Three Wishes Cereal: From One-Bedroom Apartment to 15,000 Stores

When Margaret Wishingrad scanned the cereal aisle looking for something healthy to feed her baby, every box fell short — loaded with sugar and grains. She brought her concern to her husband Ian, who ran an advertising agency, and the idea for Three Wishes Cereal was born almost instantly.

Starting in their cramped one-bedroom New York City apartment in 2019, the couple bootstrapped the venture with $250,000 of their own savings. They tested over 100 recipes before landing on a formula that was grain-free, high-protein, and low in sugar — without tasting like cardboard. Six years later, Three Wishes is stocked in more than 15,000 stores, including Whole Foods, Sprouts, Wegmans, and select Costco locations.

Redefining Roles to Save the Business

The product wasn’t their only challenge. Working together as married co-founders nearly broke both their business and their marriage. Originally, Ian had been the boss when they worked together at his agency. At Three Wishes, Margaret’s sharper operational instincts made her the natural CEO, while Ian stepped into a CMO role handling creative and marketing. Accepting that shift required real humility from Ian, who describes himself as an “alpha” personality.

Communication Became Their Competitive Advantage

Their early friction led to a ground rule that ultimately strengthened the partnership — criticism had to come paired with solutions. Once they respected each other’s distinct strengths, the business accelerated. As Margaret puts it, “Ian paints with words, and I paint with pictures.”

For Margaret, seeing her photo on the back of a cereal box in stores still feels surreal — proof that a frustrating supermarket moment can quietly become the seed of something remarkable.