Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Lesley Sykes, Co-Founder of Primary Beans, located in Seattle, WA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Primary Beans is a sister-founded food brand aiming to show home cooks in the US just how accessible, delicious, and varied dried beans can be. We source directly from climate-conscious farms from all over North America to bring super-fresh regional favorites to US home kitchens. By doing so, we’re giving the world’s perfect food - from a nutritional, planetary, and culinary perspective, the love it deserves.
Tell us about yourself
Through my 15+ year career in agriculture, I’ve long understood that beans are the cornerstone of climate-conscious farming. But despite being a perfect food, they’re still largely misrepresented in the US. While traveling the world, I noticed how freshness plays a major role in the flavor. Countries that enjoy beans regularly (like Mexico and Italy) have a much higher turnover rate. At home, beans are largely “commodified” and bred for traits like suitability for canning.
I realized that my perspective uniquely qualified me to create a network of like-minded farmers and provide home cooks with flavorful bean varieties from around the globe - with clear harvest information on every bag. Primary Beans was born out of a desire to celebrate stories from the field and share cooking guidance to show just how easy and satisfying beans are to prepare - even on our busiest days. It’s the hardest thing I’ve done, but when I see signs that we’re shifting people’s mindsets about how beans fit into their daily lives, I know I’m on the right track.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I’ve built a passionate community of bean cooks! Our content is very education focused since there’s so much to cover when it comes to beans in the US - their role in soil health, their role in cuisines around the world, and how to cook them in a way that doesn’t create a lot of fuss. I set out to get home cooks excited about beans and help them develop their own bean palates, so when I get feedback about how they’re using our product to nourish themselves and loved ones (and how deliciously indulgent the beans taste), it makes all the hard work worth it. Also, the fact that I built my own bean supply chain. The offerings on a typical grocery store shelf are the result of the “commodification” of the bean industry, so in order to offer unique beans from recent harvests, I had to create my own direct supply chains with like-minded farmers and figure out all the other steps in the middle.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Creating and running my own venture is really hard work, and ultimately I’m the only person who will move my business forward. I can count on team members for individual tasks and projects, but I’ve realized that no one is going to care about the success of the business as much as I do (nor should they). I put in a lot of hours and have certainly had my moments of self-doubt, but ultimately I’m building something I really believe in and can commit to in the long term.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Don’t think you’ll be profitable right away. Most businesses take years to get out of the red, so make sure you have access to financial resources and plan conservatively.
- Focus on and don’t try to be everything to everyone. Friends, family, and even complete strangers will have so many opinions about what your company should and shouldn’t be, and while it’s important to consider each piece of feedback, focus on what you’re building and why you’re in business in the first place.
- Don’t take no for an answer. I could write a book about all the times I’ve heard “no” or “that won’t work.” Use it as an opportunity to learn, push through these obstacles, and even distance yourself from the naysayers if needed.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://primarybeans.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/primarybeans/
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.