Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Terence Clark, CEO of Healthy Chew, located in Little Rock, AK, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
My business is a healthy chew kitchen, and my customers are a mix of people interested in eating healthier without the hassle of cooking and fitness-oriented clientele.
Tell us about yourself
My name is TJ Clark, and I have always been a fitness fanatic. I first got started working in meal prep when a good friend from college called me one day and desperately asked if I could come to wash dishes for him. I came in and quickly realized there was a massive opportunity in front of me and helped grow the company. What currently motivates me day to day? I'd say it's the fact that I see the change in people's lives that we make. I know that there are a ton of people who live extremely busy lives. The options for freshly made meals each week in the city I live in are very slim. So I believe we have solidified a place in people's hearts and diets with our meals.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Started as a dishwasher for a company that sells $1,000 worth of food each week, then became the CEO and grew that to $20,000 each week.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
The biggest struggle is finding people you think you can trust and finding out they're unreliable. I wish good employees weren't so hard to find. But I'd be lying if I said we don't struggle to find both hardworking and trustworthy employees every month.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Get started ASAP. Don't let analysis paralysis keep you from making moves.
- Embrace the unknown. No one knows how to do everything. You can read all the books, you can listen to all the podcasts, you can even ask all the successful entrepreneurs... Nothing will give you the skills you need until you just go for it.
- Don't be afraid to pivot. When I originally started my company, I only wanted to sell food. A few years later, we sell fresh cold press juices. A lot of them. At the same time, they're not the primary revenue source. It was a nice way to add an additional 25% revenue to the company by learning a new skill.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://healthychewkitchen.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/healthychewkitchen/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healthychew/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tjayclark/
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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