Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Alexander Zuberbuehler, CEO and founder of SoulBee Honey, located in New York, NY, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
SoulBee Honey specializes in bringing honey-based products in powder form as a natural sugar substitute to the market. Apart from adding fantastic taste and aroma like liquid honey to your food and drink, SoulBee Honey are also gluten-free, kosher, non-GMO, and has absolutely no aftertaste.
One of SoulBee's greatest values is that, since our products are all in powder form, you won’t have to worry about a sticky mess in your kitchen anymore, making every spoon more cost-efficient. In other words, it won't stick to the bottom of your teacup and will dissolve instantly in either warm or cold water.
Ensuring the uncompromising standard of our products, SoulBee Honey partners with highly trusted and reliable beekeepers in the USA to constantly provide the best honey powders, beautifully packaged and ready to order at very affordable prices.
Tell us about yourself
The company started with a strong desire and determination to improve people's quality of health and wellness by offering a great sugar alternative and healthier sweetener option for their daily drinks, cooking, and baking recipes. The company appeals to men and women who desire a better holistic nutritional lifestyle.
Everything started when a young couple moved from Spain to the USA in 2016 to pursue their dreams together. Nuria Nieva- an international model, and Alexander Zuberbuehler- a young entrepreneur, both born and raised in Spain, were concerned about the overconsumption of sugar and the lack of healthy sweetener alternatives. Stevia was one of the "best alternatives" at the time, along with common liquid honey. They came up with the idea of combining the main advantages of both products to use honey's natural flavor to improve the effectiveness of current sweeteners. So, after many months of product development, SoulBee Honey was born from the depths of their souls.
Initially, it was only traditionally marketed in Manhattan. As time went on, and with the help of Amazon Marketplace, the product spread throughout the United States, and it is currently available at TJ MAX, Marshalls, and HomeGoods.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
SoulBee's achievements over the past few years have been numerous. From having a presence in a niche market as competitive as honey and sugar, getting TJ Max, Marshalls, and HomeGoods on board to distribute our products nationwide, to achieving international distribution in Asia and the Middle East. Additionally, we have developed our initial product, Honey Powder, into a broader assortment of products, including Honey Flakes, Honey Ginger Tea, and Honey Matcha tea.
Personally, I think that starting a business with the person you love is and always will be my greatest achievement. A business can enrich you emotionally in so many ways that, combined with the perfect person, makes you want to work even while you sleep.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
I believe that the hardest thing that comes with being a business owner is to be able to maintain a healthy emotional balance. It is crucial to properly manage this if you want to devote your complete attention to your business. In a solo business, the owner is usually responsible for most tasks in the business, so that is why time is so important. Don't waste your time on people who don't make you grow as a person, on toxic relationships, or on useless social media pages. Keep up a good relationship with people who support you and tell you the truth even if it hurts. Also, have a hobby, do sport, eat right, and rest well. Learning and getting this under control costs a lot of time and effort.
Starting a business means making a lot of mistakes. Don't be too harsh on yourself and let time do its thing. Be patient and persevere, and time will reward you.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Believe in yourself and your business model. Stay focused, and always keep your long- and medium-term goals in mind.
- Be resilient. At the beginning of the venture, everyone will tell you that it is impossible or that your idea is not good enough. It can also be the opposite, and they support you unconditionally from the very beginning. Truth be told, you are the person who has to deal with the business every day, so if you are not motivated or have doubts, everything is going to be in vain.
- Progress consists of renewal. Keep learning and bringing new skills and knowledge to your business. No matter what, everything will be applicable sooner or later.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Starting a business enriches you in a thousand ways. You get out of the tunnel vision we have been taught, and you learn to see the world with a much broader spectrum. You never know what life is going to bring you. Things like money come and go, but experiences and knowledge last forever. Make every second of your day worthwhile. Don't live like you have more than one life to live.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.soulbeehoney.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoulBeeHoney/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SoulBeeHoney/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/soulbeehoney/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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