Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Matthew Glidden, Owner of KrafTea Kombucha Company, located in Worcester, MA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I make natural kombucha. That is, the alcohol content is around 2%. My customers are anyone interested in their well-being. They tend to skew toward the educated and female, but of all ages and incomes.
Tell us about yourself
Following a layoff from a desk job in 2015 at the age of 39, I spent a few weeks of deep reflection to find my "ikigai", and I settled on making kombucha.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Honestly, just surviving and building all that I have from next to nothing.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
The 'everything' of it. I'm confident brewing kombucha but having to be the accountant, business manager, salesperson, web designer, artist, buyer, delivery person, etc. was and still is a steep learning curve.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Support from friends and family is key. Not necessarily financially, but definitely emotionally and in idea development.
- Befriend your masters. Having a good relationship with your landlord and regulators on the local, state, and federal levels will make everything easier.
- Delegate your weaknesses. Of all the things you have to do for your business, there is someone who can do it better, and it is a great value to trade your money for time and energy.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Find your own ikigai. That is the intersection of 3 things: Your passion (or what you're good at), what benefits the community, and what you can get paid for.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.krafteakombucha.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KrafTeaKombucha/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krafteakombucha/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/krafteakombucha
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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