Building Butter Girl NYC From Scratch with Greer Hiltabidle

In this episode, Amy Will sits down with Greer Hiltabidle, founder of Butter Girl NYC, to talk about how a personal obsession with food turned into a fast-growing brand. What started as making butter at home quickly evolved into a distinct voice and presence online, long before scaling into a full product business.

Greer shares how she built Butter Girl NYC from the ground up, using content, consistency, and instinct to grow an audience and shape a brand around something simple. The conversation covers building before having everything figured out, navigating early stages without a clear roadmap, and what it actually looks like to turn an idea into something real.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:14

I first stumbled on your account and brand when you were doing a pop-up with a friend that also owned a business. And I was just like, we haven't done an interview in a few years. So I've been making my dream list. And I'm like, oh, she just embodies everything I want to uh celebrate here. So thank you so much for taking the time to chat today.

SPEAKER_01 0:33

Yeah. Thank you for the kind words. That means so much to me. And it's going to mean like so much to one of my best friends, Olivia. She owns Junkyard Thrift and she started it when we were in college. So being able to do stuff with her now has been like literally so special. And she works her ass off and has been like one of my biggest supporters and like literally like drove me around doing butter deliveries just out of the kindness of her own heart. So that's gonna mean so much to her. I can't wait to tell her.

SPEAKER_00 1:00

It looked like kind of close to the inception of your brand fairly early on.

SPEAKER_01 1:04

No, it was like I like did this PR box gift for Holly, who's like another female, like just like powerhouse queen. Um, and she responded to me when I had like 150 D like followers, and I just randomly DM'd her and was like, hey girl, do you want some butter? And she was like, sure. And I'm like sitting there, like, wait, what? Like, why are you responding to me? She's like, I saw Caesar salad butter, and I was like, I'm so down. Um, so after I sent her that butter, it like blew up. And then I was like, I need to, I need to do something immediately. I need to do something in real life. So I like like raced to get this pop-up done. And my friend Olivia was like, obviously, you can use the studio. So fortunately, I had like a dedicated space, um, which made everything possible. And like I literally couldn't have done it without her, which was awesome. And all of my other friends, all my other friends showed up, they were like working the event, shelling out butter to people. My friend Pilar was like literally like running like a kitchen. It was crazy.

SPEAKER_00 2:02

I stumbled on you, I think probably when you had around 10,000 followers, which feels like not even that long ago. And this just feels like it's been building so fast. And um, outside of just butter enthusiasts, when you first started this, was it just like I'm gonna churn butter and see what happens?

