Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food & beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Christopher Galarza, Founder of Forward Dining Solutions, located in Pittsburgh, PA, USA.

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

Forward Dining Solutions is a minority-owned small business dedicated to creating lasting sustainable culinary ecosystems. We are the only firm in the United States dedicated exclusively to electrifying commercial kitchens, and we bring our own lived experiences as chefs who have made this transition to every project we work on. Our client list includes Microsoft, Google, and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, but we have worked with brands, chefs, schools, and nonprofit organizations to help them achieve their sustainability goals.

Tell us about yourself

I started Forward Dining Solutions in 2019 when I was asked to help Microsoft build its new all-electric headquarters in Redmond, Washington. Since then, I've devoted my career to bringing my unique experience as a chef who's worked in all facets of dining, from small mom & pop restaurants to large 5-star 5-diamond resorts where I worked with Master Chefs and Culinary Olympians and everything in between. I gained experience in electric kitchens when I helped Chatham University open its Eden Hall Campus.

The world's first fully self-sustained university campus housed America's first all-electric campus kitchen. I'm now motivated every day to bring my clients out of the kitchens of the past, where we chefs spent every day working in the sweltering heat, to the kitchen of the future, where we can meet the demand of our guests while increasing productivity & profitability while also improving the quality of life for our chefs, patrons and the planet as a whole.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment by far is starting FDS with no capital, business plan, or financial backers and turning it into something that is working with businesses and governments at the highest levels to bring real-world solutions that will positively affect chefs everywhere and help them do it responsibly in a way that makes sense to the commercial kitchen operation.

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

By far, the hardest thing that has come from business ownership is not just starting the business but also creating an entire industry that didn't exist prior to the company's formation. No one really knew what kitchen electrification was, let alone how to implement it. We are effectively showing the country how to build kitchens all over again, and it's as rewarding as it is challenging.

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

  1. Do your homework... make sure that before you start your business that you've identified what the market needs and how you're going to deliver that need. Often times folks rush into entrepreneurship but have no clue whether or not the market desires or needs their product. Sometimes the market doesn't know it yet (like in our case), but other times it does. Do your homework and make sure you know what needs to be done in order to be successful.
  2. Do not estimate the power of marketing... In today's increasingly connected world, we have never had more opportunities to control our own marketing than we do today. Make sure that you develop a good plan and execute it well. Marketing doesn't just end on social media. The most effective marketing tool is a satisfied customer. Make sure that you build a good rapport with your clients and that they share your work with their friends and colleagues. No matter how good your content is on social media, nothing beats the word of a trusted friend or colleague. If they gush about you and your work, you can bet that whoever they tell will be more inclined to reach out.
  3. Hold yourself accountable... Set tasks and goals for yourself with actionable steps and deadlines. You no longer have someone else setting the expectations. The onus is on you and you alone. Nobody is going to ensure that you get your work done and make sure you succeed. Your success will be the result of the work and dedication you put into it.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://forwarddiningsolutions.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ForwardDiningSolutionsLLC/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forwarddiningsolutionsllc/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DiningForward
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chef-christopher-galarza-8a632742/

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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