Handmade Sticky Chai Blends

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Koray Gencel, Co-Founder of Prana Chai, located in Cheltenham, VIC, Australia.

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

Prana Chai is a manufacturer of gourmet sticky chai blends. Our customers are high-end coffee shops. We offer dine-in solutions for them. Also, we sell consumer-size bags through the cafes that we work with as well as from our websites.

Tell us about yourself

I remember going out for a delivery run with Vincent (one of the other two co-founders) and realising that the relationship between Prana Chai and the customers was really honest, fun, and as casual as it could be. This was a total contrast to a hard sell and a corporate environment to which I was totally used. I always believed that if we could keep this natural, honest, and very positive relationship between our customers and us and still grow, we would be very happy and satisfied. We are trying our best to stay that way and grow little by little, one coffee shop at a time, to create this satisfying, real, honest business. This is our main motivation.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

The network we have created so far with our customers, be it a B2B or a B2C customer, is very valuable. No one is just a name on our DB. Doing the small things right each and every day is another one.

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

We are three partners in Prana Chai, and finding common ground when we have disagreements is the hardest thing for me. Because we are also good friends, we all try our best and go the extra mile to convince others, and this is also something that is taxing on the mind. I am not counting the last two years of Covid as I see that as an anomaly.

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

Research and talk with many people in the market. You won't believe how much free info you could get from a casual conversation.
Define goals and be scientific; this step will make you confident and specific. This is the step where you will "know" if there is a real opportunity or not.
Be honest and go for it.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://pranachai.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pranachai/

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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