Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with John Good, CEO of Pap's Jerky, located in Louisville, KY.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We literally make the best beef jerky money can buy. We're a little company that opened a meat plant (of all things!) in the middle of a global pandemic, yet we're thriving and growing the business constantly. It's available online 24/7 and in major retailers throughout Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio.
Tell us about yourself
We started with a dream to make a better beef jerky - a hand crafted nod to the origins of the product. So we wanted it to have a sensational chew, great flavor and be naturally cured, not dipped in potassium sorbate or any of that crap to preserve it. Since then we've added manufacturing capabilities beyond what we could have imagined, and a great distribution company to help get it to market.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
It's really an accumulation of accomplishments and good / fortuitous decisions that end up being the backbone of a good business, if you're ever lucky enough to call your business "good."
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
There's a responsibility that comes with hiring people who have ambitions not only for themselves, but also the company. The business has to grow so that those people can grow. So to me there's a relentless pursuit of progress, and with that comes a degree of pressure for sure.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
1. Your time is the most valuable commodity you have, so stay focused and be prepared. You should know and understand the priorities of the day the minute you wake up.
2. Go with your gut and trust your instincts. There's a lot of advice out there; much of it is bad.
3. Be ruthlessly selective about those you surround yourself with. Excellent people understand and appreciate that mentality.
Where can people find you and your business?
https://www.instagram.com/papsjerky/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.
