Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Cate Dyck, Founder of Utoffeea, located in West St. Paul, MB, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Utoffeea handcrafts delicious toffee & treats. We proudly sell our products in and around Manitoba and Western Canada.
Tell us about yourself
My name is Cate Dyck mom of 4, life-long Winnipegger, and creator of Utoffeea. The very first batches were produced in my tiny home kitchen in 2012 and sold at craft markets over the Christmas season. Since then, we've grown into our own commercial kitchen space & retail to over 150 retail & grocery stores.
It all began with my love of the Skor bar and trying to make my own {fancy} version at home. My motivator is simply the challenge of turning nothing into something. From the most basic ingredients, my team and I have built a business that supports a team of 8 and proudly makes the most delicious toffee & treats in Canada.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment so far as a business owner was the move from a 360-square-foot kitchen attached to my home to a 3600-square-foot commercial kitchen space in West St. Paul.
The project (building a commercial kitchen) was massive and came with so much stress. But now that we're in, the space can handle the demands of the business, plus we have room to grow.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
The hardest thing that comes with being a business owner is thinking about the business all the time. You go home at the end of the day, but you carry all the worries and thoughts about work with you wherever you go.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Don't wait until your product/service is perfect before you bring it to market. Get it to 80% and then improve as you start selling using feedback from your customers.
- You can do hard things. Everything seems hard until you work through it.
- Understand your finances! Get a good accountant who will explain things to you and find your way around those financial reports.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://utoffeea.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Utoffeea/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/utoffeea/
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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