SPEAKER_01 2:18

Yeah, no, I so I basically started like putting the business, I've been turning butter for like eight years, maybe longer, actually. Wow, okay. I yeah, yeah. So I started like in high school and then formally like started in college, I guess you could say. I was literally like turning butter in my sorority house, like making baked bills. So I and I was started doing it because it helps with anxiety. My like therapist was like, you need to do something off of the internet, like do something with your hands. I've always loved cooking. So then I was like, okay, logic school next step, I'm just gonna start turning butter. Um, so I've been doing it ever since, has been great. But when I started like formally making this into a business and like wanted to make it into a business, that was probably like five years ago. So I work in advertising, I work in marketing, um, work in social media marketing, so all that like fun stuff. And I've done like a lot of what I've been doing for previous clients of mine. Um, so definitely like have a lot of experience there. But in terms of like building things out and like how I wanted it to come to life, I was just kind of like sitting like on my couch, being like, oh my God, I feel like someone's gonna do this and I just need to do it. Like I I was just getting really anxious and I saw this girl. Um, I can't remember what her name was, and I I'm gonna regret not remembering, but um, she posted something. I think she like is starting like a another small business and like like like she makes her own clothes, and it was this quote that was like, make it real first, make it good later. And I was just like, I just need to do it. Like, I'm just gonna do it. So I bought all of the packaging. I like printed all the stickers out. I just like made it real, basically. And then I was like, I'm just gonna start reaching out to people. And my friends were a huge support, and like I'd bring it to like a dinner party, and they'd be like, Great, you have to you have to do this, you have to do this, you have to keep going, you have to try. And so my actual my friend Olivia, who does the the thrift store where we did the pop-up, she I remember we were like walking down the street in Brooklyn and she was just like, you just have to like start, like just do something every single day that like pushes you forward, even if it's just like one post or one thing or one DM, just like do it. And like eventually you'll get into this rhythm and routine. And that's kind of what happened. So I just like really just started going. Um, but in terms of like what's been on the mood board and the plan, like all of it, like I am a planner, like I'm very like all over the place, but all of this has been like part of the plan, like in really bespoke gifting and just making things feel really human. I feel like a lot of my anxiety comes from the world being really, really fast and like people wanting things instantly. And that's kind of like the whole point of turning butter. It's like it's so unnecessary and it's such a slow process. So it gives like a lot of comfort in that regard, and it also just like feels human as like the world keeps speeding up around us. And I think gifting and like making people happy with food folds in really nicely to that, where it's like, oh my God, I this girl got me a gift that's so meaningful, and she wrote a handwritten note with a wax seal on it. Like that just like it just makes me feel like a person. And I I know when people open up those gifts and see something that's so personalized and and well thought out, it's just like wow, that's so human. And I think that that's what like makes like gives me joy in doing all of this because it's a lot of hard work, but it's like super fulfilling because it makes people happy and it makes me happy, which is really cool.

SPEAKER_00 5:45

I loved your PR package where you did the butterbell to Eloise, even the and the handwriting. It's just a good lesson, especially with young female creatives and entrepreneurs. It's like more is better. Go, go, go, and just take the time and be intentional. You can see the love of when you give it and then watching people's emotional responses.

SPEAKER_01 6:04

No, I swear to God, every time I've like watched one of these unboxings, it's come at the best time. Like I've either had like a really hard day at work or like a really rough time in my personal life. And I see this unboxing, I'm like, oh my God, like it makes it all worth it. Like, I'm like staying up until like 5 a.m. turning butter. I'm like, it is worth it because like that's the whole point of honestly, and like what food means to me and my family and my friends is just like making other people happy. It's like a really it's a selfless hobby almost in that like people who bake or like sourdough, like yourself. It's like you're literally making something to share with other people. And that to me is like something that's so timeless and it's never gonna go away. Like AI will never be able to replace that. Like, we will never get like lose sight of that. And that to me is like so comforting, and I think that's why people connect so much over food. Like, it doesn't matter where you come from. If you try like French onion soup butter, you're like, damn, it tastes good. You don't need to speak the same language, you don't need to be from the same, you don't need to believe in the same things. It's just like that one thing that brings people together. So it's just like a really beautiful thing in essence. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:11

The flavor profiles that you do are next level. How does that creative process work?

