Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Vaya Mitsiou, Co-Founder of rhoeco, located in Thessaloniki, Greece.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Rhoeco is a specialty herbal tea company based in Greece. The soul of the company is Katerina, Harry, and me, Vaya. All of us are agriculturists, friends and colleagues since university, ecology enthusiasts, and tea lovers!
We collect the best season’s harvest from smallholder organic farms all over Greece and bring them to our facilities. Then we take care of the sorting, which is the most time-consuming process as we do it by hand, one by one, to ensure that only the best parts are picked. At the last stage, we pack our products again by hand into our ecological packages, and the goods are ready to be sent to our lovely stockists!
Our customers are people who make conscious decisions in their life, including the goods they consume. They have high awareness and interest in health, the environment, social justice, personal development, and sustainable living.
Tell us about yourself
It was during our post-graduate studies that we decided to become a team and create our brand. It was then that we realized that new approaches are needed to secure a safer planet for future generations. We wanted to create a brand that would offer quality products made with respect to the environment. Greek land is so rich in unique indigenous herb species not widely known, so we decided to promote them and introduce them to the world. After almost seven years of being active, people’s feedback and enthusiasm, as well as their decision to choose our products when it comes to the tisane they wish to consume daily, is what makes it all worth it.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Things were not easy from day one. People were not educated when we started, neither with the importance of ecological packaging nor the benefits of loose and organic herbal teas. The fact that we really believe in what we do and offer and that we have remained faithful to our vision and beliefs makes us proud now that the business has grown.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
As a business owner, you are responsible for everything related to the company. This can be from something very creative like finding nice packaging or ideas for new products to logistics, accounting, procurement, etc. Although each of us has a distinct, let’s say role, to the company, in the end, as the 3 of us are co-founders, we care about everything, so we end up involved in almost every bit. The anxiety is different when you are an owner and the time spent is endless, but again, it is true what they say that it is worth it.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Be patient.
- Be persistent.
- Be open, don’t feel bad about asking for help, and exchange ideas!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.rhoeco.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rhoeco
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rhoeco/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rhoeco
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rhoeco---fine-organic-goods/
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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