Out of Necessity, a Baller is Born

In 2008, when the economy took a downturn, Karen Nation ’93, who was working in real estate, found herself in flux. But instead of striving for the same old, same old, she had a surge of ingenuity. In one mad rush, Nation penned a business plan for a healthy, do-it-yourself, no-bake snack concept. “There were baking mixes for cookies and protein powders for smoothies but nothing for an easy, healthy, homemade snack,” she explains. These days, Nation is the solopreneur behind Creation Nation, a line of mixes for customers to easily customize and whip up their own healthy balls, bars and bites. Her favorite must-tries, she says, are Oat Yes Chocolate Chip and Oat Cocoa Bliss.

Nation has been featured on the TV shows “Shark Tank” (she didn’t garner an investment because the hosts said she was doing great on her own) and “Good Morning America” and in the magazine Good Housekeeping, where her Energy Bite Mix received the Best Snack Award. The munchies are all created with Nation’s mixes, and the user decides the rest – throw in water or any type of milk, a banana or nut butter, coconut oil or syrup, for example. All the snacks are vegan, gluten-free and keto-optional. They’re also school-friendly because they can be made without nuts.

Fans of the morsels are affectionately called “ballers” because many of the snacks are best served rolled into balls. But how does a kid who grew up in small-town Colorado, sometimes in foster care, become such a baller herself?

“I had a lot of food allergies, and that really led me to become interested in healthy eating and then fitness. I think I was drawn to Southern California originally because of this,” explains Nation, who came to the Golden State on her own to finish high school and then got into UC Irvine. “But I also had a business mind, so studying economics made sense.” She gained a greater understanding of supply chains and distribution channels, for example.

Studying economics, working in real estate and eventually launching a healthy snack company may sound like disparate activities, but she says that – just like her mixes – everything blends well.

“Running a snack company is project- and processoriented. It also takes sales, marketing, networking, business development – all these flow from business to business,” says Nation, who spends considerable time interacting with members of her baller club and developing social media and other digital content since she now sells the mixes primarily online.

And what’s next?

“I love collaborating with other food brands and women-owned businesses. I’d like to do more of that,” she says, “while providing healthy snacks for moms, families and athletes.”