For Nashia Frye, founder of No Label Juice, the path to entrepreneurship started with a childhood memory. Growing up, she would start her days at her grandparents’ house, where fresh juices and smoothies were a morning ritual. Years later, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Frye rediscovered her passion for juicing and began sharing her creations on social media.
What started as “Sample Sundays” – where Frye would drive around delivering free juice samples to build awareness – has grown into a thriving business focused on providing healthy, affordable juice options to urban communities. The company’s name came from her then-boyfriend (now husband), who noticed they weren’t using labels on their bottles and suggested “No Label Juice.” As a graphic designer, he created the logo, and their journey began.
No Label Juice offers fresh, locally grown vegetable and fruit juices without additives, artificial sugars, or dyes. “I wanted to keep the menu simple and approachable,” Frye explains. “As a consumer myself, I know how overwhelming it can be when there are too many unfamiliar flavors.” Their signature drink, the Aloe Punch, combines tasteless aloe with pineapple and ginger, delivering health benefits in a delicious, accessible package.
The business found its first home at Growing Hope’s kitchen incubator in Ypsilanti, which provides licensed commercial kitchen space for food-based businesses. Through the Detroit Kitchen Connection network, this stepping stone allowed No Label Juice to establish itself before moving to a brick-and-mortar location. Today, customers can find their products at farmers’ markets in Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor, and Detroit’s Eastern Market.
A turning point came when Frye applied to SPARK’s small business support program, which connects entrepreneurs with various support hubs throughout the region. After reviewing her application, SPARK matched Frye with Jewish Family Services (JFS), recognizing it as the best fit for her business needs. Working with Mara Markowitz, a business coach at JFS, helped push No Label Juice “over the hill.” Markowitz provided crucial guidance on hiring practices, pricing strategies, and scaling the business. She also facilitated valuable connections, including partnering with Old City Acres, a local farm, for produce sourcing.
When winter sales posed a challenge, Markowitz helped Frye strategize diversification into coffee products, working through logistics and pricing. The coaching relationship opened doors to numerous resources, including the A2Y Chamber, where networking led to significant cost savings on signage, and the Great Lakes Women’s Business Council for women’s business enterprise certification.
“I’m extremely grateful for Mara, JFS, and Spark,” says Frye. “Mara has introduced me to so many resources and knowledge that I didn’t have before. Without that connection, I would have been lost.”
Looking ahead, No Label Juice plans to expand to additional farmers’ markets throughout Michigan, including Flint, and eventually franchise their brick-and-mortar model to other cities. Their mission remains clear: making healthy drink options accessible to communities where such choices are often limited or expensive.
The success of No Label Juice exemplifies the impact of JFS’s comprehensive services. Beyond their micro-enterprise development team, which includes the small business support hub, JFS-made (helping small businesses access craft fairs), and entrepreneurial coaching, JFS provides vital community services including counseling, nutrition services, food pantry access, youth empowerment, and job training programs.
“The micro-enterprise development team at JFS is dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs like Nashia,” says Markowitz. “However, we need additional funding to continue and expand our work supporting small businesses in our community. These programs provide essential resources and guidance that help transform business dreams into reality.”
The partnership between SPARK and support hubs like JFS continues to create success stories throughout the region. Through SPARK’s business support program, entrepreneurs can access customized coaching, workshops, and vital connections to help their businesses thrive.
For more information about Small Business support, please visit https://annarborusa.org/smallbusiness
