Over the years, The Grocer has interviewed many of the UK’s top food & drink entrepreneurs. Here are 10 pieces of advice from those who made it
“Focus on the stuff. In the end when you start up a business there’s so much to do and actually all that’s important is making the food better, the service better, the environment better. It’s tempting to spend 80% of your time on tables and chairs, or licences, all the crap. The only thing that’s important is the stuff”
“To be an entrepreneur you need to be an optimist.”
“When I started my business, I had an order for 40 boxes of chocolates. When I took them in she said she didn’t want them as the boxes didn’t have dividers. I stayed up all night hand crafting divides for the boxes. When I took them back the following day she said she didn’t want them anymore. I was 16 and learned that day to always take a deposit.”
Alana Spencer, Ridiculously Rich
“Take the experience first, the cash will come later. With any luck…”
“Don’t run a business, walk it”
“Sir Ken Morrison said: you see them? (pointing to my feet). Keep them on the ground. Also, start by asking why? That’s the most insightful question, to ask why, not how or what”
“I remember my mum saying, walk in as if you own the place,”
Henrietta Morrison, Lily’s Kitchen
“If you believe in something, go with it. And don’t listen to anyone else”
“Be curious. And hire curious people.”
“I can’t talk to the cheese buyer at Waitrose unless I know what’s going on in the industry. So I read The Grocer. I used to read the NME in the same kind of way because it tells you what’s happening and who is doing what.”
Alex James, Alex James Presents Artisan Cheeses
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