Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Samantha Citro Alexander, co-founder of Bitewell, located in Dallas, Texas, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Bitewell is the world’s first nutrition-focused food delivery platform.
Did you know that fewer than 10% of US restaurants are required to share any information about what is in their food? Astoundingly, the wave of consumer demand for transparency that hit the CPG industry a decade ago has not yet hit restaurant & prepared meals - where Americans spend over $700 billion annually.
As a person with allergies & dietary restrictions, I’ve experienced firsthand the negative effects of putting the wrong foods into your body. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve ordered restaurant food, enjoyed every bite, and then suffered because the dish that was supposed to be dairy-free… wasn’t.
Bitewell presents a simple solution for our customers - people like me who live with dietary restrictions. We’ve unlocked restaurant ingredients & nutrition transparency. We use that data to combine restaurant meals and shoppable recipes into a dynamic food planning platform, nearly eradicating time (and anguish) spent on food decisions. Think of us as a food coach in your pocket - shining a light on what you’re putting in your body & making it easier than ever to make healthy choices.
Tell us about yourself
My career path has not been linear. I earned a BFA in Drama at NYU Tisch, joined a startup skincare company right out of college, spent time at Bridgewater Associates as the CAO of Research Analytics, created my own role at Estee Lauder Companies as Clinique’s Director of Global Brand Strategy. Now I run a food tech startup.
To me, the journey makes complete sense. I followed my curiosity, and at every step, I added valuable tools to my toolbelt - which is now full of diverse perspectives, rich relationships, and expertise across verticals & industries. All of these experiences made it possible for me to be here, building a company that has the potential to change the way the world eats.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
That's a really tough question to answer! I'll answer by saying what I'm proudest of today is the incredibly dedicated team of people we have around the table. It's one thing to believe you have a great idea, and it's another to watch how that idea inspires others to build with you.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Recognizing that building hard things takes time. We clearly see the future of Bitewell - where it's going and how the product will evolve into a fully integrated food universe - but building that future takes time. It will be years before the Bitewell that's in our heads become a reality, and managing the period between launching an MVP and building the full Lamborghini has been the most challenging thing for me.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Make sure your business solves a real problem.
- Identify the fastest path to testing your solution. Start there.
- Ask your customers to help you build the solution they want to see in the world.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
We'll be launching Bitewell in several cities in 2022! Sign up for Bitewell launch alerts here: https://bitewell.com/pages/bitewell-app-waitlist
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://bitewell.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samanthacitroalexander/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthacitro/
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.
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