Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Rowena Scherer, Founder and CEO of eat2explore, located in New York, NY, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
eat2explore is an award-winning food & culture experience-in-a-box cooking kit designed to bring cultural education alive through the exploration of world cuisines for families. We provide hard-to-find, shelf-stable ingredients with cooking and educational tools so young people can explore world cuisine and cultures while cultivating sustainable, healthy eating habits and tangible cooking skills. We are ideal for families with kids aged 5 and up. Our customers include parents, grandparents, aunts & uncles, schools, homeschool families, military families, online retailers, grocery stores, museums, and libraries.
Tell us about yourself
The idea for eat2explore came to me during a family cooking class when I discovered that although my kids loved to travel and try new cuisines, they couldn't even chop an onion! I grew up cooking with my family back in Malaysia, and those are some of my fondest memories. As a working parent in New York with children of my own, I found myself constantly juggling my kids' busy schedules with getting dinner on the table after a full day's work. I had forgotten the joy of taking a break and having fun cooking together as a family. I decided then to take the things I treasured most – family, food, travel, and education – and create an opportunity for families like mine to discover cuisines from around the world while enjoying a shared meal together. eat2explore is my labor of love in food, travel, and kids' education!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
To date, we have over 1,100 of 5-star reviews, and we have been featured in many major media, including Today Show, New York Times (twice), Travel+Leisure, and Time Magazine. The biggest satisfaction for me is when I hear direct feedback from customers about how much they love eat2explore and how we have helped their families explore the world.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
As a business owner, work never stops, so you need to love what you do to keep going. Having enough capital is another hurdle. It is really hard and time-consuming to raise capital.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Be willing to fail and learn from failure.
- Willing to let go and ask for help.
- Don't wait to test your product; get real customer feedback.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://eat2explore.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Eat2Explore/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eat2explore/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/eat2explore
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rowena-scherer-a29baa8/
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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