Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Ancis Romanovskis, CEO of Rocket Bean Roastery, located in Riga, Latvia.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Rocket Bean is a Latvian micro-roastery. We are proud of our high-quality outstanding coffee, which is carefully selected and roasted on Loring Smart Roaster - in our opinion, the most innovative machine in the world made in the USA. Rocket Bean is one of the pioneers when it comes to Speciality Coffee culture across the Baltic. With its Nordic sleekness, attention to detail, and the adventurous spirit of a forerunner, it is rapidly winning the hearts of coffee lovers from all over Europe and globally.
We aim to deliver quality coffee to everyone. We are an open-minded and innovative company. We believe in building bridges, not walls. Therefore in collaboration with local and European trendiest companies, we were able to develop and deliver to our consumers global award-winning products. Shaking the industry with an innovative approach and making coffee more diverse, therefore more available to more people. Pleasing the taste of those who were not so much into coffee at all. We did that with our Coffee Kombucha and now rolling out our Full range of Nitro Coffees based on plant base milk and Coldbrew technology by HardTank.
Tell us about yourself
Honestly, it all started when the right people came together with a vision they wanted to turn into reality. Much like in sports, you start with building a team. Then the game is on - lots of failures, pain, learning, struggle, and so on. We started this journey into the coffee world with ideas and an enormous amount of drive to succeed. This drive quickly turned into a passion. That obviously helps to keep you moving forward no matter what and overcome all challenges. And yes, it wouldn't be possible without our core team initially and everyone else who joined us on the way. We are the most motivated team - period! Our motivation comes daily from our clients, and we love to please them and surprise them every single time they visit us or buy our products. Their good feedback is our fuel and best reward. That's all we need to be motivated enough.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
First of all, we were able to build such a brand as Rocket Bean, secondly to build a strong team, and thirdly to keep growing and expanding from year to year.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
I think to see through the daily routine, not to drown yourself in it, but to be able to step up, much like on ship viewpoint, and to see whether we follow the main course or we drift away. Of course, this main course can be twisted, so you need to navigate the ship through the storm with fewer mistakes possible. Much like a storm in the sea, those challenges show how good your team is, how well they are prepared, and how strong your ship is. Also, it will check all your systems. After the storm, you might correct or add more systems to be ready for the next storm. Learn from your mistakes, correct them and make yourself stronger.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Don't ever put your head and hands down. Meaning - don't be afraid of challenges; they will become part of your life. Rather enjoy them each time you have a chance to learn something.
- Be prepared and build systems. They are like a defense system, making our life and routine easier.
- Do not stay in your comfort zone for too long. Challenge yourself and the team. You are not the smartest and don't underestimate the importance and power of a good employee. Trust them, delegate!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.rocketbeanroastery.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RocketBeanRoastery
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rocketbean/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rocket-bean-roastery/
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.