Meet Kelly Crowley, CMO of TOOM Garlic Dips

Move over, Hummus. TOOM garlic dips are our new dipping fave. TOOM is a modern, mouthwatering tribute to a Lebanese classic. Simple ingredients like fresh California garlic, oil, lemon juice and sea salt whip up a wholesomeness that is deliciously dairy-free, gluten-free, low carb and kosher. We can get on board with that!

These bulb-bursting dips are quickly making their way into grocery stores across the country, and we had the opportunity to chat with Chief Marketing Officer, Kelly Crowley. As a 100% family-owned company, Kelly wears many hats! We sat down to learn more about her professional career, work-life balance, and what makes TOOM so special!

Hometown: St. Paul, MN
Current city: St. Paul, MN
Alma Mater: Rollins College
Degree: International Business
Currently reading: Silent Patient
Currently watching: Chef’s Table
Favorite food to make: Chicken & Beef Kabobs
Favorite food to eat: Lebanese Food (Kabobs, Kufta, Tabouli, Lebanese Rice, Lebanese Bread, Meat Pies)

TOOM is 100% family-owned. What makes working with family so special? Any challenges?
Working with family is so special because you get to work with people you love. You get to really be vocal and heard about creative ideas, and family values your opinion with a lot of important decisions within the company. It is also amazing to have the flexibility to work from home. Being a full time mom of two, that is so important for me because I also want to be there for my kids every day. It can also be a challenge working with family because you can butt heads at times being so close. Thankfully, we have all found a healthy way to work together and give each other space when needed. It is truly so much fun to be able to work with my brother, husband and parents!

As CMO for TOOM, what is your favorite aspect of the job?
My favorite aspects are food styling, photography and editing. So blessed to be able to do what I’m passionate about for work!

You mentioned you played a big role in getting meetings with big wholesale partners like Whole Foods and Publix. Have you experienced any challenges being a woman in that sales role?
I personally have not. The buyers have all been awesome, super passionate and supportive! They love our origin story and how different TOOM is as a dip.

What’s one piece of advice that has helped you the most in your professional career?
What has helped me the most is to just keep learning. I had no idea how to do photography and a lot of aspects that come with marketing in the beginning, but I taught myself through books, podcasts, YouTube videos, etc. You can always improve and I’m still learning today! Startups are roller coasters, but if you're passionate about what you’re doing and stick to it even in the hard times, you can find success. I think it is also very important to listen to your customers, engage with them on a daily basis and show your appreciation for their support. We wouldn’t be where we are today without them!

As a mom of two young kiddos, how do you balance work, mom-life, and self-care?
Still figuring that out! I couldn’t do it without my husband… and coffee haha. He is very hands-on and we work together as a team to get our work done but also give that special attention to both our boys. It also helps that our toddler takes a 3 hour nap every day so I can crush work during that time! …and shower

Where do you draw inspiration from?
I get my inspiration from my friends & family (our mom is Lebanese and an incredible cook!), our customers and the Food Network!

What is your favorite way to enjoy TOOM?
Chicken & Beef Kabobs wrapped in Lebanese flat bread dipped into TOOM Garlic Dips—I could eat that every day!!