Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in sustainability but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Abhinav Chauhan, Chief Science Officer of Hexafly, located in Navan, Ireland.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
The only vertical insect farm in Ireland that focuses solely on cultivating Black Soldier Fly expertise: a tiny creature that could feed the entire planet. Our devotion to the Black Soldier Fly has resulted in technological advancements that make it possible for us to provide animals and plants with diets that are extremely nutritious, natural, and sustainable.
Tell us about yourself
Our aim is to create a sustainable food system for humans, animals, and plants so that we can stop over-exploiting the planet - Changing the global food system. We are scientists and farmers at Hexafly, and we put in a lot of effort to keep our larvae happy and healthy. Larvae of our Black soldier fly can thrive in small quarters with few resources. They require next to no water, and our advances in innovation make it conceivable to deliver tremendous measures of protein and natural compost in little spaces reliably.
Due to their effectiveness, Hexafly is a strong market leader. Our formulations continue to be refined by our R&D teams to maximize the feed conversion ratio and the protein produced per square meter in our plant. We have figured out how to use waste raw materials to make high-quality, sustainable, and affordable goods. Our progressive plant model offers basically unlimited capacity: a boundless well of protein where nothing goes to waste.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Keeping Hexafly's culture intact and in good health, while expanding the company was our biggest achievement in 2022. I think that making good hires is the single most important thing a business leader can do. Clients are won, and items are worked on by extraordinary team members. A good hire with expertise in that field can remedy any flaw or skill gap a company may have. Good people can spot and correct any strategic error. However, a lot of bad hires can result in issues that are much more difficult to resolve. If you surveyed everyone, you would probably get a lot of slightly different responses. However, the themes of helping each other, coaching each other to be better, sharing, being supportive, having honest conversations, being real, trusting your teammates, recognizing your teammates for their accomplishments, and truly being welcoming to people from all kinds of different backgrounds, and having an aversion to office politics would probably continue to show up. Developing quickly while keeping up with our extraordinary culture is our most noteworthy achievement of 2022, and I suspect it will be our greatest test in 2023.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Keeping leads in the pipeline. The realization that you will never be your own boss. Wearing all the hats at the beginning. Responsibility of others. Early preparation. Living a balanced life. Managing technology priorities. Embracing change and leading people to scaling a business. Remembering to think, not just do. Remembering to take time to unplug and rest. Maintaining authenticity. Hiring and firing. Embracing Skepticism.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Get organized and keep detailed records.
- Analyze your competition with a proper understanding of risks and rewards.
- Be creative, focused, and consistent.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://hexafly.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhinavchauhan3/
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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