5 MINUTES WITH...ALESSIO DANTINO, CO-FOUNDER OF CROWDFOODING

Alessio saw a gap in the market for a crowdfunding platform that would put food and drink innovators on the map. Join us as we talk to him about how he's helping to reshape the food industry through Crowdfooding...

1. What's the biggest lesson you've learnt from starting up Crowdfooding?
I've learnt that it's important to start running a business lean and to not overthink things, just do. It's about speaking to customers as much as possible to understand their biggest needs. What I realised in building Crowdfooding is that there were companies not in the position for either VC or crowdfunding but needed to generate sales and boost their following. We created our Sales Booster product to do just this and we're seeing massive returns in this new approach.

2. What's the one piece of business advice you wish you'd been given?
I wish I'd learnt how to hire well. I was very familiar with the interviewing process but if I’d had someone guiding me to figure that out earlier, I would've built my A team sooner. Without the advice it meant spending a lot of time trying people out and slowly putting the right processes in place to get the best people on board.

3. Was there ever a point when you wanted to give up?
Building a business is hard but I've also been trying to do it with a smile and I believe that the hard times of building a business are part of the journey.

4. What's been the biggest milestone for the business so far?
I guess it was signing our first crowdfunding campaign - Chocothon - with a collaboration with high profile businesses as partners. I would also definitely say the moment we started pivoting to create our Sales Booster capability was key for us to acknowledge the importance of sales generations for startups and creating real value for them.

5. Who is your inspiration?
Richard Branson. He was the first person in business that I fully related to in terms of his entrepreneurial style and bravery. He doesn’t take himself too seriously and I would say I am somewhat similar in that regard. After watching his documentary, 'Never look down', I felt that he was not only an entrepreneur but someone really willing to live on the edge.

6. What keeps you motivated?
The end goal and the change I want to see in the world is what keeps me motivated. Seeing the changes in what consumers have access to in terms of food - whether that be in quality or more equitable systems - or in other words 'raising the bar' of food products for the masses.

7. What business or brand do you look up to?
The brands we work with at Crowdfooding are trying to change the status quo - these are brands I admire. They are going in the opposite direction to take a new or interesting approach to customers. I would also count Coconut Collaborative, One Water and Seedlip as brands that are emulating this way of doing things.

8. If you weren't doing this, you would be....
Surfing by a beautiful beach! I would definitely be developing my passions for food and tech but maybe in place where I could be more in touch with nature.

www.crowdfooding.co.uk

5 MINUTES WITH...INGO BRAEUNLICH, FOUNDER OF ADONIS SMART FOODS

Meet Ingo, who left his finance career and long hours in the City, to set up Adonis Smart Foods out of frustration for the lack of healthy snacks on offer. We talk to him about how his quest for a low sugar revolution began.

1. What's the biggest lesson you've learnt from starting up Adonis Smart Foods?
The key to success is a strong team, which I am thankful for, and not to lose your nerves when sailing close to the cliffs. If you lose your nerves, your team will be negatively impacted.

2. What's the one piece of business advice you wish you'd been given?
Don’t start a business alone. But also make sure your partner is reliable, reasonable, balanced and that you understand his or her goals, why they want to do it and that your goals are aligned with theirs. There will be many bumps in the road along the way and it’s a shame if you derail after a few because of misunderstandings.

3. Was there ever a point when you wanted to give up?
Yes. When my parents lost everything after a lawsuit, I had suddenly more serious responsibilities and had to work on helping to bail them out, whilst also in the throws of setting up the business without the finances I initially planned to have. It was a really hard time. But many people have similar experiences and I think it isthe key to always strive to do the right thing, regardless of outcome, and keep doingit.

4. What's been the biggest milestone for the business so far?
There isn't one milestone to speak of as building a business means we achieve many tiny milestones constantly. The key thing I look forward to is when we break even so we're in a better position with more confidence, then we can just act much more out of passion with everything rather than need.

5. Who is your inspiration?
I don't have one person in mind. My inspirations are rather the dreams that I want to realise. However, I respect anyone who proves that they can achieve something ”impossible” through sheer effort and thought.

6. What keeps you motivated?
As a company, we're motivated by contributing to society with the provision of something healthy and helpful to the lifestyle of many people. For me, it is personal freedom. For me this means to live in whichever country I want and to build any business or pursue goals like studying something new, sailing around the world or supporting politics and NGOs.

7. If you weren't doing this, you would be....
Creating another startup – or still sitting in an office tower working on transactions in an investment bank or a fund and maybe planning my escape.

https://www.adonis-foods.com

The things they don’t tell you before setting up a business

No one knows what they’re letting themselves in for when they set up a business.

Claudia, at CLO PR, gives a straightforward review of what it's like to go it alone and why it's not as easy as it looks. 

As published in Business Matters.

