Success is always within arm’s length if you are ready to work for it. Turning your passion for food into a career can be a reality. Education and experience are essential factors to help an individual pursue a career as a food entrepreneur, but there is one important quality that can help all aspiring foodies to be successful in their career: it is the passion for food. It could be as simple as bringing your grandmother’s famous family recipe to developing your own catering line.
Rami Salous, Founder and CEO of Kitchen Nation, the first food incubator in the UAE, dishes five tips on how to be successful in the food and beverage sector.
Have a vision – Where do you want to be in five years and what steps do you need to take to realize this? Take time to understand what your brand is about — its personality, identity, voice and tone, and create brand identity guidelines and then stick to them. The more you plan, the better the outcome. It is important that you can visualize your success. Without a feasible plan, there can be no progress.
Have confidence – People recognize you based on how you perceive yourself. Having the confidence to acknowledge your worth will inspire others to get behind you. Being successful always begins with yourself.
Surround yourself with success – The best way to achieve success is to learn from those who have done it before. If you want to own the best food truck in the city, familiarize yourself with people who run some of the popular food trucks. See first-hand how it was done and figure out how you can do it better.
Love what you do – Finding a sense of satisfaction in what you do will boost your energy and help you when things are not always glamorous. Every road has obstacles, but if you love what you are doing you will view it more as a challenge and less as a deterrent.
Manage expectations – Under promise and over deliver – The best way to make a name for yourself is the good old “word of mouth.” When you surpass a client’s expectations, they will be your company’s best ambassador. Going the extra mile for others rarely goes unnoticed, and therefore, position yourself to have others go out of their way to help you.
It is important to be involved in every aspect of your business to help set you on the path to professional success. Add a dash of passion and you have the makes of a successful food entrepreneur.
Authored by Rami Salous, Founder and CEO of Kitchen Nation