Do you catch yourself saying these things? The 10 tips below help you get more done with less.
Are you the sole owner of your food business? Do you do everything from production to marketing, sales to distribution? If so, then this post is for you.
Running a food business all by yourself is tough. Not only do you do everything, you have to keep the company moving forward. You have to find people to help you – even if it means lots of donated product.
Help is out there for you. Including this list of tips below.
I wrote this list because I’ve been a solo food entrepreneur for quite some time. Yes, my parents help me run the business, attend events, and calm me down when my head explodes at the end of the day, but I’m still the one who runs Green Mountain Mustard. I have no other full-time employees (and my time isn’t full-time either).
And with that, I’d like to share a few tips I’ve learned along the way to make it easier for you, the solo food business founder. And hey, even if you have a team of 10, these tips should be useful to you, too.
Here we go!
1. Schedule out your day in Google Calendar
I started doing this about two months ago. And it’s awesome. I have a couple different projects going on right now – everything is color-coded and blocked out each day. I can see where I’m spending my time and what’s going on throughout the week. It helps me mentally prepare for each project.
For you, you could break your day into sales, marketing, social media, new store follow-up, show searching, production, etc.
2. Pick up the phone – don’t rely on email
An email is easy to fire-off. But, a phone call? You’ll get much more done if you talk to somehow directly. Thinking about emailing tons of stores in your area? Just pick up the phone, get the buyer’s contact information, and hang up – 10 calls in 30 minutes. Then, pack up the samples and you’re good to go.
Try not to go the way of the future. Rely on old-school contact methods to push your business forward.
3. Prepare sample kits ahead of time
As a solo founder, you need to find ways to cut down on time. One way is by assembling sample kits ahead of time so they’re ready to go when you need them.
Speaking of samples, do you have a system down for sending samples to new retailers, press, and online e-commerce stores? You should! Sending out samples takes up a lot of your time. Want to do it faster? Keep samples on a table with point-of-sale materials nicely packaged. Grab some bubble wrap and a shipping label and head to the post office.
4. Print postage online
Oh, the post office. Part of me is still surprised it’s around. But, it does its job. Want a quick post-office hack? Print all of your shipping labels online. Here’s three reasons why:
- It’s cheaper – Printing online with USPS saves me over $1 a package – every time.
- It’s easier – Have you tried filling out a UPS shipping label by hand? It’s painful.
- It saves time – Run into the carrier, drop your package off. No waiting in line.
Seriously, Go create accounts right now – it’s free. Here are links: USPS, FedEx, and UPS
5. Reach out to friends and family
They’re always willing to help you out. Whether it’s labeling jars, connecting you with store owners, or helping you at fairs & festivals for food producers, family and friends are a food producer’s best friend (quite literally).
And the best part? They’ll probably work for free product instead of cash. Get in touch with people you know to help you out. And when they need help, you’ll be right there waiting. That’s what friends are for!
6. Join your state’s specialty food association
Look for your state’s specialty food association. The annual dues are low and it’s a great chance to interact with other people just like you!
I just signed up for the Vermont Specialty Food Association after taking a year off. Now, we’re members and excited to begin a partnership with the association. I joined because it’s the largest network of small food producers in the state. Basically, a large group of people who know what you’re going through.
If you’re state doesn’t have a specialty food association, contact a few other food producers and get together every month to trade notes, stories, and experiences. You’ll learn a ton and it’ll be a great group to bounce new ideas off of.
7. Outsource what you’re not good at
You’ve seen it before on other small business blogs, I’m sure. Focus on what you’re good at – outsource the rest. For example, not so keen on keeping the books, get a bookkeeper. Shy around buyers? Get someone to help with new store sales (although, you should get better).
The more outsourcing your company does, the more time it leaves you to do what you love. Sure, you may have a higher overhead than most companies, but you won’t be dealing with the pesky tasks of running a business.
8. Take a break
What? I thought I was supposed to be getting more done from this list – not less? Yep, you are. But that involves taking breaks, too. Go out to lunch with a friend, head out to the movies, knit a scarf – whatever it is, take a break so your mind can transport you to another space. For me, it’s the gym. I make sure to get time in almost every day. It helps to clear my mind and execute better throughout the day.
9. Build it – don’t buy it
While this isn’t exactly a productivity tip, this is a creativity tip. When you’re looking at solutions to solve a problem on your endless list, see if you can make a solution yourself. Through a little ingenuity and some skill, we’ve built our display, insulated coolers, three banner stands, and more. What I want didn’t exist, so I built it.
What can you build? Sketch something out and head to the hardware store. You’ll take a break (see #8) and it’ll be less expensive!
10. Get a routine down – morning, noon, and night
When I worked full-time, I only had a couple hours each night to work on Green Mountain Mustard (many weekends were taken up by farmer’s markets). That meant I needed a routine for when I got home. What do I do? I pick 3 or 4 things I want completed after dinner. And I had a stopping point of 9:30pm when I went to bed.
What’s your routine look like? Do you have one? Even if you just have a couple hours each night or the entire day to work on your food business, get into a routine. It helps put constraints on available time and get more done faster.
Those are my tips. Now, it’s your turn. I know a lot of you reading this are going at it alone. What are tips for running a solo food business?
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