Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Bryan Everett, owner of Whiskey Fire, located in Fairview, TN.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Whiskey Fire is a top shelf food truck that offers authentic and bold smoked meat with original menu items. We are home to the Legendary Brisket Bomb, our #1 seller and an item that you can only get at Whiskey Fire. While most of our customers are local to Fairview, TN, we have had bbq connoisseurs and judges from all over the United States. We are located on the main Highway 96 corridor on the way to the historic Natchez Trace Parkway which attracts plenty of travelers and motorcyclist.
Tell us about yourself
Prior to creating and launching Whiskey Fire, I was a video and design professional for 25 years in the entertainment industry. During that time, I spent a lot of my free time smoking meats for family and friends and creating my own dry rubs. As a kids growing up, my grandparents owned and operated a private club and high end restaurant, so I grew up around great food.
I had been thinking about starting a food business for a while and then COVID hit. The entertainment industry shut down and my income immediately stopped. Weeks of unemployment turned into months and I realized it was time for a change. I had to do something new if I was going to survive. So, I guess you could say that I was either forced into opening a new business or that in a way I had been planning for years for this opportunity and door to open.
It was during the first couple of months of COVID and being at home that I came up with the idea and perfected the recipe for our signature item that I named the Brisket Bomb. When I took the first bite, I knew that I had something special on my hands. I'll be honest with you, opening this business has been the hardest job I have ever had. It's also been the most rewarding.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
As a business owner, it's hard to pinpoint my biggest accomplishment. I would say that opening a business of any kind in 2020 in the middle of a pandemic would be an accomplishment in and of itself. Still being in business and being profitable in 2022 is even a bigger accomplishment.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
As a small business owner, you aren't just the owner. You are an owner and operator. If the business is going to grow and succeed you are going to have to be involved in the business on a daily basis. When I say daily, I mean 7 days a week. There are no days off, even when the business is closed there is always something that needs to be done. In the restaurant and food service business, something is always breaking, something is always going wrong. You have to be a constant problem solver.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Starting, running and growing a business today is not easy. It's not for the faint of heart. However, I will say this; you can do it!
Tip #1. It takes action above planning. While planning and research to a degree is very important initially, Faith (planning) without action is void. You can plan and plan and plan until you think that you have every single aspect worked out, but you will miss the opportunity. You can't know all the road blocks and challenges that you will encounter. It's better to plan a little and just take a leap and move forward than to think you have every thing worked out. No matter how well you plan, you will never be fully ready.
Tip #2. Be ready to put in more hours than you ever thought would be necessary. This will be a requirement in the first 6-12 months. Be ready to be exhausted, tired and ready to give up. But if you press on and push through, it will get easier. I was ready to quit and throw in the towel in the first 3 months. I was already trying to plan an exit strategy, but there wasn't one, because I was all in. I was all in financially and had no option but to succeed.
Tip #3 Don't try to do everything yourself. Train, build trust and empower your employees to take on some of your initial responsibilities. You have to end up with some extra time to think about how you will grow your business. If it's the same thing day in, day out, every day of the week, you cannot grow and innovate. Take time off even if you are scared to let go of the reigns. It will allow your employees to grow and take ownership in the business and will give you the time you need to rest, plan and expand.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
I've always been a hard worker, no matter who I worked for. I always took ownership into my job and the company I worked for, wanting to make it the best it could be. If that's you, then you need to start your own business, because no matter how hard you work and how hard you try make your current employment the best it can be or what you think it should be, it will never be yours and it can end in an instant without your control. It's better to try and make something for yourself and fail than it is to work for someone else and lose your job. Because when you succeed, you win. It's all in your hands. Go for it!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: http://whiskeyfire.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whiskeyfire96/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whiskeyfire96/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/whiskey-fire
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.
Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.