Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Omar Makhlouf, founder of Mallo, located in Toronto, ON, Canada.

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

Mallo is a community-oriented coffee shop, bar, and local art gallery home to classic Italian espresso beverages and freshly baked goodies! We focus on fast-paced, no-frills, and personally authentic service. We like to treat our customers the same we would when hosting a bunch of pals at home! It is the third space for many people; we know the very fabric of our micro-society depends on basic principles of acceptance, safety, and love. We are proud to run an amazing place to work where communication and passion are central to the operation.

Tell us about yourself

I started making coffee right out of high school. I was incredibly attracted to the immense value that a healthy, diverse, and enriching society can bring to its participants. Having direct interaction with so many walks of life and different perspectives has taught me ideas far beyond what money can buy. It’s a wealth I thrive on enabling at Mallo through daily interactions, openness to listen, building and encouraging relationships that sometimes last a lifetime! I believe that the complex, numerous, and random challenges that come with small business ownership can be resolved with basic ideas of human respect, hard work, and an acceptance of the natural risks that are present in everyday life.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Growing Mallo into what it is currently existing has been a six-year journey to date, good things take time, and I am excited to find out what’s next for this little shop!

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

This is a story of passion and patience. Be ready to weather long storms. There are a lot of reality checks along the way, so be open to learning from them! The idea of building a business is creating something greater than you. Treat it as such, mostly listen.

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

  1. Make long-term goals and plans (minimum five years!) Patience is your best friend.
  2. Develop systems that reduce your failure rate. (think about and develop, on paper, the ideas that influence whether or not something can be financially sustainable. The math has to work; rent needs to get paid; you get paid last!)
  3. The vision only truly exists in YOUR head, be ready to pour your heart out, take risks, do lots of math and show the world what YOU have to offer. The art of running a small business is an experience, not a thing. Think about what you will have to do on an everyday basis to accomplish your goals. Make the journey enjoyable as it depends on your well-being and many, many, many great relationships! 10000 steps are 10000 single steps. I try to break things down into individual actions and approach problems as single steps in order to increase my overall odds.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Make sure you absolutely love the thing you do. Remember, you are in a competitive environment; you better make sure you bring your passion to have some edge! This is a journey of learning to improve your odds better. Trust your heart and be patient, and you will see your dreams materialize in front of you. And always remember, this is 100% hard work and 50% luck. We only have so much control over the things we experience; you’ll accept that eventually, or you’ll quit. Be kind to the people around you; you may need to ask for their help sometimes.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.mallo.ca/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chezmallo/

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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