SPEAKER_01 7:16

Yeah, yeah. So I've been working on these flavors for, I would say, like when I first kind of kind of when it all came into fruition that I wanted to start this brand, I would say like about like four years ago is when I really was like, oh my God, I'm gonna start recipe testing and get the flavors down. For the first flavor I ever made was French onion soup butter. And that is because um a couple years ago, I was living in New York and I was walking down the street and I saw Julia Child's cookbook on the street. And uh she's like one of my favorite chefs, always has been. I love the movie Julia and Julia. Yeah, it's like the best movie ever. It's oh god, obsession. And then the movie's like she cooks through Julia Child's cookbook, and I was going through a really tough time, like having a lot of anxiety, kind of stopped cooking a lot. Um, and I was like, okay, I'm gonna cook my way through Julia Child's cookbook. Like, this is the sign that I needed. So I started doing Greer and Julia on TikTok, and it got it got pretty big. I had like I had people like Venmoing me for ingredients. Someone sent me like pans, like it was so like crazy. And I remember I was in my Soho apartment. I had like a four-burner stove that was disgusting and a mini fridge. Like it was like the most horrifying apartment you've ever seen in your life. Um, but I made French onion soup for the first time, and I was like, this is like it, I've it's one of my favorite foods. But I was like, this flavor is so like just doing everything but one by one, starting by caramelizing the onions, onions and the Worcestershire, then the cheese, like then the bread. Like it just felt so step by step and layered. And I was like, what if I took that, deconstructed it, and like put it in the butter that I turn? And then it just kind of all snowballed from there, and it just became like, oh my God, what is next? What's possible? So from French onion soup, I was like, what are my favorite flavors in the entire world? What gives me like the warm and fuzzy feeling of like pure nostalgia? And like that's kind of like that is like the umbrella. Like, what are the things that make me the happiest in this world? So Caesar salad. These are this is my last meal: grilled cheese, Caesar salad, French onion soup, and then the sweet butters I've been working on and still recipe testing are tartatan, which is also from Julia Child's cookbook, um, which I love and I'm actually making it for Thanksgiving. Um, banana bread butter, which my mom always used to buy, like a loaf of banana bread. And she would always put like the thickest slab of butter on the banana bread. And I didn't know that people don't butter their banana bread, but I'm like, it's a crime not to at this point. Um then cornbread butter is like again, one of my favorite foods of all time. Like anything corn, I'm obsessed with corn, but cornbread specifically, I just like I love it. So it's kind of all like selfishly, these are my favorite things in the world. And so I'm just making them into butter form.

SPEAKER_00 10:11

This recipe testing, I'll see you. You're like, all right, here's my fifth time trying this. I'm like, oh, I'm so it seems like it's using a lot of different parts of your brain. And I think for you know, creatives, a lot of people are drawn to that. They want to do so much. So any things you're kind of learning on the go to go through that day by day?

SPEAKER_01 10:27

Yeah, I think like the biggest thing with my job and my nine to five is like I have a huge support system at work. Like there's they know about Buttergirl, they're super supportive of it. Like I work for a wonderful agency, and like I know like if I were at another place, that might not be the case. Like there were there is like that consideration of like, okay, are you gonna let this get in the way of your work? They're wildly supportive and like literally like got me a cake when I got 100K and like surprised me. Like it was like I literally could not stop crying because of that. Um, so I think like because of their support, it's in my best interest to also like support the team and give like 100% at work. Like just because I'm doing this does not mean that I am like, okay, I'm I'm checked out at five o'clock. Sorry, done and dusted. Love you guys, see you later. Like, I think like I'm literally talking with them right now. We're working towards like a tough deadline, and it's like we're all there to support one another. So I think if anyone is like trying to do a side hustle, it's like just because you're doing a side hustle doesn't mean that you should neglect like prior responsibilities and commitments that you've had. I think that that's kind of like a big thing. It's like, oh, does this serve me? No, it's like being a part and working as a team is like so fundamental, even if you're doing something on your own, because it just like teaches you how to work with with others and and support and multitask. Like I think it's one of like the best lessons to learn. And it's it's really fucking hard. Like I crashed out on my on my Instagram and I was just like, I'm so overwhelmed. But at the same time, I'm really thankful for this time period because I know eventually, in however many years, when I'm just doing Buttergirl or I'm I'm doing a mix of both or whatever I'm doing, then I'm gonna be able to really use like the tools that I have when I've learned how to multitask in this time period, especially gonna be thankful for the people that I'm currently working with and their support. So I think that that is it has been a huge like ex learning experience for me. And it's also just kind of like who I am as a person. Like I'm I'm really not a kind of person to be like, all right, I'm checked out, like this doesn't matter to me. Like it's a job, like there are people that are working on the same thing I am, and we all have to like support each other. Uh, because at the end of the day, like we wouldn't be able to just like live our lives if we weren't working with each other as a team. Um, so I think that that's like the biggest thing in balance that I've kind of just like continuously reminded myself. Um, and in terms of like balancing it and words of wisdom and anything I've learned, I think like the biggest thing is like I wake up early to do butter and I go to bed late to do butter. So I wake up at like, I would say on on a busy day, I'll wake up at 7 a.m. and I'll recipe test and cook in the morning before my nine to five. Um, mostly to get natural light because I hate filming in the darkness and I hate cooking in the darkness as well. So do that. Usually like make breakfast foods, which I think people have started noticing because I can then eat my breakfast in the morning. Um, and then I kind of like in my nine to five, I don't touch butter. So I don't think about butter. Even in my like, oh, I'm sitting at my desk, I'm not responding to comments, I'm not like posting anything. I'm like, I'm in work mode. And if I have downtime at work, I'm also just like being a person. So I'm like sitting outside, enjoying my lunch. Like I'm clocked in and like I have separation of the two things. So then once work ends and my job is like done and dusted, then I go home and I do better, usually into late into the night. This time period and schedule that I have developed requires like no time for like existing and not working during the week, um, which has definitely been really taxing. So I just kind of like tell myself, like, no one is asking me to do this except for myself. Like there are people like messaging me every and commenting every single day, being like, when can I ship? Where's my butter? But I'm like that, I'm taking that as support, not for me to like ruin my mental health by like rushing something that doesn't need to be rushed. So I've kind of just like taken a beat there, um, as well as just kind of like doing one little thing every day that helps move it forward, um, and trying not to just like burn myself out by doing too much. Cause like I'm sure you've seen it too, but all these TikToks that are like recommendation, post three times a day, every day, and you'll grow your platform. Like, you actually don't need to do that. Like, it's it's honestly too much. Like, it's also like that's just like so overwhelming, like, even as like a consumer. So it's just like doing what's best for you and just being consistent. It's like going to the gym. It's like you can work out every single day for 30 days. You're probably gonna like develop some muscle, but you're also like not really sustaining it. Like you're just kind of doing this sprint that's only gonna last for so long, and you're probably never gonna want to go back to the gym. This is speaking of someone who never goes to the gym. So I don't know how much I know, but uh, it's a good, it's a good euphemism.

