I have a killer sauce I’d like to manufacture. How do I bring it to market?

This is very difficult and, having a commercial line of rubs and sauces (and having failed at a previous line of spice mixes), I know whereof I speak. There are two routes: Partner with someone who’s already in the business (what I did), or find a copacker—a company that will bottle, label, and warehouse the sauce for you. You’ll need to develop a marketing plan, find distributors, and promote the product. But before you do, take a look at the sauce shelf of a barbecue store or even your local supermarket; there’s plenty of competition. Not that I’m against entrepreneurship—on the contrary. I just want you to know what you’re up against. Then again, a friend of mine started small in just such a way with a sauce he had spent several decades perfecting. It’s called KC Masterpiece and my friend sold it to Clorox.