Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Benjamin Feltner, the Chief Operations Officer & Co-Founder of BeeHex, located in Columbus, OH, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We are a food robotics manufacturer based on 3D food printing technology, and our customers are bakeries, retailers, and the U.S. government.
Tell us about yourself
I poured my heart into baseball, starting when I was about 17. I played college baseball at Texas A&M University and was selected in the MLB draft twice. Injuries and a bad season ended my career early, but at that time, I had other motivations that boosted my optimism. A former teammate and I started working on a flexing dumbbell product during law school, and it became famous in 2010, appearing on all of the daytime and late-night talk shows. It was called the FreeFlexor. I finished law school and started working at a firm in Houston, Texas, where I tried to focus on startups and entrepreneurial clients.
In 2015, I met Anjan, and he told me about the 3D food printer he built for NASA. I wanted to help start the company, so we spent the next year working to make something exciting happen. Today, we still have exciting potential deals in our pipeline and a talented team of employees. I am motivated by our vision to grow the company, enjoy the growth process and the many stories we create along the way, and one day build a machine that will operate on the moon.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment is seeing our bank account hit $0 and building back up from there. In addition to gaining confidence, to know we can overcome any setback or unexpected loss.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Understanding that it takes ten years of constant attention, anxiety, and perseverance to build a company. If you can't commit ten years or more, don't do it.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Pick an industry you have endless curiosity about.
- Be sure there is a massive demand for your product or service.
- At the beginning, only hire people who share your vision and you can trust to get up at 3 am to pick you up from the airport.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.beehex.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beehex3d/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beehex3d/
Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/Feltner_StartUp
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-feltner-4383391b/
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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