Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Dalton Carter, Co-Owner of Hollywood Java, located in Fayetteville, NC, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We are a Specialty Coffee Shop on wheels serving the finest coffee, teas, and wellness drinks. Our customers are people that appreciate carefully curated ingredients to create flavorful masterpieces. Our customers are people who don’t settle for mediocrity when it comes to their culinary exploits. We, too, are like that, so we ensure our standards meet this need.
Tell us about yourself
In addition to Hollywood Java, I am an independent filmmaker, and in between film gigs, I needed the means to continue to sustain my creativity. My wife and I are connoisseurs of fine local coffee shops, and we wanted to create that same environment with our business.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
We started our business as a pop-up coffee bar and later transitioned to our mobile trailer at the height of a pandemic. It was divine and strategic timing to be able to go mobile during this time.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
One of the most challenging things about being a business owner is the psychology of customer buying habits. It's like riding an unpredictable wave, not knowing which direction it's going to take you in. It's challenging, but it also keeps us on our toes to continually adjust to our customer's needs.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
My three business tips would be to continue to master your craft or the technical aspects of your business, learn the business of doing business such as pricing, invoicing, taxes, etc., and lastly, genuinely connect with the people you do business with.
Where can people find you and your business?
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hollywoodjavanc
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hollywoodjavanc/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hollywoodjavanc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hollywood-java/
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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