Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverages but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Carol Saadé, Founder of Oleavanti, located in Redondo Beach, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Oleavanti LLC is an award-winning Lebanese producer and importer of extra-virgin olive oil and a line of carefully curated exquisite products from the Lebanese terroir such as pine nuts, za’atar blend, sumac, pomegranate molasses, rose water, orange blossom water, honey, and jams. Our clientele includes high-end specialty stores, restaurants, and consumers of all ages through e-commerce.
Tell us about yourself
I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit and wanted to start my own business. After finishing my PhD degree in Food Science from Rutgers University, I worked at Kellogg and Beyond Meat. During my time working there, I was constantly seeking authenticity, creativity, transparency, and a direct impact on the environment and community. Oleavanti was founded on the basis of preserving the Lebanese treasures from urbanization and climate change, sustaining the livelihood of growers and artisans while delivering the Best of Lebanon to consumers around the world.
What motivates me day in and day out are the unique interactions with our purveyors and clientele, the captivating storytelling in every product made and sold, and the gratifying sense of reward and accomplishment from the positive impact on the environment, community, and economy.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
As a woman entrepreneur and scientist, my creativity, determination, and refusal to give up have always pushed me to the next level. I am a passionate food scientist who is continuously applying my knowledge and experience in my daily work to source and manufacture food products with the utmost quality and safety standards. One of the biggest accomplishments is the production of award-winning Lebanese extra-virgin olive oils year after year that delight consumers.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
The constantly changing and fast-paced nature of the work environment offers numerous challenges requiring agility, creativity, and a positive outlook to survive and succeed as a business.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Passion
- Positive Outlook
- Resilience
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.oleavanti.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Oleavanti
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oleavanti_/
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.
Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.