Nicholas Naclerio

RESILIENCE THROUGH ADVERSITY. Nicholas Naclerio’s entrepreneurial journey is a story of resilience, self-discovery, and the power of facing one’s demons head-on. Growing up in an Italian American family in Westchester, New York, Nicholas was always surrounded by food, a central part of his upbringing. However, this environment also contributed to the development of an eating disorder during his teenage years—a challenge that would later become a pivotal force in shaping his life and career. “I had no idea that my life would be a launch pad into discovering what my path was in my twenties and young adulthood,” Nicholas reflects.

This path ultimately led to the founding of Mmmly, a company dedicated to creating modern, nutrient-dense, and indulgent snacks. Mmmly’s first product—a line of soft, delicious cookies—was the result of years spent perfecting recipes in a tiny kitchen in his apartment. These cookies, sweetened with apples and packed with prebiotics, reflect Nicholas’s dedication to merging indulgence with health benefits. The journey to create Mmmly was fueled by Nicholas’s personal experiences with food and his desire to turn those challenges into something positive and nourishing for others.

Nicholas’s journey to entrepreneurship was not a straightforward one. As a child, he was often bullied because of his LGBTQIA+ identity, and this, combined with his struggles with food, led him to seek a creative outlet. He initially moved to Miami to attend cooking school, hoping to channel his newfound strength with food into something productive. However, he quickly realized that the traditional path of culinary education wasn’t for him and decided to jump straight into the industry. “I worked with a few different Michelin chefs and quickly learned that in cooking, just jumping straight into it is the key to success,” he says.

It was during this time that Nicholas’s entrepreneurial spirit began to take shape. A job working alongside two gay business owners who had built successful careers in construction and real estate inspired him to strike out on his own and start Mmmly. “I spent about a year developing the recipes myself. I was obsessed with making it perfect, because failure, to me, wasn’t an option,” Nicholas explains. His dedication paid off as he successfully raised funds and brought Mmmly to market.

Running Mmmly wasn’t without its challenges. Nicholas quickly learned the intricacies of the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, from managing distributors and retailers to achieving operational efficiencies without the scale of larger companies. “You need to test the product in the market as quickly as possible, find product-market fit, and iterate fast. That all costs money,” he notes.

BAKING BOLD MOVES. Nicholas credits his LGBTQIA+ identity for helping him navigate these challenges, particularly in fostering creativity and empathy within his team. “Growing up gay and having to do a lot of work within myself, I developed a skill set to actually connect with people and really get to know them,” he shares. This empathetic approach allowed him to create a safe and open environment where his team could thrive.

As Mmmly grew, Nicholas made the difficult decision to exit the company, recognizing the shifting landscape of the consumer industry and the need for profitability. The sale of Mmmly’s assets was a testament to his networking efforts—a theme that has consistently shaped his career. “I just happened to be chatting with a founder who connected me with the person that would buy the company,” Nicholas recalls.

Today, Nicholas is taking a step back to focus on what’s next for him. “I’m really focused right now on taking care of myself and figuring out what an efficient and well-rounded life looks like,” he says. For aspiring LGBTQIA+ founders, Nicholas emphasizes, “be brave and embrace the discomfort of meeting new people and asking for advice. That is how you’ll level up.”