Ian Thompson has always been someone who likes to figure things out for himself. Before Miracle Hummus, he had already started a few businesses and built a career in mechanical engineering, but none of it quite scratched the itch of creating something that was fully his. He spent years working long hours, first as a mechanic and then fast-tracking his engineering degree while gaining real-world experience at the same time. But even with that momentum, something felt off. The structure of a traditional job did not leave much room for control, and it was not something he could hand off to his family one day. That realization stuck with him and ultimately pushed him to take a different path.
A Personal Problem Turned Product
The shift to food was not planned. It started at home. During the pandemic, Ian and his wife began paying closer attention to what they were eating and noticed a real difference in how they felt. But when their daughter got hooked on hummus, they started looking more closely at the ingredients and did not love what they saw. They tried to find a better option and came up short. Most brands used oils and additives they had already decided to avoid, and the few that did.. just did not taste that good. So Ian decided to make his own.
What started as a simple solution quickly turned into something people wanted. After moving to Greenville, he launched at local markets and consistently sold out. That early response showed him there was real demand for a cleaner, better-tasting product.. The “Good Hummus” was born..
Growing Pains
Like any early-stage business, there have been challenges. High-quality ingredients are not cheap, and getting a fresh product safely to customers adds another layer to solve. But those are the kinds of problems Ian is used to working through. As the business grows, he is focused on finding the right path forward, whether that means scaling direct-to-consumer or expanding more broadly through wholesale.
Finding Community in StartupGVL
Outside of the business, most of Ian’s time is spent with his family, often outdoors exploring around Greenville with his daughter. At the same time, he has quickly gotten plugged into the local startup community through NextGEN, participating in Roundtables and the Fix My Pitch program. After going through the application process, he pitched in front of a panel of judges and was selected as a top five founder. He is now working with a service provider to refine his pitch deck and prepare for what comes next.
What’s Next for Miracle Hummus
Right now, Ian is focused on growing in a way that makes sense for the business. That includes leaning into direct-to-consumer and building a base of loyal customers through a subscription model with rotating flavors. It is a way to stay close to his customers while continuing to test and improve the product, before expanding to large retailers.
Every startup has a pitch. But not every pitch is actually working.
Too often, founders are walking around with a deck or a one liner that explains what they do, but does not land, connect, or clearly communicate the value of what they are building. That is the gap NextGEN’s brand new Fix My Pitch program is designed to address.
One of the best things about Greenville’s entrepreneurial community is that there is no single way in. Some founders come through accelerators. Some start as side hustles. Others begin with a class, a skill, or a moment of curiosity.
This Tuesday, February 10, Greenville Literacy Association is launching a brand new program that adds another meaningful entry point into the local startup ecosystem.
Greenville’s startup scene just got a little tastier! Hone, a shared kitchen space, has officially opened, giving local food entrepreneurs the tools, space, and community they need to grow their businesses. For food founders, access to commercial-grade kitchen space can be a big hurdle, and Hone is here to change that.