Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Austin Patry, co-founder of Rollin' n Bowlin', located in Dallas, TX, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Our business is two-pronged. My business partner, Sophia Karbowski, and I started with a single food truck focused on açaí bowls, smoothies, and toasts our senior year in college at TCU in Fort Worth, TX. We opened the food truck every single day until we got the opportunity to open our first brick-and-mortar café in the recreation center on TCU's campus. From day one, we emphasized hiring students and getting integrated with the student culture on campus. After one year, we opened our second location on Tulane University's campus in New Orleans, LA. We knew we were onto something, and we kept expanding to University campuses across the country. We had nearly 100 college students on our team learning hospitality and serving their peers on campus. Then, COVID hit.
In March 2020, we had to temporarily shut down all of our college campus locations due to COVID restrictions and students leaving campuses. About a month and a half later, we began packaging and shipping out our frozen single-serve smoothies/bowls. We started to gain a little traction, and we finally launched into the frozen fruit section of retailers in January 2021.
Then, in November 2021, we launched our newest product of whole Medjool dates filled with nut butter. We're proud to say that this product is the very first of its kind, as it's the only shelf-stable nut butter filled date on the market!
Today, we have seven cafés on college campuses and growing that business while also growing in the consumer packaged goods business. We are working on a major rebrand for our nut butter dates product, so be on the lookout there! We want to create a company focused on real foods and nutrition. We do not want to be a "better-for-you" brand. We want to be a nutritionally "good-for-you" brand.
Tell us about yourself
My grandfather moved from France to be a chef here in America, so the passion for food and cooking is in my blood. Eventually, after my grandfather retired, my parents re-opened their restaurant, called "Patry's," and so I grew up in the kitchen of an intimate fine-dining French restaurant. They owned it during the 2008 financial crisis, and I saw the toll the restaurant industry can take on people. I notably told my family that "I will never work in the restaurant industry" after watching the stress it put on my family. Ironically, I am the only person in my family involved in the restaurant industry today.
My parents are entrepreneurial, and I believe I have both the nature and nurture of an entrepreneur. Solving business problems has always been a fun challenge for me. I am extremely competitive, and I see business as a game. The more success I get, the more "points" in the game I am awarded. These points don't necessarily always equate to money, as there are a lot of fulfilling non-financial gains to get via business.
I'm motivated to help people eat well and break down all barriers to do so. I'm also passionate about helping students start their own companies, as I think that's the best time in someone's life to start.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Knowing that my business/story may be able to motivate another business owner to take the entrepreneurial leap. Also, being able to just spread positive vibes to everyone!
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
This could be a whole article/book in itself. As someone who loves to go, go, go, patience in business can be really challenging. I was told that major business inflection points are often after 3 and 5 years in business, and I believe this to be true. Every day is a major uphill battle with new challenges, and great things take time to build. Everyone loves immediate satisfaction and glory, but it takes a lot of building and patience to get there.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Actually start today. Not tomorrow.
- Be curious. Ask why and understand your industry.
- Your idea will develop and change over time beyond your imagination. Stay the course.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Our dates with nut butter are sold by the check-out registers in Sprout's Nationwide! Please try them and message me what you think! :)
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://rollinnbowlin.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rollinnbowlin/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rollinnbowlin/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/austinpatry/
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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