SPEAKER_00 15:32

It's so great to hear you say that and encourage that, especially in your strong background in the industry, because I'm sure a lot of people that have great ideas that would do so good are just like, you know what, I'm not even gonna try because I can't post three times a day.

SPEAKER_01 15:45

Yeah. And like something that I've learned quite recently is like last week when I like just started like crying and turning better, like even documenting the not so great stuff, like people want to see that and it's relatable and it made me feel a lot less alone. And the amount of like emails and messages that have just been like so overwhelmingly kind, or just being like, Hey, I saw your video, I'm going through a similar thing, it made me feel less alone. Like, that's kind of part of this too. And I think that that's gonna be the new change in like what we see because uh people are just craving like human interaction to any degree. So it's like even like an influencer who posts like her dinner parties every day and they look like so beautiful. I'm like, how is this person real? Like, what does this person's like storage situation look like? Where does she put her shit? Like, I think like a lot of that is healthy and like okay, let's say you want to post every day, like you can post the not so great stuff too, and talk about like how you're struggling. Like, that's part of the journey that people want to see. And that's something I just recently learned because I'm like, okay, I'm starting this new business. I need to seem wildly legit and built out in order for me to take me seriously. But I posted that and people are even more interested. So it's just kind of like a cool thing that I like just learned that I feel like I've known all along, but it's just kind of different when it's yourself, and like I'm like, oh shit, now everyone has seen me cry on the internet, but I'm also like, I don't really care now because like it helped people, so it's like fine, yeah, because it's like, I mean, we're all human beings at the end of the day, and like also I'm like, I'm churning butter, I'm not like a doctor, so it's like I don't really need to be like this this buttoned up, like no one's like if a plastic surgery surgeon was crying about how stressed they were on TikTok, I would maybe be like, you know, like maybe you need just like six hours. But if someone's like, I mean, someone did actually comment, like, I don't want your butter that tastes like anxiety. And I'm like, you know what? That's one person.

