Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kristi Heyer, owner of Graze & Vines, located in Duluth, GA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
At Graze & Vines, we create gourmet cheese and charcuterie boards, individual-sized charcuterie cups, and customized grazing tables. We also offer classes where we guide your group through making your own graze boards, with tips and tricks to create a gourmet display that you can eat! No matter the occasion - whether a holiday party, corporate event, wedding, or date night in - our custom charcuterie creations are guaranteed to take your celebration to the next level.
Tell us about yourself
After taking time off from work to have my children, I knew I was ready to get back out there but still wanted the flexibility that staying home provided our family. I’ve always loved gathering people around food, and I love that this venture allows me to do that for even more people. To be part of my customers’ special moments is such a gift!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Graze & Vines opened up just before Valentine’s Day and decided to do a big push and hope for the best. That day we had 18 orders from people who didn’t even know us. That felt huge because it wasn’t just friends and family supporting us. That’s when it started to feel like maybe we’ve got something good here.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
It’s so hard to turn it off and not be thinking about work. Because if I’m not thinking about it or getting it done, nobody else is either.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Say yes and figure it out later. Some of our biggest accomplishments (like creating a 500 person grazing table with 72 hours notice!) came because I said yes even though I didn’t know how I’d pull it off.
- Know when to say no. This also goes hand in hand with the above. Not all yeses are good ones.
- Ask for help. When there are things I feel uncertain about, I get advice from people who know more than I do.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://grazeandvines.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grazeandvines
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grazeandvines/
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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