Authenticity, Connection, and a Little Hot Sauce

What does personal branding have to do with hot sauce, disability inclusion, and career success?

Quite a lot, as it turns out.

On May 21, nearly 40 young professionals and emerging leaders gathered at Spark Coworking in Ballpark Village for the latest Starkloff Network event, Building Your Personal Brand. The evening featured practical advice, meaningful conversations, free professional headshots, and a lively and insightful discussion with entrepreneur Drew Davis, founder of Stacked Sauces.

The Starkloff Network is a community of young professionals and emerging leaders under 40 who are passionate about advancing disability inclusion in the St. Louis region. Through networking, professional development, and advocacy opportunities, members build connections, share experiences, and create positive change in our community.

The event focused on helping attendees think about how they present themselves professionally, both online and in person. Starkloff staff shared strategies for developing a professional brand that reflects your strengths, values, and goals. Participants then had the opportunity to hear from Drew Davis, whose personal brand has been central to his entrepreneurial success.

Drew, who has cerebral palsy, spoke candidly about the challenges he faced while building his business. He shared stories from the early days of Stacked, including countless cold calls to manufacturers and retailers before eventually reaching $1 million in sales at just 18 years old.

One of the biggest takeaways from the evening was the importance of authenticity.

“In today’s world, the thing people care about is authenticity,” Drew told attendees.

He explained that a strong personal brand is not about creating a polished persona. It is about clearly communicating who you are, what you stand for, and what makes your perspective valuable. He encouraged attendees to make their message easy to understand and remember, noting that different aspects of a person’s story will resonate with different audiences.

Drew also emphasized the power of communication and relationships in creating opportunities.

“Your personal communication is your superpower.”

That message resonated with many attendees, especially as the conversation turned to the role networking has played in Drew’s career. The connections he has built through his personal brand have led to consulting opportunities with major companies seeking guidance on accessibility and disability inclusion.

Beyond business success, Drew spoke about the work that means the most to him: The Limitless Foundation. Funded in part through Stacked’s sales, the foundation helps people with disabilities pursue ambitious goals and dreams. Whether supporting rehabilitation costs for an athlete returning to hockey or helping someone take the next step toward a personal goal, the foundation is focused on empowering disabled people to take action and pursue what matters to them.

While the insights were valuable, one of the most memorable parts of the evening happened after the program ended. Attendees stayed to talk, exchange ideas, and build new relationships. It was a powerful reminder of how important community can be and how few professional spaces are truly welcoming and accessible for disabled people.

As the Starkloff Network continues to grow, events like this are helping create exactly the kind of community our region needs: one built on connection, opportunity, and the belief that everyone belongs.