Side Hustle School Ep. 3337 - TBT: The Mushroom Kingdom of North Carolina
Feb 19, 2026
Shannon Barrett, business manager and C-suite partner at Phenomenal Fungi, who helped pivot the company from growing mushrooms to supplying equipment, cultures, and tinctures. They talk about launching an Etsy supply business, inventing a laminar flow hood, rapid pandemic-driven growth to $20K/month, and ongoing supply chain and shipping challenges.
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Unexpected Pivot From Farm To Online
- Shannon and David launched Phenomenal Fungi in 2018 planning to sell fresh gourmet mushrooms locally.
- David shifted to making tinctures and they pivoted to an online business after friends requested products.
Homebuilt Flow Hood Becomes Best Seller
- David built a laminar flow hood for his own use and began receiving requests to build more for friends.
- By 2019 they sold about one flow hood a month, and in 2020 sales surged to about $20,000 monthly.
Pandemic Hobby Boom Drove Rapid Growth
- The pandemic created a surge of hobbyist demand, turning niche supplies into high-growth products.
- Phenomenal Fungi grew from $1,400 to $20,000 monthly as people sought new at-home hobbies.