Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Hugo Meyer, Owner of Piripi Restaurant, located in Erie, CO, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Piripi Restaurant is a full-service restaurant located in the heart of Old Town Erie. We specialize in gluten-free and incorporate all dietary needs into our menu. We serve steaks, seafood, and vegan and vegetarian options. Lots of tapas and a wide variety of wines. We offer a cultural evening once a month specializing in Flamenco guitar and paella.
Our restaurant is open Monday-Saturday for lunch and dinner with Happy Hour daily from 2pm to 5pm. We have a southwest-facing patio perfect for summer evenings and a kids' entertainment room to keep them busy while you relax and catch up with friends! Our customers are our community and nearby communities who seek fun food and atmosphere!
Tell us about yourself
I was raised in Argentina and lived and worked throughout Europe and Central America as a chef. I enjoy cooking, learning new food and cultures, and teaching people what I have learned as well. I started my first restaurant in Alicante, Spain, and fell in love with the freedom to create menus, dining spaces, and a place of reprieve and entertainment for customers. After that, I built and operated multiple restaurants, including steak house/seafood and authentic Italian and Mediterranean cuisine.
My latest restaurant, Piripi, is a wonderful blend of all my previous restaurants and extensive travel experiences. I am motivated every day to improve myself, my cooking, and my techniques and to encourage those around me to be their best and always keep learning.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is helping to shape and guide future chefs. My pride comes from my work and the people I touch who are able to create better lives and futures for themselves.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
The hardest part of being a business owner is also the most rewarding part. Your business is dependent on you! Your hard work, determination, and grit are what make your business successful. At times, it can be daunting, overwhelming, and frightening, but with perseverance, you will likely see the rewards. Knowing your success is built by you is both a humbling and rewarding experience.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Do your research. Research the community, the need for the business, the cost to open and operate the business, the demand for the business, and the potential profit of the business.
- Develop multiple exit plans in your business plan. Sometimes things do not go as planned. A family emergency, sickness in the family, or a turn in the economy, and these factors can take you on a drastically different course. By planning ahead, you can avoid being taken by surprise and have a plan in place.
- Stay humble. Never forget the struggle it was to become the business person you are.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.piripirestaurant.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OldTownErie
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piripioldtown/
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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