SPEAKER_00 17:49

That's one of the things that's not the target demo, not the target demo.

SPEAKER_01 17:53

Exactly. I'm like, that's the whole vibe girl. Like, I think you should seek butter elsewhere.

SPEAKER_00 18:00

And I saw you kind of share about potentially doing a ghost kitchen, or you, you know, what's like the next phase of butter girl that you see?

SPEAKER_01 18:07

Yeah, I'm in this like really funky stage where I'm posting about it and people can't buy it. And I think it's definitely like it's great because people are getting like aware of the brand, but I'm also like again getting impatient with myself, being like, okay, when am I when I'm gonna be able to do this? So essentially my plan and the holidays for my nine to five are always really crazy, like right before. So my plan going into 2026 is basically to get into a commercial kitchen um and start basically making all of this butter at scale. Cause right now I'm in my apartment and I'm making it with a mason jar and it's like literally driving me to insanity. So, not gonna do that anymore. That was an interim fix that was like to get us by. Um, so I found a really great uh uh collective kitchen, is kind of what they call it. It's almost like a group of people that use the kitchen in shifts, but it's a commercial kitchen that's like registered, it has all of like the proper licenses and all that good stuff. So I can legally sell it because as of right now, I cannot. And that's why we're kind of going into like the gifting mode. Um, but in order for me to get into that ghost kitchen, sign up, like get all of like the food handling license, um, get like the seven-hour shifts, like all of that. I do have like a substantial amount of startup costs. So I think going into the new year, it'll be a matter of like trying to raise that money um and just like source capital so I can get into that commercial kitchen. Um, and then from there I've been talking to like a bunch of like local stores that want to carry it, which has been really awesome and has always kind of been my ambition. Um, but the overarching goal is to be able to get this to ship. So probably using a service like Goldbelly um is like the first one that comes to mind what I've been looking into so I can get it shipped across the US. Because shipping butter is like literally the worst product in the entire world to ship, because the worst thing that could happen is someone it arrives and it's just like French onion soup, butter soup. Um so definitely has been a learning curve there, but having like the right partners to get that done and make sure that it's like covered and all the customers are happy, like that's that is the goal number one. So um, those are like the next steps and what I'm gonna like go into the new year, like chasing after, which I kind of already have everything figured out. I just need to like get a check on the table. So getting working towards that eventually, yes.

SPEAKER_00 20:43

There's been this huge revival of supper club culture where people are like, okay, instead of trying to like get this hard reservation, I want to go to these different supper clubs and have just different creators make things through this. Are you meeting even more people that are coming together making their own unique takes on things?

SPEAKER_01 20:58

Yes, totally. The amount of specifically like female small business owners in in the food and CPG like industry, like it is crazy how many people I've gotten connected with. This gal, um, she's doing a cottage cheese dip called Cotto. Um, there's Nana, this banana bread company that she just started. It's amazing. There's Sour Milk, which is like this yogurt company, and they just got into Happier Grocer. There's just like a ton of these like small brands, and they're all kind of like doing a very similar like method of just like make it real and then make it better. Um, so connecting with them and like doing like little pop-ups here and there, as well as like my friends that are all working in like the the clothing and like uh vintage industry, like doing pop-ups with them too, and like having like a food element there, like it's also connected. And I think people are really craving that, is especially like on the weekends too. It's like I mean, it might also just be that I'm like no longer in my early 20s, but it's like, okay, what are what are we doing like midday? What are we doing this weekend? Let's go to this like really fun, like pop up, or let's have a dinner party, or just like bring people together. Like, I think like that has been like a huge trend, and I think that's awesome. Also, just like a more of a sense of like the humanity thing that we were talking about earlier. It's like people want to connect with other people more than ever. And like going to like, oh my god, this is New York's hottest restaurant or hottest club. It's like so transactional, and people are there for photos and then they leave. So it's just kind of like even like my friends that are in bands and like my friends that are DJs, like going to like smaller sets where it's just like people are really there to be a part of something and be a part of a community is like so much more special than going somewhere to like say that you were there and take like an Instagram. So I think across the board, just like New York culture has been like embodying that, um, which I'm so happy to be a part of in any way, shape, or form. Um, because like that's how I want to spend my time and like my time off from like working my job or even starting this brand to begin with.

