Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in a beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Ron Alvarado, Co-Founder of FICKS Beverage Company, located in San Francisco, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
FICKS makes low-sugar cocktail mixers that use all-natural ingredients for the best-in-category taste. We sell these to Fortune 10 retailers like Walmart, Kroger, and Albertsons, where customers enjoy picking up products that save them time mixing drinks while also saving them carbs and calories.
Tell us about yourself
I studied finance and economics in college and took the traditional path following graduation, as I worked in real estate and private equity before starting FICKS. But I always enjoyed making cocktails in my free time, and after years of messing around with better-for-you drinks with my eventual cofounder, we decided to take the leap and give FICKS a go full-time. I continue to be motivated by the creativity of making drinks that I, and people like me, can enjoy while maintaining a healthier lifestyle.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I'm proud that with a small team of just 2 people and just a couple of years, FICKS has been able to partner with the world's largest retailers and be the leader in the cocktail mixer category. It's a classic David vs. Goliath story, and I'm proud that we've been able to snag spots on shelves at this caliber of retail and perform well.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
It's all your problem. When I was an employee, I had my job description and general sphere of tasks that I was responsible for. But as a business owner, everything big and small about the business falls on you. That's motivating, but it can also be difficult to balance the most crucial items to the survival of the business if you don't stay focused.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Iterate - Find something you can build an MVP of relatively inexpensively and tweak that regularly until you achieve product-market fit.
- Love It - Find something that you really enjoy; otherwise, it'll be impossible to give everything you have to it and be curious enough to innovate.
- Be Patient - Everything I've seen that looks like overnight success turns out to be 5-10 years of work followed by eventual success once I talk to the owner or research the company further. Make sure you enjoy the journey and are learning along the way.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.ficksdrink.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ficksdrinks/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RLAonline
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronalvarado/
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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