Key Takeaways
Federica Mercuriello, an Italian-born entrepreneur now living in Miami, once found herself pondering a deceptively simple question that would later ignite a new business venture: why didn’t a perfectly portioned pasta-and-sauce kit exist—one that preserved freshness without being precooked? Her curiosity wasn’t fleeting; it reflected a genuine desire to bring authenticity, quality, and practicality together in a way that felt modern yet deeply tied to the Italian culinary tradition.
Motivated by this thought and her passion for both engineering and the careful construction of ideas, Mercuriello immersed herself in meticulous market research. She dedicated herself to understanding industry gaps, consumer behavior, and production feasibility, ultimately deciding to invest approximately $40,000 of her own capital to bring her vision to life. That investment marked the birth of her brand, Sausly—an enterprise committed to delivering genuine, Italy-made kits that combine just the right amount of fresh pasta and sauce. Through calculated risk-taking and disciplined planning, the company has grown into a thriving venture that now generates an average of $12,000 in monthly revenue. Based on current trends and distribution expansion, annual revenue projections estimate Sausly will reach around $400,000.
This feature in the Side Hustle Spotlight series highlights the journey of Federica Mercuriello, forty-two years old, founder of Sausly—a distinctive brand recognized for its commitment to Italian craftsmanship and flavorful simplicity. Originally hailing from Italy and currently residing in Miami, Florida, Mercuriello’s journey to the United States began in 2009 when she received a scholarship to study civil engineering at Columbia University. Her analytical mindset and structured approach to solving problems found new purpose in entrepreneurship, merging creativity with precision.
When asked about her professional background at the time she launched Sausly, Mercuriello described the remarkable balancing act she maintained. She was employed full-time as a project manager engineer in a demanding engineering firm, yet found windows of opportunity—those elusive in-between moments—to pursue her side hustle. After long days immersed in projects and strategy sessions, she would turn her attention to the business during late nights and brief interludes between personal commitments such as childcare and household management. In her words, Sausly was built in the margins of her schedule, through perseverance and passion rather than free time.
The spark for her business appeared almost serendipitously at the end of 2024. Standing in the pasta aisle of a Whole Foods Market, Mercuriello experienced both frustration and inspiration. As a working mother, she often lacked the time to prepare sauces from scratch, yet the available alternatives felt unappealing—either excessively processed, overpriced, or stylistically outdated. The packaging still clung to nostalgic, stereotypical imagery of Italian culture instead of reflecting its current, sophisticated reality. At that moment, she felt an almost palpable disconnection between the products on the shelves and the living essence of Italian cuisine.
Mentally, she drifted back to her memories of home: the aroma of tomatoes simmering slowly on the stove, the late-afternoon sunlight spilling into her family kitchen, and the rhythm of daily life centered around genuine ingredients. In Italy, pasta was not a chore but a celebration of simplicity and flavor. She realized that what was missing from those shelves wasn’t merely superior quality—it was that emotional experience, the authenticity of tradition translated into a modern context. That realization became the cornerstone of Sausly’s mission.
A specific question crystallized everything for her: why not create a perfectly portioned pasta-and-sauce kit that wasn’t precooked, one that could preserve freshness, reduce waste, and deliver authentic taste in ideal quantities? The concept combined convenience with craftsmanship, minimizing leftover ingredients without sacrificing the character of Italian cooking.
The journey from idea to execution required extensive validation. Mercuriello began by conducting detailed market analysis to pinpoint her target demographic, identify consumer needs, and map out potential competitors. Her research extended overseas as she sourced reputable manufacturers in Italy capable of meeting her high-quality standards. She also organized multiple tasting sessions—sampling countless varieties of pasta and sauce—to ensure that each component met the level of excellence she envisioned. Convinced of the concept’s feasibility, she invested approximately $40,000. The funds were allocated toward product development, packaging design, manufacturing, logistics, and initial marketing campaigns.
