Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Alton Janelle 4, Owner of The Culinary Craftsman, located in La Grange, TX, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
The Culinary Craftsman is my solo venture where I design, create, and build original one-of-a-kind bar tools and custom chef knives, and I sharpen them by hand for clients worldwide.
Tell us about yourself
I've been an artist my entire life. I was one of the lucky souls to attend the High School for the Performing & Visual Arts in Houston, Texas, and after high school, I went off to study Industrial Design at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After college, I had a short 6-year career as a Product Designer for hard & soft home goods at Lands' End, where I've designed everything from beach towels and bedding to needlepoint stockings, dog clothes, and even a bicycle with Schwinn. If it wasn't something you wore, chances are I worked on it.
However, I've been doing knife things since 2014, first as an apprentice under another knife maker in Wisconsin, where I ran his marketing, developed his branding, and ran part of his shop. But when his clients started to request my aesthetic specifically, I decided to go out on my own.
What I love about being The Culinary Craftsman and what motivates me the most is that each project is different in one way or another. And that, in combination with using all of my art and design skills, allows me to be consistently creative in construction and the overall aesthetic every single time.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My clientele. My first client was Tory Miller, a James Beard Award-winning chef, who at the time had four restaurants in Madison, Wisconsin, and had recently beat Bobby Flay on Iron Chef Showdown. Client's like him who have done great things for their communities and are at the forefront of their careers are typically those I do work for. I like to connect with my clients individually so that their custom pieces of functional art can literally become an extension of their souls.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Staying consistent. I've had people over the years see my talent and ask me to work on other types of knives or products, but I prefer to hone my focus in the culinary and mixology worlds specifically.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- If you want to start something up, just go out there and do it! You will certainly have your doubts but always trust your gut. It will point you in the right direction.
- Start small with what you offer. If you have too many options, you'll actually make things more difficult for yourself, which could lead to burning out and your business dissolving in the process.
- Continue to educate yourself. You can never really know too much about anything. As the more you know, the more you can draw from, and the better you'll become at whatever you set your focus on.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.theculinarycraftsman.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theculinarycraftsman/
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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