Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Mike Hope, co-owner of Cannibale Bar and Barbershops, located in Calgary, AB, Canada.

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

We are a neighbourhood bar and barbershop located in Bridgeland. We serve amazing food, great cocktails, wine, craft beers, and offer premium barber services.

Our food program is spearheaded by Chef Kevin Turner. Kevin trained at the Culinary Institute of America in California and did his apprenticeship at Chez Panisse, Alice Waters's famed Berkeley, California restaurant. We serve Mexican cuisine with a smokehouse twist. We source locally whenever possible to ensure the freshest ingredients and try and limit our carbon footprint.

Our beverage program has been curated with similar care. We have local craft beer on tap, serve locally crafted sodas, and use local spirits where possible in our hand-crafted cocktails. We have well-trained and experienced barbers in our barbershops and offer what we feel are the best grooming services in the city.

Tell us about yourself

I put myself through university bartending, and I fell in love with the business. Talking to people and reading the reviews from people who really enjoy what we do is very satisfying.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Making it through the last few years and the struggles with the economy and the pandemic. We would not have made it through without the support of our customers and the government. We had to reinvent ourselves and pivot several times, and I think we have come through this stronger and more versatile than ever.

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

I think all aspects of staffing your business are challenging, especially now. Many people have left the industry because of the uncertainty surrounding the restaurant business due to the pandemic. Even during the best of times, finding the right people and keeping them is challenging.

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

  1. Find something you love doing and figure out how to do a business out of it.
  2. Make sure you have sufficient financing. You may have to ride out some tough times, so make sure you have enough capital to sustain without profit for at least six months.
  3. If you are taking on a partner, make sure it is the right partner. Make sure you share the same vision. Make sure you have a similar work ethic and that you complement each other’s personality and skill set.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Good Luck! Nothing is more satisfying or rewarding than working for yourself.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.cannibale.ca/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cannibale_yyc/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cannibale_yyc

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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