Throughout this process, Mercuriello leveraged free digital resources to maximize efficiency and minimize costs. She learned critical skills by watching instructional videos on YouTube and tutorials on TikTok, which guided her in building Sausly’s website and establishing a basic marketing strategy. Her approach remained agile and hands-on: she personally coordinated with Italian producers, oversaw packaging design and material selection, and managed complex shipping logistics. Freelancers were recruited selectively and cost-effectively to assist in branding and design. This lean methodology allowed her to retain creative control while growing sustainably.
In hindsight, Mercuriello admits that she should have approached retailers and distributors earlier in the process. Her perfectionist tendencies and initial self-doubt delayed these critical conversations, and she now views that hesitation as a valuable lesson in entrepreneurship: waiting for ideal conditions can often hinder momentum more than it helps.
Among the challenges she faced, one of the most formidable was managing financial resources without external investors. Operating as a bootstrap entrepreneur required delicate judgment—deciding how much capital to allocate to marketing, distribution, and production while avoiding overspending. The process demanded both restraint and creativity as she learned to maximize the impact of every dollar spent.
One particular crisis tested her resolve: a shipment delay due to paperwork oversight from a shipping agency in Italy. The documentation error postponed deliveries, jeopardizing relationships with retailers and customers who were eagerly awaiting preorders. Faced with potential disappointment, Mercuriello responded decisively, communicating transparently with partners, adjusting timelines, and orchestrating all aspects of damage control. Her commitment to staying engaged and problem-solving in real time enabled the venture to recover smoothly from the setback.
As for financial progress, sales began slowly—there were days without a single order. Yet momentum gradually built as word-of-mouth and online reviews spread. Friends and family stepped in to help with fulfillment, creating a supportive atmosphere around the brand’s early days. Customers’ enthusiastic feedback and repeat purchases confirmed that Sausly had tapped into a genuine market demand. By the second month after official launch in November, sales began stabilizing, and by early 2026, average monthly revenue reached approximately $12,000.
Currently, Sausly enjoys consistent growth driven primarily by online sales while actively expanding into retail distribution. The brand’s presence in three physical stores, combined with its digital success, supports revenue projections of about $400,000 for the upcoming year. This dual-channel strategy—balancing e-commerce with selective retail placement—positions Sausly for continued scalability and brand awareness.
For Mercuriello, the greatest satisfaction lies not only in the profits but in the creative journey itself. She thrives on collaboration, brainstorming sessions, and the dynamic energy that flows when a shared vision begins to materialize. Despite the inevitable stress and uncertainty, the process remains rewarding. Witnessing customers’ delight as they experience Sausly’s products validates every hour of labor and every risk undertaken.
When asked for her most actionable piece of business advice, Mercuriello emphasizes resilience and discipline. Her guidance is straightforward yet profound: maintain focus, ignore discouragement from skeptics, and break large ambitions into manageable daily steps. Progress rarely happens all at once—it’s built through consistency and commitment. Over time, those incremental efforts accumulate into accomplishments that often exceed initial expectations, and that realization, she says, brings unmatched fulfillment.
Key Takeaways
Federica Mercuriello recognized an unmet need in the food market: the absence of a fresh, precisely portioned pasta-and-sauce kit that avoided precooking. Through rigorous research and an investment of about $40,000, she founded Sausly, a brand devoted to bringing authentic Italian flavors to modern consumers. Today, her company earns around $12,000 per month in sales and is forecasted to achieve yearly revenues nearing $400,000.
This feature showcases Mercuriello—Italian-born, Miami-based, and armed with an engineering background—as a model of how curiosity, perseverance, and calculated risk can transform a moment of inspiration into a sustainable business. Readers interested in exploring similar stories of entrepreneurship are invited to subscribe to the Money Makers newsletter, which offers weekly expert advice and real-world insights from founders who have built and scaled successful ventures.
Sourse: https://www.entrepreneur.com/side-hustle/moms-side-hustle-averaging-12k-a-month-sausly
