Your Menu Matchmaker

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Dylan McDonnell, Founder, and CEO of Foodini, located in Coogee, NSW, Australia.

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

Foodini connects the 1 in 3 Australians with dietary needs to the restaurants that can cater to them. Foodini allows users to create a customized profile of their specific dietary needs (with over 30 diets and allergens to choose from) and then shows them the restaurants that have the most suitable options for them and an exact breakdown of what they can and can't eat on each menu. Our registered dietitian team assists restaurant in identifying the relevant allergens in their menu items and educates them on the correct food preparation processes. The dietitian team also onboards restaurant menus to the platform, ensuring that the information is accurately recorded. Foodini has also created a unique (first of its kind globally) group search feature, allowing friends, co-workers, and families to find the restaurants and menu items most suitable for the entire group. We are connecting thousands of Sydney-siders to the restaurants able to cater for them, creating safe and enjoyable dining experiences for all parties involved!

Tell us about yourself

I am an investment funds lawyer by trade - I trained and qualified with a top-tier corporate law firm specializing in investment funds before making a move to in-house legal with a large multi-national company. Foodini came about as a result of my own experiences with coeliac disease and the issues it caused when dining out. So many experiences of being served the wrong food, being provided incorrect information, or being somewhere which had zero gluten-free options. I am motivated to continue building our offering as I know firsthand how big an issue this is globally, and I know that what we are doing genuinely makes a big difference in the lives of so many.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Launching a tech startup, a mobile app with no tech background! The language of tech was (and still largely is) alien to me, so getting our product into the market was very challenging, and I am glad that the hard work paid off.

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

Going from being responsible for all the different verticals in the business and then having to let go as you begin to scale! It's hard to trust others to do the same work you were previously doing, which is why hiring the right people is so important, and I am blessed to have an amazing team who do amazing work!

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

Take the chance! There will always be another day job if it does not work out!
Surround yourself with industry veterans - the value a good board of advisors/mentors can bring is massive.
Dream big - the world is your oyster!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://getfoodini.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/getfoodini
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getfoodini/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/getfoodini
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/getfoodini/

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.