Meet Clark Olson | Hot Sauce Maker & Enthusiast

We had the good fortune of connecting with Clark Olson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Clark, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I started making hot sauce at home, with no intention of actually starting a business. I was getting really into spicy food at the time and I realized that some of the mainstream hot sauce would overpower my food, or that it just wasn’t very good. I just wanted to make my own sauces that were all natural and without any preservatives to share with friends and family. At the same time, I stated cooking multiple times a day and really enjoyed trying new recipes.

After making many test batches at home, some of which were extremely spicy that very few friends could even eat them, the recipes started getting pretty good. I had so much extra sauce sometimes that I began taking them into the restaurant where I worked. I knew that they were pretty unique for hot sauces in the grocery stores, but the feedback was way better than I expected. After a few months of that, I think I finally started thinking about what it might take to launch a business.

I reached out to different people in the industry and did some research. I started thinking of brand concepts and comparing different ideas. Mago means wizard, or magician in Spanish, so well call the sauces ‘Spicy Magic’. One of my best friends did the label art, and with the help of a couple other childhood friends, decided on the label. The brand is a tribute to my travels backpacking and living in South America and is influenced by other parts of the world as well. Overall, I kind of just went for it and even after launching, I was putting pieces of the puzzle together for years. The whole process has been such a learning experience and I still love working on new products and seeing customers taste them at events and farmers markets.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We make unique sauces that focus on flavor over extreme heat. Every product is a different member of the family and we love hearing about customers’ favorites. We now make seasonal and limited edition sauces that have become very popular too.

I am personally most proud of persevering through many tough times of uncertainty and learning how to create a successful brand along the way. It also feels good knowing that we created a business without outside investment. The process has been extremely difficult at times, but the gradual success and positive feedback has made it all worth it. I would want people to know that we are constantly looking for ways to create delicious hot sauce that stand out from others on the market.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If I had a friend coming in for a summer vacation, we wouldn’t have to go far for a great week. After picking them up at LAX, I would find a good spot for birria or al pastor tacos and check which bands are playing at venues in LA like the Greek or Wiltern for the first night. The next morning we’d go to one of the amazing farmers markets like Santa Monica or Mar Vista.

Then we’d head south to Laguna Beach where I live. We have some of the best beaches in Southern California, including Thousand Steps Beach and the iconic Brooks Street, where the longest running surf contest in the world is held every year. Laguna Surf and Sport has all the gear one needs and the best team of staff. Laguna has great hiking and world class mountain biking, so mornings are well spent in the hills. There are also spots in the nearby area to camp by the beach in Dana Point and San Clemente.

We also have so many good restaurants in Laguna. There’s less night life options than LA, but plenty of bars with live music. We’d go to the famous Sandpiper Lounge for some drinks and live music. The Cliff Restaurant also has great bands with an amazing sunset view and awesome food (The Cliff has been serving our hot sauce for years now as well). We would also have meals at places like Coyote Grill, El Ranchito, and Active Culture (who all carry our hot sauces as well). The Sawdust Festival is always a good time and there are so many great local artists and craft makers to check out. Laguna Beach Beer Company is right next door too where they make unique craft beers on site.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First, there’s no way I could or would have created a successful business if it weren’t for my parents and my brother. My wife and I have been together for almost the entire lifetime of the business too, and she has been an incredible support along the way. They have all really helped me get through the adversity and the tough times and even help out when they can.

Jenny Rosoff and the whole team at Village Green Foods also helped make this possible too and looked out for me from the beginning. There are a lot of other people in the industry that have supported me too, and they know who they are.

My friend and team member, Brian Ralph, has also helped tremendously, making deliveries and having my back at the big events. The label art and creating new labels relies heavily on my friend Travis Parr and I have so much fun working with him to this day. (Also, thank you to my friends Erica Wright and Dustin Pettit for helping the label design come together in the beginning as well). Big shoutout to the entire Laguna Beach and Southern California community who continue to support us from day one!

Website: www.magohotsauce.com

Instagram: @magohotsauce

Facebook: Mago Hot Sauce

Image Credits
The main horizontal feature photo was taken by Laguna Beach Living Magazine. The product shots on white background were taken by our friend Mari Verdugo