Throughout my life, if you asked me what one of my top fears was, I would’ve easily said bugs. It would probably have been second, right after getting hit by a tornado and right before being told I have something stuck in my teeth. Then, this year I listened to an episode of the Freakonomics podcast titled “Disgust.” It was on all things that disgust us, and unsurprisingly, bugs were discussed, but not in the way I expected. It wasn’t about how their beady little eyes stare right back at you as you throw a shoe in their direction for the tenth time. Instead, it was about how edible insects, or entomophagy, was the industry of the future. Why? Because insects are healthy and sustainable. They use significantly less resources than any other protein alternative, therefore emitting significantly less greenhouse emissions than livestock. They use 2000% less water than almonds, emit 190% less greenhouse gases than cows, and use 120% less feed than chickens. This got me hooked onto the idea; the West is on fire, hurricanes start earlier each year, and I’m worried it’s going to be too hot for the penguins at the St. Louis Zoo. A week later we learned that we were going to be interning with a startup for the Skandalaris Entrepreneurial program. I Googled “insect companies in STL” and found Mighty Cricket. From there, the rest is history.

Working under Sarah Schlafly, the CEO of the Mighty Cricket, I’ve come to understand how accurate the components of the word “startup” really are. The business has started, now how do we go up from here? I’ve had to deal with little things I’ve never thought about- selling on Amazon, interacting with social influencers, understanding “wholesale price.”  You’re assigned one task, just to realize it’s actually 10 micro-tasks where half seem to end up at a blank wall. For example, on Amazon, we sell a one-pack oatmeal and wanted to sell a 6-pack of oatmeal. I couldn’t figure this out for a month. Amazon is such a labyrinth they’ve created an informational database called “Amazon Seller University.” I’m already a full-time student at one university, I don’t need another.

While sometimes a little disorganized and feeling like I’m trying to find a light switch in the dark, discovering the support and encouragement within the entomophagy and health communities has been rewarding. Starting with Sarah, she has shown trust in my abilities. I’m given tasks and the creative freedom to solve them in my own way, and even when I mess something up, I never feel like I’ve “messed up.” Everything is fixable and a learning process. Before we get into any work-related activities, she always asks how I’m doing or says good morning.

My favorite way to connect with the community is through our Mighty Mondays campaign, where every Monday I interview a social influencer who does something inspirational/interesting. I’ve been able to interview professional athletes, chefs, artists, and environmentalists. The day I wrote this blog I interviewed Professor Jennifer Angus at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, who creates art galleries from insects. Last week I spoke to Jess Murray, an environmentalist who led volunteer conservations efforts for the last white lions of the Timbavati. Meeting people who do incredible things, or as Mighty Cricket likes to say, MIGHTY things, has been the highlight of my internship. It’s also encouraging to see how people recognize that Mighty Cricket is at the intersection of sustainability and health, two growing industries with the power to make mighty change across the world, and they want to be a part of it.

By Maggie Noe, Majoring in Global Studies & Entrepreneurship, Class of 2023, Venture Host: Sarah Schlafly, CEO of the Mighty Cricket