Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food & beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Sean Andrade, Founder of AWG Private Chefs, located in Walnut Creek, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I founded the company in 2001, AWG Private Chefs creates fully custom-tailored bespoke menus for our clients. Our widely diverse clients range from celebrities and high net-worth individuals to a family looking to celebrate a special event or occasion. AWG Private Chefs has become a globally recognized multi-award winning private chef dining experience company with our global headquarters based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Our operations span 35+ countries around the world.
Tell us about yourself
My mom started me helping her cook at the age of just four years old. I've always had a deep-rooted passion for cooking and creating new, unique, and different dishes for my family and my clientele featuring micro-local sourced farm fresh ingredients from fair trade and fair wage family-owned and operated farms here in Northern California.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Keeping our company afloat during COVID-19 has to be our biggest accomplishment. Our senior management team all voted to voluntarily give up our salaries to keep our hourly and part-time staff paid at their full wages during the 18+ month-long shutdown. Our entire team is like family to us. Without them, we wouldn't have a business. We wanted to make sure that they could still pay their bills and stay safe. Despite the severe financial losses we suffered during COVID-19, we were able to stay fully financially solvent, didn't have to lay anyone off, and now we've come back from the pandemic and have grown by over 300% in the last 12 months, thanks to the hard work and dedication of our team.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
One of the most difficult things we face as a family-owned small business has the capital and resources to compete with the big corporation competitors out there in the areas of marketing and advertising.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Be very clear on what your offerings will be, who your clients are, and where you best can differentiate yourself from your competitors.
- Stay focused and dedicated to those core principles, and don't try and branch out or diversify your offerings.
- Do what you do best, build your empire, and succeed, but always be of service and humble.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://awgprivatechefs.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/awgprivatechefs
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/awgprivatechefs/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/awgprivatechefs
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-andrade/
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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