Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Anouck Gotlib, CEO of Belgian Boys, located in Brooklyn, NY, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Belgian Boys is on a mission to turn up the happy - one delicious breakfast and sweet treat at a time. Launched in 2015, Belgian Boys is in the business of fun, offering our delicious products in 5000 stores and online. All of our delicious products are made in Europe with high-quality, non-GMO ingredients.
Tell us about yourself
Before working at Belgian Boys, I studied fashion design and worked at fashion houses, including Zac Posen and Natan. I spent long nights and weekends working with my husband Greg to launch the brand before stepping away from fashion and into entrepreneurship full time. In 2019 I became the company’s CEO, leading a passionate team dedicated to growing more than just a revenue-driven business - creating joy for customers and spreading sweetness in people's lives.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
The pandemic disrupted our business as we knew it. We experienced a loss of clients, supply chain challenges, and a whole industry that was totally disoriented, but this forced us to pivot, and fast! When we did, we experienced through-the-roof growth of our e-commerce business without a warehouse to fill the orders, so Greg and I ended up renting a garage, buying an industrial-sized freezer, and filling thousands of orders over the summer months ourselves. That ability to pivot, to have a resilient business, is such an accomplishment. Though the supply chain challenges continue, our experience navigating complexity adds long-term flexibility.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Being an entrepreneur, I am forced to deal with new challenges and setbacks daily. In the CEO role, the biggest and most daunting problems always make their way to me, which can be incredibly exhausting. Turning challenges into opportunities is where I see the light. Problem-solving and turning the worst situation into a winning moment is what drives us at Belgian Boys and makes me feel success along the journey.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Surround yourself with people you trust. It doesn't have to be your spouse, of course, but being able to trust your early team is so empowering. You know everyone is working hard towards the same goal.
- Find YOUR version of work-life balance. I love my job, and so sometimes I like to work in the evening, but I also like to be able to check out for a few hours and go to events at my kids' school.
- Keep learning! There is no finish line when you're an entrepreneur and often no traditional promotions. Read, network, attend conferences and push yourself to the next level so you can keep being the leader you and your team need.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.belgianboys.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Belgianboys/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anouckgotlib/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/anouckgotlib
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anouck-gotlib/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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