Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with RonniLyn Pustil, founder of Gluten Free Garage, located in Toronto, ON, Canada.

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

Gluten Free Garage is THE go-to festival in Toronto for anyone who lives a gluten-free lifestyle— whether they have celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or other health issues that benefit from a gluten-free diet, or whether they eat gluten-free simply because it makes them feel better. This celiac-friendly, family-friendly event is carefully vetted and curated so that all the food is 100% gluten-free and 100% delicious. It’s a one-stop shopping day that brings the gluten-free community together to share in the best gluten-free finds and connect with each other—over food, of course!

Tell us about yourself

When my daughter Lily was diagnosed with celiac disease at age 3, my husband and I quickly realized that gluten-free food would be her medicine for the rest of her life. So we made our house 100% gluten-free. We wanted it to be a safe place for her to eat, a place where she could eat whatever she wanted, where we wouldn't have to say, "you can't have that." At the same time, we didn't want to have to settle for food that didn't taste good. And we wanted to live our lives like everyone else—to travel and go to restaurants, events, and celebrations.

Food is nourishment, pleasure, comfort, tradition, a way that people come together. So, for the past 12 years, I've been on a quest for the best gluten-free food that tastes delicious and is on the healthier side. Along the way, I've discovered countless gluten-free gems—prepared foods, packaged products, fresh baked goods, dedicated bakeries, restaurants, and more. I wanted to bring these gluten-free finds together under one roof and share them with other people who have to eat gluten-free. So, I created a food festival where gluten-free people can eat whatever they want and know that it's safe. Everything at Gluten Free Garage is 100% gluten-free and celiac safe. Toronto has so many amazing food festivals, and people who are gluten-free deserve to be able to go to a festival and eat the food without worrying that they're going to get sick.

I've also discovered that it takes a village to raise a gluten-free child, and I'm so grateful for our friends and family and for the incredible gluten-free community we're now a part of. My daughter Lily, who is now a teenager, motivates me to keep searching for new gluten-free finds and to learn how to make her favourite foods gluten-free.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Gluten Free Garage is primarily a labour of love, and I'm proud that I've been able to run this festival for nine years. It has grown from a pop-up market with 40 vendors to a full-out festival with 75 vendors, food trucks, guest speakers, and food demos. I'd have to say that bringing people together through food is my biggest accomplishment. Also, the look on someone's face as they devour a dumpling or donut or beer for the first time since going gluten-free is absolutely priceless.

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

Wearing so many hats—from sales to marketing to social media to logistics and so on—is the biggest challenge of running Gluten Free Garage. Of course, I am not able to pull it off on my own.

I am lucky to have fantastic staff who come on board each year a few months before the festival. I guess the other challenge is that I had never run an event before

I'm an editor by trade. So learning as I go has been exciting but also stressful.

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

  1. If you have an idea that just won't quit, that comes from a personal place that you feel strongly about...trust your gut and go for it.
  2. When you don't know something or how to do something, ask for help. Find the right people you can trust to support you.
  3. There are going to be obstacles and setbacks, and challenges. Don't take things personally.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gluten Free Garage has not happened for the past two years, which has been really difficult for me personally, financially, motivationally, mentally... I just want to send out my love and support to other people who run festivals and events that have had to be postponed. This too shall pass, and I can't wait until we can gather again in person, hopefully on May 29th, 2022!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://glutenfreegarage.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glutenfreegarage
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glutenfreegarage/

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.

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