For the Love of Cheese - Afrim Pristine

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Afrim Pristine, owner of Cheese Boutique, located in Toronto, ON, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

My business is a cheese boutique in Toronto. A family business for over 50yrs. Our goal is to provide our clients with the best food in the world. We love what we do. We strive to give our clients a great food experience every time they come through our doors.

Tell us about yourself

I love what I do. I love being a part of people's lives, even if it's just a small part. Whether it's a loaf of bread or a piece of cheese, we are so humbled that our products end up on thousands of families' dining room tables. We love that. I take what I do very seriously, but I also like to have fun at the same time. Food is such a personal thing. I continually try to add my personality to everything I do. I feel people resonate with that. People want to know where their food products come from. I feel I'm very respectful when it comes to food. Without good food, I can't do what I do. So telling the story of where food came from is important to me.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

What started off with three employees over 50 yrs, we have now about 110 employees. I'm quite proud of this. I feel it shows our growth and evolution over the last five decades. The staff at Cheese Boutique are world-class, and they work so hard. I'm blessed to work with extremely talented people. We have some staff that has worked with us for 40yrs, 30yrs, 20yrs, etc. This is a great accomplishment for any business, especially nowadays.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

No matter how passionate you are about what you do, it's still a business. To be business savvy in this economic climate can be very difficult. To understand that no matter how good your products are, you have to be able to make a profit, pay your suppliers, pay your staff, etc. I feel these major details are sometimes forgotten, and we get trapped in everything else.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Work ethic is extremely important. No business moves forward and grows without countless hours of hard work.
To find people that are more talented than you in your workplace. I am only good as the staff around me. This is integral to finding like-minded people and looking after them properly.
Be prepared to sacrifice. Whether it's sacrificing money, days off, etc., is important, especially for a new business. I don't feel that strong companies are lucky. Strong businesses are strong because they worked for them. It just doesn't happen out of the blue.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.cheeseboutique.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cheeseboutique

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/Cheese_Boutique/
https://www.instagram.com/afrimpristine/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AfrimPristine

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.