Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Briana DelBene, owner of Grid Iron Waffle Shop, located in Glen Rock, NJ, USA.

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

We are the Grid Iron Waffle Shop, a staple restaurant that has been in South Orange, NJ, for 12 years. We specialize in Liege Waffles, and you'd be hard-pressed to find them anywhere else! This is what sets us apart from all the other local breakfast places! Locals love to come for Saturday and Sunday breakfast and brunch because they know we serve quality foods that they have loved for years.

Tell us about yourself

I am a single mom, and I have a full-time career in the Pharmaceutical Industry. I always had a dream of owning my own cafe, and the opportunity fell into my lap last year, and I decided to take the chance and buy the Grid. My son is what inspires me to do what I do daily. I wanted him to see that just because I'm single doesn't mean that I can't find a way to make dreams come true. I wanted him to see that if there is a will, there is a way. That hard work pays off. Nothing worth having is easy, but that is not a reason to stop; in fact, it's all the more reason to keep going. When he grows up, I want him to pursue his dreams and make them happen, so I have to set that example for him. He sees there are good times and tough times, and he sees that I don't give up, so I hope that he will grow up with the same drive.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I consider my biggest accomplishment...OUR biggest accomplishment. Meaning the team of employees I have at the Grid, and the accomplishment is surviving the pandemic. This has NOT been an easy time to be a business owner of any sort, especially a restaurant. Between the shutdowns, the illness, the decline in business, and now the rising cost of EVERYTHING, it is HARD. My team has pushed through, continued to provide amazing service and an extremely clean and safe atmosphere for our customers. To me, that is OUR greatest accomplishment. I cannot own/run this business and make it a success without these people, and I cherish each and every one of them.

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

The hardest thing for me again is the cost of doing business right now. The food costs are damn near, killing many small establishments like mine. You have to be creative, think on your feet, and constantly research and keep up with different options to survive these increases and now get snowed under. It is extremely challenging. You really have to know the available resources out there and utilize them. For a new business owner like myself, that is time-consuming and grueling...but it's possible.

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

  1. Do your research - research the business you are buying or the industry you are looking to get into and make yourself an expert BEFORE you enter into the business.
  2. However much money you think you need to start the business...multiply that times 2 or 3. Costs are rising, and companies are struggling, and this is not going to get better anytime soon.
  3. You've got to take one day at a time. When I bought this business, I kept focusing on six months, a year down the road. While that is necessary, in times like this, you have to focus on what you can do right now that will result in positive things in the months and years to come. The stress of this economy can eat you alive if you get too far ahead. One day at a time, aiming to be better than you were previously.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Hmm, this is tough. There's so much I'd love to share. One of my goals in life has been to inspire people. I just hope my story inspires people to chase their dreams and not give up. I also hope it entices people to come to try our waffles!!! If I don't say so myself, they are incredible, and so is our coffee!!!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.gridironwaffleshop.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GridIronWaffleShop
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gridironwaffleshop_so_nj/

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.