Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Sima Gandhi, Co-Founder of Food Venture Program, located in Bothwell, ON, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We offer education, resources, and contacts to food entrepreneurs who have one or both of these goals:
- To produce a food product to be packaged and sold on retail shelves.
- To open a Food Service Business.
Tell us about yourself
I grew up in an entrepreneurial family, so creating value through a business is in my blood. Eventually, I was involved in creating entrepreneurship education materials that were used nationally. The emphasis was on tech and medical "unicorns," and there were limited resources available to creative businesses and arts, like food!
Every day, we see an example of our materials preventing a small start-up from losing money because they took a wrong turn. Similarly, every day, we see the glow of success when an entrepreneur takes their business to the next level. These motivate me to continue doing what we do.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Our first client to get on a retail shelf was pretty awesome! We made the full journey with them and celebrated together at the end. When an entrepreneur succeeds, it means a job is created, a house is bought, or a child's education is paid for. These are the biggest accomplishments I can think of.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
The hardest part is collaboration. We have projects with multiple participants, and everyone comes at it with their own unique priority. When collaboration works (and it does most of the time), the results are phenomenal and rich for all involved.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Be relentless!
- Be ready to pivot!
- Be an active listener!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.foodventureprogram.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FoodVentureProgram
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foodventureprogram/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/foodventureprog
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/foodventureprogram/
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.
Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.