Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Michel Falcon, Founder of Brasa Peruvian Kitchen, located in Toronto, ON, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I'm the Founder, and CEO of Brasa Peruvian Kitchen, a fast-casual restaurant brand started in Toronto, Canada, during the global pandemic. Since our first location opened on July 28th, 2021, we've been able to open four other corporation locations in 18 months. Our customers are individuals who value flavour, customer service, and their time.
Tell us about yourself
As a professional, I've always valued putting "people-first." I wrote a book titled, People-First Culture: Build a Lasting Company By Shifting Your Focus From Profits to People" that began as a bestseller in 2018. Before entering the restaurant industry in 2018, I was a management consultant working for myself to help companies with their customer experience and company culture strategies. I started working with local small businesses in Vancouver, Canada, where I was living at the time. After a year, I was being contacted by companies like Electronic Arts, Mcdonalds', Alfa Romeo, Verizon Wireless, and others.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I'm not very good at measuring my accomplishments. I would say my proudest moment is when I hear team members within our company say they genuinely enjoy working with us. We're not a perfect company but our a
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Everything is your responsibility. Sure, you may have hired someone to lead a certain function, but at the end of the day, it's still your responsibility if you're the majority shareholder. That's how I see it, anyways.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- It will consume all of you.
- Be prepared to make sacrifices.
- Enjoy the ride.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Be clear on what work-life balance means to you, and be careful who you listen to for advice. I work 60-70 hours/week because I love my career and what we're building. It's very much a hobby for me. From the outside, someone may hear this and say that I don't have a work-life balance, but that's only true for their personal definition of it. I still get to take my fiance out for a date once per week. I walk my dog every day for at least one hour. I play hockey, box, walk, and lift weights eight hours per week. And I get to speak with or see my immediate family and friends weekly. For me, that's work-life balance and suits me very well. I often hear well-established people, individuals who have been working for 20 years, talk about work-life balance and question, "I wonder if they had the same definition of work-life balance when they were starting their business."
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://brasaperuvian.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michelfalcon/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/michelfalcon
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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