sunday brunch menus. Cam and Nick joined him, and the brothers pooled $1,000 to get the business started.

They used the money to buy a mixer and some flour.

Instead of beginning with a large production facility, the brothers made the English muffins in Kyle’s apartment. They then delivered the products by hand to their customers.

Their initial focus was supplying restaurants with a less expensive English muffin.

From 20 packages to bigger opportunities

Stone & Skillet’s early sales were modest.

Meekins told Entrepreneur that the brothers were excited when they could sell through a batch of 20 packages of English muffins. It took months for the company to establish consistent sales.

Then an opportunity came through a farmers market.

Months after launching the business, someone from Whole Foods discovered Stone & Skillet’s product there. The experience made the brothers realize that their English muffins could have a place in retail as well as restaurants.

The first $100,000 month

The company’s sales eventually began to pick up.

In its second year, Stone & Skillet recorded its first $100,000 month. For the brothers, the milestone was a clear indication that the business had developed into something more substantial.

“That’s when we realized, Wow, we have a real business on our hands,” Meekins told Entrepreneur.

The milestone was a significant change from the company’s earliest days, when the brothers were producing the muffins themselves and celebrating sales of individual batches.

Cam Meekins took over as CEO

Meekins became CEO of Stone & Skillet in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He told Entrepreneur that he saw an opportunity to take the company to the next level. He also brought lessons from his experience in the music business into his approach to growing Stone & Skillet.

Meekins’ father, Russ Meekins, had also been a trusted adviser and friend to the brothers. After his father died in 2020, Meekins said the loss motivated him to dedicate all of his time to the company.

Stone & Skillet grows into an eight-figure business

Stone & Skillet has continued to expand and is now an eight-figure business, according to Entrepreneur.

The company is working on national expansion through major retailers, including Publix and Whole Foods. Meekins told Entrepreneur that the company is doubling its growth year over year.

The business has also sold tens of millions of dollars worth of products, according to Meekins.

That puts the company in a very different position from where it began in 2014, when three brothers were making English muffins in an apartment with a mixer and flour purchased with their combined $1,000.

A small beginning with a much bigger result

The Meekins brothers did not start Stone & Skillet with a large investment or an established production operation.

They started with $1,000, a mixer, some flour and an idea for premium English muffins. They made the products in an apartment, delivered them to restaurants and gradually built their customer base.

The discovery of their product by someone from Whole Foods at a farmers market gave them another avenue to pursue. In its second year, the company reached its first $100,000 month.

Years later, Stone & Skillet had become an eight-figure business and was pursuing expansion through retailers including Publix and Whole Foods.

The company’s story, as described by Entrepreneur, began with three brothers pooling $1,000 and making English muffins in an apartment. It has since grown into a business that has sold tens of millions of dollars worth of products.