Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Mladen Gajic, co-founder and CEO of PlasticScore, located in Denver, CO, USA.

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

PlasticScore is a crowdsourced zero waste rating for restaurants. We get restaurants to pay attention to sustainability as much as they do to Yelp reviews and help them to improve their score.
Anyone can use our app to leave sustainability reviews when they go to restaurants. We also fund the recovery of plastic waste for each review!

Tell us about yourself

I started this business when I met my co-founders at a startup weekend. We got together around the idea of why there isn't a widespread sustainability rating for restaurants yet - and that we should build it.
As we built our business, I learned a lot more about the impacts of plastic pollution, not only on our oceans but also on how it contaminates our food and water and contributes to climate change. Being able to make an impact on this massive problem motivates me every day.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

So far, we've funded the recovery of over 1500 lbs. of plastic waste!

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

One of the hardest things is understanding where to focus your attention. There are so many good ideas and opportunities, but if you try to focus on all of them, you'll get nowhere.

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

  1. Spend a lot of time talking to your customers/users.
  2. Don't be afraid to scrap something and change directions, even if you've spent a lot of time building it.
  3. Understand that there will be ups and downs, and that's just part of the journey.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.plasticscore.co/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PlasticScore/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/plasticscoreco/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/plasticscore
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/plasticscore-inc/

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.