Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Joshua Rood, Co-Founder, and CEO of Dr Hops Real Hard Kombucha, located in San Leandro, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We make awesomely fresh and enlivening alcoholic beverages for those who want higher quality ingredients (including live kombucha cultures), better taste, and way more enlivening fun. We distribute these through beer and wine retailers throughout California, Arizona, Florida, and Massachusetts, with more areas coming soon. Our consumers love the drinking experiences they get from the incredible care we put into every single ingredient and process. And they love our magical rabbit artwork, inspired by a real rabbit we adopted that had been rescued from a park!
Tell us about yourself
I've always been interested in creating new and wonderful things for the world above all else. In 2015, as craft beer was peaking and kombucha was starting to proliferate, I discovered that it was possible to make kombucha with a truly recreational amount of alcohol. I also realized that my skills and interests made me uniquely qualified to create a hard kombucha beverage (and brand) far more tasty and health-conscious than anything anyone else was likely to make. And then I met an awesome, like-minded brewer who was ready to commit and knew I had to go for it.
To this day, what motivates me is the opportunity and satisfaction of making something truly original and awesome for the world. And making that bigger and bigger, so more and more people get to enjoy it!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Starting from scratch with no wealth of my own and producing a product so amazing that it sells 40% better than anything else of its type at Whole Foods.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Allowing (and causing) other people to contribute to the success of the business in significant ways even when they have their own unique interests and commitments in life.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Putting your butt on the line for something that really matters to you will inspire others and be deeply rewarding for you.
- Mostly you have to commit first and THEN find a path forward. Again and again and again!
- There are so many ways to get things done! If you get attached to HOW you think things must go, you will get boxed in and stopped. If you stay committed to your vision and NOT attached, you will discover new actions to take to move you and your company forward.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.drhops.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrHopsRealHardKombucha
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drhops/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-rood-1595823/
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.
Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.