Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Ben Canary, CEO of Herculean Meal Prep, located in Indianapolis, IN, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Herculean Meal Prep makes prepared meals that are frozen and sold through our retail stores and online via our website. Our customers are everyday people, mostly in Indiana but with quite a few spread throughout the country.
Tell us about yourself
I fell into this business while I was cooking for my brother and myself, and friends started asking us to cook for them. I've always been interested in entrepreneurship, and this has grown into a vehicle for practicing all of the things I've read about since I was in college. I'm motivated by a) the fact that cooking for people is my favorite thing, and I've basically built my dream job here, and b) I feel called to build something that's a growing, profitable business that does good for the community and is a great place to work.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I fell into this business while I was cooking for my brother and myself, and friends started asking us to cook for them. I've always been interested in entrepreneurship, and this has grown into a vehicle for practicing all of the things I've read about since I was in college. I'm motivated by a) the fact that cooking for people is my favorite thing, and I've basically built my dream job here, and b) I feel called to build something that's a growing, profitable business that does good for the community and is a great place to work.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Responsibility. When I used to work in the service industry, I would get off work, and then my real life would begin. Now it's not like that anymore; the line between my life and my work has been blurred substantially, and especially in the early years, I was really consumed by work 24/7.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Learn the basics of financial reporting before you start.
- Keep a small percentage of your sales back as savings.
- Be prepared for it to be a lot more work than you think it will be.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://herculeanmealprep.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/macros.curated
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herculean/
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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