Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jason James, co-founder of Continuum Beverage Company, a beverage alcohol agency located in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

We are a beverage alcohol agency representing some of the leading brands from BC and beyond. Our primary role is to be the sales arm and ambassadors for our brands out in Trade. Our customers are restaurants, private liquor retailers, as well as government stores that sell alcohol.

Tell us about yourself

I got my start back in 1999 when I started a summer position at Mission Hill Family Estate Winery. From the moment I learned about winemaking and what is involved in making great wine, I was instantly hooked! My motivation today (some 23 years later) is to tell the story from each of the brands we represent who trust us to advocate for them with consumers. These producers pour their hearts and souls into everything they do. It is our responsibility to tell that story and be as passionate as they are in everything we do.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I would say our biggest accomplishment as a business owner (for my partner Omar and myself) is to be looked upon as a growing, exciting, and dynamic agency that is on the cutting edge of new and emerging categories. Keeping our ideals and principles firmly grounded, all the while looking for new opportunities that we feel are yet to be discovered. It takes a combination of industry knowledge and experience, combined with a bit of risk.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

I would say one of the hardest things as a business owner is to never not be thinking about work. Our reputation and personalities are so intertwined with Continuum that we never have the chance to "turn it off" and sit back and reflect on how far we have come in such a short time. I would never change that for the world, but it is something that you have to learn to do in order to have balance in your life.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Trust your instincts. You have come this far in your career and have been successful for a reason. Trust the instincts that got you there in the first place.
  2. Surround yourself with amazing people that believe in what you are doing. Be it a spouse, partner, family member, or friend. Someone that is there for you when you need them most.
  3. Never give up! Some days feel like they are the lowest of lows, and it feels as though you carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. Go home, dust yourself off, and be prepared the next day to make it all better. Forward is forward.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

I just want to tell anyone who is thinking of starting their own business to enjoy the journey. Embrace the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur. Diarize it, make a note of milestones, and keep smiling as you travel down this road. It will change you forever, challenge you, make you question why sometimes, but it is all worth it!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.continuumbeveragecompany.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/continuumbeveragecompany/

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.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.