Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Karl Etherly, founder of Fix Me a Dish Inc., located in Toronto, ON, Canada.

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

Fix Me a Dish is an online platform that allows people (we call them diners) to book a personal chef for an in-home dining experience. Our objective is to connect food lovers with food creators to help make unforgettable memories at the table.

Tell us about yourself

Hi! My name is Karl Etherly, and I am the founder of Fix Me a Dish Inc. If I had to describe to people what I do, I would say, “I solve real-world problems using technology!”. I have been working in the tech industry for over a decade, focusing mainly on all things web development.

The story behind Fix Me a Dish: One day, I was watching TV with my spouse, and a couple booked a personal chef to come to the house and cook them up a 3-5 course meal for two people on Valentine's Day! While watching TV, it reminded me of several years ago. My spouse and I used to order these wings with the chef's special sauce. We would sit down for hours and talk about everything interested us, from politics, sports, family plans, ambitions, hopes, and dreams. In those moments, I felt a special bond, an unbreakable connection with my spouse over these wings.

On that day, I thought, “What if I could recreate those moments over some great food.” We weren't looking at our phones, we were barely watching the sports on the TV, but we were communicating and connecting. We as a society used to form these authentic connections with people we cared about, or sometimes people we did not know. I want to help create experiences that will help connect people with their family and friends while also enjoying some fantastic food at the table, wherever that table may be.

As far as what motivates me to continue building Fix Me a Dish, I would say the following:
• Something that I helped build could make life easier for someone else.
• An environment that I helped to create could allow someone to bring their whole self to work, not just the professional side of who they are.
• Creating a successful business could bring forth rewarding opportunities for people in various parts of Canada, maybe even the world.

The possibility of making a positive impact on our society that helps people build connections over fantastic food! These are some reasons why I continue to grind and build out Fix Me s Dish.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I suppose I do not have a “biggest accomplishment” as a business owner as of yet. I have completed several milestones along my journey, but I would not say one is more important than the other. I’m just happy I found something I am passionate about in life and that I get to connect with unique and super talented people consistently!

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

The battle between oneself. No one is coming to save you! No one cares about what you are doing! And through all that, you have to deal with you doubting yourself and that feeling that you might not be good enough. The best advice I can give is to keep going and keep grinding!

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

  1. Know your WHY! What’s the reason behind what you want to do
    There will be times when you do not feel like doing anything when you wake up. You will try to make up some excuse for why you can’t work on your dreams for the day. Having a strong reason for building your business will help you stay focused and push through distractions and excuses when they arise. You have to find time to work on your dreams, or you will spend your life making someone else's dreams come true! Not sure who said this first, but I love using it!
  2. Be relentlessly curious! Never stop learning. Whether it is from books, people, videos, or whatever your preferred learning method, always continue to push yourself to be better.
  3. Take care of yourself - physically, mentally, and emotionally. It’s OK to take care of yourself, so you can be there for the people who need you.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

If you are worried about building a business, I suggest doing a few things:

  • Keep an idea journal. It does not matter what you write in the journal. The point of the journal is to get you to creatively think about possible ideas you could work on in the future.
  • Start small. If you have an idea, start by dedicating 5-10 mins to your idea a day. If you like the progress over a while, slowly increase the time spent on your idea. Who knows, your idea might be something you can create a business around.
  • Tell someone else about your idea! If you have your idea mapped out, tell someone that could help! This is very helpful because someone could bring up valid points you have not considered yet. And if you are worried that someone will take your idea, don’t be. Ideas are easy to come up with, but the hard part is implementing them. Most people are not willing to put in the hard work it takes to execute ideas that bring them to life and make them into viable businesses. And if someone is, maybe you should partner with them. Teamwork makes the dream work!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.info.fixmeadish.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fixmeadish/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FixMeADish
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fix-me-a-dish/

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.