SPEAKER_00 23:05

I highly recommend anyone that is in any version of the creative space, but also people like for me, I just feel so calm watching people make things and you churning your butter, recipe testing. It's so great. So I highly recommend anyone that enjoys that to follow along. So yeah, for the listeners that want to follow along, what are the best places?

SPEAKER_01 23:23

Yes. So I'm chronically online. I try to post it every day, but if I don't, because I'm giving myself mental space, what are you talking about? We support them. Yes, yes. But I'm on Instagram, Buttergirl NYC. I'm on TikTok, Buttergirl NYC. I was like, should I start making Spotify playlists as well? I'm probably not gonna do that because I I have literally no time, but I will do it. I will I want to make a playlist for every flavor because they all have different vibes.

SPEAKER_00 23:50

I think cooking dinner at home, like I would love to put on like a French onion soup butter when I'm cooking a little happy hour for friends. I stand by that. If that is, yeah, I'm gonna be setting up my notification to your post.

SPEAKER_01 24:03

Okay, so then maybe I become a DJ as well. Um, I'm just gonna tack that on at the end uh after doing all the butter and the the nine to five. Um, but yes, TikTok, Instagram, and so far that is all until Spotify, my DJ debut.

SPEAKER_00 24:20

Oh, and then really quick before we wrap up, I would love to share um the fundraiser that you just wrapped up. That is so incredible. If you can share a bit about that nonprofit and what you did, I think that's also a great story for people that are maybe starting to expand. Maybe you can't be shipping products to people yet, but you can still be like utilizing the platform you're growing in such impactful ways. So if you could share about that nonprofit and what you did with that.

SPEAKER_01 24:43

Yeah, totally. Um, so the corporate or not corporation, the organization is called City Harvest. Um, and it's an amazing organization in New York. They work directly with food banks across um the city. And um, because people have been like losing their snap benefits, it's been like like the lines around food banks in New York have been astronomically long. It's been absolutely insane. Um, and a lot of these food banks are getting like physical canned good donations. Um, but a lot of because that's kind of like the first thing that comes to mind. It's like, oh, food banks need help. I'm gonna go like bring canned goods. But a lot of them aren't getting like monetary donations. Um, so we did kind of like this. I didn't work directly with them. They had no idea that I was doing it and haven't talked to them uh about it, but um love, love you guys. Um, however, yeah, I basically was like donate any amount of money, whether it's like a dollar, whether someone even donated like$300, which was wild. Um, which and amazing. We raised like so much over a such a small period of time. Um, but we did like a little um fundraiser where if you donated even like the smallest amount or however much you wanted, you could win cornbread butter for local pickup. Um so did that, was turning butter until like five o'clock in the morning was insane. And then was just like meeting up with everyone the next day um and did like the pickups, which was super, super fun. Um, but yeah, great organization. And again, like we've been talking about community a lot. So really wanted to just kind of, I don't know, walking around the city and like eating my baguette with my bougie butter on it and passing a food bank and just seeing a huge line wrapped around the block. Like it's like, how can you not think about this if you work in food at all? Like it's all I've been thinking about, and especially Thanksgiving. So just working with any organization in any capacity to make sure that people have access to three meals a day is like I mean, uh it's the least I can do. Um, so yeah, everyone that donated was awesome, and meeting everyone was awesome, and it's a great organization. So happy we we were able to uh raise some money.

SPEAKER_00 26:51

Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me today. This was so great.

SPEAKER_01 26:55

Yeah, absolutely. Thank you. This has been so cool. I've literally never been on a podcast before. So this is sick.