Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Melissa Tovin, Founder of 470 Baking Company, located in Philadelphia, PA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
470 Baking Company is a sourdough goods brand born in San Francisco and raised in Philadelphia, featuring Melissa's Sourdough Crisps as our core product line. Our sourdough crisps come in 3 distinct flavors: Flaky Salt and Black Pepper, Fresh Rosemary, and Sumac. They have a distinct tart flavor that could only come from the magic of a sourdough starter created at 470 2nd avenue.
We are vegan, all-natural, and whole grain. Consumers want simple and delicious snacks to elevate their at-home or on-the-go snacking experience. 470 Baking Company responds to this need with a simple, crave-able, and elevated snack, sold through a direct-to-consumer subscription model to reach consumers who are craving a delicious yet healthy and convenient snack. The sourdough crisp lies in the space between the gourmet artisanal cracker and the kettle-cooked potato chip. Our crisps are baked to shatteringly crunchy perfection, with the umami flavor of a potato chip but without the greasiness.
Tell us about yourself
As a lifelong baker and home cook, I've always been passionate about food, and I made it part of my career when I started working at Blue Bottle Coffee back in 2014. During COVID, I was baking a lot of sourdough bread, just like everyone else, and also started to make crackers. I couldn't stop eating them, so I kept making them and sharing them with friends, who then would ask where I bought them. And that is how 470 Baking Company was born.
The biggest motivator for me is the excitement I feel when someone new tries my product, enjoys it, and then comes back for more. It's that action of grabbing another crisp that first let me know that I needed to launch my venture.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Launching my product! I just launched DTC on my website in September, so this was the biggest hurdle so far.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Maintaining motivation and positivity after a setback. Starting a business isn't easy and is full of ups and downs. Often the lowest lows happen on a long day when you are exhausted and want to give up, so it's especially difficult to pick yourself up. However, it is those moments when I find that taking a step back and reminding myself of what I'm working towards helps the most. This ensures that I see the whole forest instead of just a few trees.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Make plans knowing that nothing will ever truly go to plan. It's important to be organized and have a plan of what you want to accomplish, but you also have to be flexible because there are always variables you aren't accounting for, and things are always changing.
- Don't wait too long to launch. It is important to iterate and make sure your product is great before releasing it, but there is no better way to get feedback than to get your production in front of real customers, even if it isn't perfect. And don't worry about big companies stealing your idea if it's not perfect; they've got too much going on to bother with a small startup.
- Ask for help or even just have a conversation. No one can do everything on their own, and often a conversation will bring you information and results that you didn't expect.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.470baking.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/470bakingco
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/470bakingco/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@470bakingco
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/470-baking-company/
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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