New Jersey

Visitors to a Zordi greenhouse will discover vibrant red strawberries, ready for picking. What might amaze them, though, is how seamlessly autonomous robots are navigating the rows. These AI-powered robots not only provide real-time data to human growers, but also harvest, sort, and pack the ripe fruit. CEO Gilwoo Lee, an expert in computers and robotics, and Chief Grower Casey Call co-founded Zordi in 2020 to transform farming practices. “Our vision is an integrated solution for sustainable, labor-efficient, and profitable farming that brings better food,” Gilwoo says. They’re working to create “an innovative agricultural platform that blends AI, robotics, and machine learning to reshape and enhance greenhouse farming,” she adds. “We want to boost farmers’ ability to make predictions and decisions to optimize quality and yield. With more sustainable solutions, generations of farmers can feed the country and the world.” Zordi (which means “today” in French Creole) employs 20 people and supplies locally grown produce to Northeast grocery stores.

From the start, Zordi has used Google Workspace tools for daily operations. “Our knowledge bank–from engineering to production–for both staff and partners, is on Google Drive,” she notes. In addition to Google Meet, Docs, and Sheets, the team uses Gemini to help with writing and Gemini Notebook to organize and synthesize information. They participated in the Google for Startups AI Academy: American Infrastructure, an experience Gilwoo says showed “what we're doing really matters for the infrastructure and good of the country.” Now Zordi is expanding to produce other fruits and vegetables and bring their robots and greenhouse technologies to West Coast partners. Google tools, Gilwoo says, will help them grow and thrive. “It’s very rewarding to see fruits from our farm delivered to the stores and being loved by children.”

As far back as he can remember, Justin Ellen loved baking with his mom and grandmother. By middle school, he wanted to create his own cakes. So he turned to YouTube, learning cake baking and decorating techniques from experienced bakers’ videos, making his first three-layer cake for his grandmother’s birthday. “YouTube inspired me to try,” Justin says. “It showed me what was possible.” By age 12–at his family’s urging–he began posting photos of his elaborate cakes on Instagram, and the orders began pouring in. Justin founded Everything Just Baked in 2021 at age 18, creating custom cakes for weddings, birthdays, and other events out of a rented commercial kitchen. His brand grew online, and the media took notice; Justin’s business took off after he was featured on Netflix’s “Is It Cake?” But, he says, “the best part for me is that my cakes get to be part of people’s memories.”

Justin launched a website to serve as his online business hub, and set up a Google Business Profile to help people searching for custom cakes discover his services. It links back to his website and features reviews; it also shows that his is a Black-owned business, which is important to Justin. “We need more representation, not only for bakeries but for all businesses,” he says. Justin has since launched his own cake mix line so others can share the joy of baking at home “and make memories with their own families.” Now, his whole family pitches in with the business, helping with baking, deliveries, and marketing, and Justin hopes to open a brick-and-mortar bakery in the future. Revenue doubled in 2022, and he expects business to continue to grow 75 percent in 2023. He’s also creating instructional videos to post on YouTube, so others can learn from his success. Says Justin, “I’d like to be an inspirational role model to other young Black creators and entrepreneurs.”

What do you do if your glasses don’t fit? If you’re Florence Shin and Athina Wang, you create your own. Struggling to find the perfect frames for their low nose bridges and high cheekbones, these high school friends founded Covry in 2015 to make better glasses for diverse face shapes. Covry began with a crowdfunding campaign for three sunglass styles and has since launched nearly 50 frames through their online storefront, wholesalers, and retail partners. Their home try-on program increases customer satisfaction, and their signature Elevated Fit® eliminates sliding glasses and dreaded cheek marks. “We take fit and comfort very seriously,” Florence says. “Anytime that we see our customers try our frames on for the first time, it's this beautiful moment of, ‘Oh my gosh, this is how they're actually supposed to fit.’” With their customers at the center of their business, Covry turned to Google Analytics early to best understand them.

Acquisition and keyword data has been particularly useful, helping Covry decide where to invest time and resources. “We kept noticing that people would search Covry reviews, so we started adding customer reviews to our website and have seen a lot of traction,” Florence says. Google Workspace has helped the team keep collaboration flowing, even as they worked remotely. Despite production delays caused by COVID-19, Covry has continued to see 50 percent year-over-year growth. Next up, Covry is planning a series of pop-ups in popular stores, using Google Analytics to map out the strongest areas of opportunity. “We want to be the go-to place for all things eyewear,” says Florence. “To see somebody try on our frames and feel confident and really feel seen is what makes this whole journey so special.”

A world traveler with a taste for Mediterranean quality, Joanne Lacina was living in Greece when she discovered that the olive oil locals enjoyed there was very different from what was sold on supermarket shelves back home. “I saw that there was a huge quality deficit in the U.S. and thought to myself, ‘Why can’t we all be enjoying this amazing olive oil that the Greeks have been eating for decades?’” she recalls. Partnering with producers around the world, Joanne founded Olive Oil Lovers in 2012 to offer Americans a fresher, high-quality alternative at a competitive price. “This is what the American people want,” Joanne says. “So that’s what we’ll give them. And we’ll deliver it right to their doors.”

From the start, Olive Oil Lovers has used the web and Google tools to set itself apart. “We’re not just a store. We’re a platform where anyone from anywhere can expand their olive oil knowledge and palate,” Joanne explains. “This is something we couldn’t have done as a brick-and-mortar.” Today, the company reaches thousands of customers and drives international business with their web presence. AdWords, Google's advertising program, currently accounts for 70 percent of their new customer acquisitions and “is very critical to our growth,” says Director of Marketing George Floropoulos. Google Analytics provides insights on their web traffic and marketing campaigns. Google Trends helps them see what is in high demand in the olive oil market. And G Suite tools Gmail, Docs, and Drive make international collaboration quick and easy. “If Google didn't exist, we wouldn't exist,” adds George.

Since their founding, Olive Oil Lovers has doubled their number of partnerships. They now work with over 40 producers in the U.S. and abroad to provide olive oil as well as other fresh items, such as vinegar, jam, and honey. Their 90 percent growth year-over-year has allowed them to hire more full-time employees and expand to a team of eight. And thanks to their success, Olive Oil Lovers is able to educate their consumers while providing an economic boost to small-scale growers. “It's the beauty of having the entire country as your customer base,” says Joanne. With growing demand and powerful e-commerce tools, the future looks golden for this New Jersey business.