Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food & beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Randall Hom, Founder of Back to Back, located in San Francisco, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Back to Back is a vinyl-spinning natural wine bar serving wood-fired pizzas and small bites. Our customers range from the older to younger generations residing in Nob Hill, San Francisco. The dishes we offer are influenced by Italian, Mediterranean, and Asian cuisines designed by imaginative Chef Moeen Abuzaid. The wine list highlights smaller producers from all over the world, with an emphasis on organic and sustainable winemaking.
Tell us about yourself
I used to be a UX designer by trade and studied design at UC Davis. Becoming a restauranteur was a pipe dream until it suddenly became a reality during the summer of 2021. When a restaurant space opened up in Nob Hill during COVID, which happened to be the same space my parents ran a restaurant in in the 1980s. This was an opportunity I couldn't refuse, so I left my product design job at Instacart in February 2022 to embark on a new journey. Building a restaurant is very different from building technology. However, delivering customer-centric experiences is at the core of each. I love interacting with customers and describing the stories of our food and wine. Each day we're open, I'm motivated to meet new people, and it excites me to feed them.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Getting a functional restaurant off the ground with no experience was a huge accomplishment. This, coupled with the number of glowing reviews we've received, is another one.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Being a restaurant owner is pretty intense on the body as well as the mind. I used to be sitting at a desk 5 days a week for hours and hours. Now I am doing the desk job and expected to be on my feet for the entire afternoon and evening!
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Prioritization is key—I'm always creating lists and shuffling tasks around. There are so many things to do, and it's impossible to do them all. Focusing on the things that absolutely need your attention is key.
- Being firm and specific with your employees is something I'm learning and continuing to get better at. It's good to be humble, but you definitely don't want to get taken advantage of. Being firm and setting expectations gives your employees something to measure themselves against.
- Perhaps the most important thing is to have fun and stay passionate. If you're not having fun and enjoying what you're doing, more likely than not, everyone around you will not be having fun as well.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.backtobacksf.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/backtobacksf/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randallhom/
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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