Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kieran Folliard, founder of Food Building, located in Minneapolis, MN, USA.

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

FOOD BUILDING is an urban food production hub home to four artisan food and beverage producers: Red Table Meat Co., Baker’s Field Flour & Bread, Alemar Cheese Co., and 3LECHE. Our ethos is “Farmed Near, Made Here.” Each of these businesses takes locally grown ingredients and handcrafts them into high-quality products using old-world methods.

In addition to FOOD BUILDING, I’ve recently launched a new spirits brand, Red Locks Irish Whiskey. Red Locks is centered around making quality Irish whiskey accessible to lifelong whiskey drinkers, new drinkers, and everyone in between. The idea behind Red Locks is “giving it a shot,” which speaks to both my experience as an entrepreneur and the encouragement I hope to share with others to pursue their long-held dreams and goals.

Tell us about yourself

For FOOD BUILDING, it was a conversation with a local chef, Mike Phillips, about how we were shipping Midwestern grown pigs across the country to be cured and turned into salami, then shipping them right back here to our restaurants. Mike ended up starting the first company at FOOD BUILDING, Red Table Meat Co., to do that very thing right here in Minnesota, where the pigs are raised. The rest of the businesses in FOOD BUILDING fell into place around the idea of taking quality ingredients made here in our region and creating products from them here too.

For Red Locks Irish Whiskey, apart from the liquid itself, of course (which is really great quality for the price point), I’m really motivated by the everyday conversations I have with people about their ideas and what excites and motivates them. I love hearing about people’s dreams and business ideas, and I hope they’ll get the message we’re driving with Red Locks, which is, of course, giving it a shot. It might turn out how you hoped, it might turn into something different or even better than you planned, but you won’t regret the trying.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Taking risks, perseverance to tweak the models and stick with the vision when it would have been easier to quit.

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

Creating a strong culture that supports the business model and staying focused on prioritizing one's time.

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

  1. Having great clarity about one's vision, mission, and objectives.
  2. Knowing when to delegate and bring on appropriate talent.
  3. Staying open to opportunities, people, innovation, and evolution.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Never forget to lend a hand of support and encouragement to people along the journey.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.foodbuilding.com/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/redlocksirishwhiskey
https://www.facebook.com/kieranskitchennortheast/

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/redlocksirishwhiskey/
https://www.instagram.com/kieranskitchenatfoodbldg/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kieran-folliard-9b92143/

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.