French Wine bar, Charcuterie & Fromagerie

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Anastasia Mori, owner of La Jambe, located in Washington, DC, USA.

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

La Jambe is a small independent business-- the product of a dream and a lot of hard work. We are a neighborhood bar where patrons can experience the best of the old world in an intimate space without any pretension. Our mission is to expose guests to the French palate through a carefully curated menu of wine, charcuterie, cheese, and small plates. Our customers enjoy good food and good wine and want to be transported to a neighborhood bistro in Paris.

Tell us about yourself

Growing up, my friends begged their parents for candies—I'd ask mine for prosciutto. My love for charcuterie later informed my career path, leading me to a role as a marketing manager in charge of cured meats for a large French retail chain. The best part of the job was meeting the artisans who made these products. I was drawn to their devotion to using traditional methods in order to achieve the highest quality. In 2013, I moved from my home country of France to be with my DC-born husband. Since moving to the area, I'd been searching for a place that reminded me of home—a place to unwind, drink a glass of wine, and share a charcuterie board with my friends. When I realized I wasn't going to find the place I was looking for, I decided that this was my chance to take my lifelong passion and create something new. And so, with the help of my husband and a dear friend, La Jambe was born.

My daily motivation is the work-family I have created through La Jambe. We are a small team, and I care tremendously for each of my employees, but I also love the customer community we created around us. We have a lot of long-time regulars, most of them became friends.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Honestly, lately, it has been to simply surviving the pandemic. The past two years have been the hardest years I have had to go through. So I feel like still being able to serve our customers in this environment is a huge accomplishment.

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

I would say being able to take a step back and mentally check out. As a business owner, your work is your life, and your life is your work. But it's also important to be able to take a breather, which I personally find hard to do.

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

Stick to your vision and your concept. You will encounter lots of people telling you how to run your business or how your concept should be, only listen to your guts when it comes to the vision.
Be prepared to put in the work.
Surround yourself with people who care about your concept/business/customers.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.lajambedc.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lajambedc/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lajambedc

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.