CROWDFOODING PR WORKSHOP

Claudia launched the first in a series of PR + Social workshops with Crowdfooding and it was a full house! Thanks to Alessio and Max for the invitation! Crowdfooding are the crowdfunding platform for food startups.

Here are 5 quick steps to kickstarting PR to hit the ground running.

1. Know who you are

Know who you are as a brand and stick to it. Nailing your brand identity is key to good PR. It creates consistency and ensures your angle is always compelling.

2. Get the knowledge

Swat up on media outlets. Keep abreast of what your consumers are reading/listening/watching all the time. Knowledge about your target media ensures you reach the right titles and the right journalists with the right content.

3. Love Twitter

It's the best spying tool for getting to know the media and journalists.

4. Be photo-focused

A photo can tell a thousand words. Formulate your PR angle on imagery. A photo alone can generate coverage.

5. Get personal

Personalise, personalise, personalise. Don't take a blanket approach to reaching out to the media. Hone in on the right journalists and know their beat inside and out so that when you do reach them, your story is exactly what they need, right now.

5 MINUTES WITH....ANSJE GERMANN, FOUNDER OF JAKE'S BOOST

We talk to Ansje of Jake's Boost, the health food startup, creating nut and seed butters with extra feel-good factor. Jake's Boost dedicates 5 per cent of profits to charities fighting childhood food poverty, including Make Lunch. Now what's better than that? We find out more....

1. What is the biggest lesson you have learnt from starting Jake’s Boost?

The food start-up scene is huge now, especially in the UK, and there are lots of people who see it as a business opportunity, who pretend wanting to help start-ups. They use the vulnerability and inexperience of entrepreneurs for their own financial gain. There is a plethora of businesses nowadays that offer “tailored services” for new ventures- some of them are fantastic and totally get the needs and restraints of an early stage business. Some others not so much. Very early on, you need to find a mentor or advisor who is as passionate about your product as you are and wants to see you succeed without expecting anything in return, someone who can also protect you from those predators. Having said that: you can’t protect yourself from all that can go wrong. There are mistakes that you have to make- don’t avoid making mistakes or delay serious decisions. Getting it wrong and fixing it again yourself is a fundamental part of the whole learning process.

2. What's the one piece of business advice you wish you'd been given?

Knowing how to end a business relationship well is as important as building one. When you go to business school or any entrepreneurship workshop they always tell you that you have to surround yourself with talent and how crucial team work is etc. but no one teaches you how to terminate a contract with both parties involved walking away without hard feelings. But again, that’s all part of the learning process.

3. Was there ever a point when you wanted to give up?

There are still moments when we feel really sorry for ourselves because everything and everyone seems to conspire against us and nothing is going right but we have to work through that and move on. Running your own business isn’t always plain sailing. Especially the first couple of years can be very tough and we had to deal with personal losses during that time as well which of course had an impact on the business. But we were never close to throwing in the towel.

4. What's been the biggest milestone for the business so far?

This might sound crazy but the biggest milestone was probably when we had orders coming in and we didn’t know the person ordering. For the first few months, 99% of orders came from friends and family members because they of course liked the product but also wanted to support us in every way they could. When the first online orders came through with delivery addresses and names we didn’t recognise that was a marvellous feeling.

5. Who is your inspiration?

We aspire to turn Jake’s Boost into an ethical company like Patagonia. Their company culture, value and environmental ethics correspond with ours and not only do we love their products but we are in awe of their achievements, both in businessas well as in regards to their social impact. Patagonia took an early position against globalization of trade where it means compromise of environmental and labour standards and started as a small company to commit a percentage of their profits to the protection of natural habitats. But they don’t rest on their laurels- they still search for more environmentally friendly cotton and continue their fight against global warming. On top of that, Yvon Chouinard sounds like an all-round really cool guy who you just want to hang out with, go surfing in your lunch break or rock climbing on the weekends.

On a smaller scale, the name sake of our company is of course Jake, our four-legged co-founder. He’s the happiest, most contempt little guy and never more excited than when we take him out and roam the great outdoors together. Sometimes, after a long day at your desk or in production, you just want to put your legs up and chill but Jake helps fight the occasional couch potato in us and won’t stop pestering until we have our hiking boots on.

6. What keeps you motivated?

It’s our drive to make a difference in this world, living a life with purpose helping those less fortunate than ourselves. Every business idea that pops in our head comes with the question:” what mission can this support?” or similarly, we read about a problem and immediately our brains start working on a business solution. We know that we won’t eradicate childhood food hunger in our lifetime but we can’t just stand by and do nothing. The founders of YES TO build businesses on three key pillars: 1. work with brilliant people, 2. make great products and 3. benefit and impactful cause. I think that’s a pretty good guide line to follow. Also, helping others and seeing the positive change in their lives makes us happy.

7. If you weren't doing this, you would be....

Life, would one way or another, throw an opportunity at us and it would certainly be a social enterprise of some variety.