Turn Over
The tables have turned as the interviewer becomes the interviewee! Entrepreneur Sinéad describes her two food–inspired businesses– a niche marketing company and a novel tourism venture.
My background is in marketing- I trained as a digital marketer and a media producer originally. I started Tasteful Thinking in 2021 while working part-time for a craft beer company in sales and marketing. Before that I was in tourism then food retail. I made the move to go fulltime, working for myself a year ago. I started in a home-office setup but now I have a co-working desk in Boxworks based in Waterford City.
Tasteful Thinking helps food business owners with their digital offering. I design content for social media posts, layout marketing calendars, update websites. As well as plan PR strategies i.e. write press releases and script for radio adverts. Basically, I use tactics and tools to develop marketing plans and strategies to get the ‘word-out’ for clients.
On a High
What’s your favourite thing about running your own business?
It gives me the freedom to create my own style of content and to see how my brands have developed over the last couple of years. And the chance to help out and collaborate with other business owners. It offers an opportunity to produce something worthwhile that you, yourself, achieved. I’ve never been good at blowing my own trumpet but having my own business has made me cop-on in relation to this. If you don’t pause to celebrate your progress and wins who else will?
This year, one of these highs was being short-listed for best B2B Website at the Waterford Digital Media Awards. This was a huge surprise. I’m so thankful for it because I spent a lot of time kitting-out my website. From choosing brand colours and photos to SEO and then developing my food blog. This took a lot of time to build but I’m starting to see a return for the hard work I put in.
Running my own business gives me the chance to help out and collaborate with other business owners. It offers an opportunity to produce something worthwhile.
And what do you find is the most frustrating?
Never having enough time to cover all that I want to do. Regards marketing, a bugbear of mine is the continuous mix-up that’s made between digital marketing and social media. Social media is just ‘part’ of your overall marketing strategy but not a complete strategy in itself- your website plus your newsletter and your blog posts or company podcast and even your Google profile is part of it too.
Other frustrating things are, when business owners don’t treat or recognise digital marketing as an important asset or under pay their marketing staff. Or when clients think it’s okay not to pay for work that has been done. Unfortunately, this still goes on to an extent in marketing, branding or creative fields particularly if you’re a solo entrepreneur and not part of an agency. It’s a pretty unlevel playing ground.
Passion Project
What keeps you going or inspires you?
Presently, it’s my new food tour passion project however it may now be an obsession at this stage. I’ve worked on developing the tour since last Spring and I launched it during the Harvest Festival last September so I’m keeping the momentum going and doing my best to spread the word via digital and traditional methods.
I should mention that I have some great collaborators on the tour. Local food business owners and managers who have been so enthusiastic and encouraging to me. They really wanted to be part of it. To welcome people to their venues to try their delicious food and beverages. My experience of hospitality workers is that they’re a hardy bunch; always energised, enthusiastic and eager to welcome and please. I worked for a time in the industry as a barista, and while it was tiring work for little money it was rewarding, plus you got to meet and mix with a nice bunch of people.
I have some great collaborators on the tour. Local food business owners and managers who have been so enthusiastic and encouraging to me. They really wanted to be part of it.
Food for Life
Describe an average workday.
I start my day with exercises and stretches. It wakes me up and sets me up for the day, physically. A bonus of getting older, is that I’ve learned to listen to my body more and this helps to protect against illnesses such as colds or flus, or even burn-out. I never skip breakfast I always try to have a decent one; with fruit/ kefir yogurt shots and black coffee. It’s winter now, so I’ve started back on the porridge. You can’t beat a bowl of Flahavan’s Pinhead Oatmeal with berries and honey- it’s so warming! I don’t drink cow’s milk, but I love coconut milk and its packed full of nutrients and is low-fat. Plus, it’s a very underestimated fruit that comes from the same family as mangos and olives, would you believe!
My working week set-up looks like this: Monday to Wednesday– I put my digital marketing hat-on as Tasteful Thinking but most of the week I’m thinking about digital marketing or dreaming up designs for social posts for my two brands. Thursday to Friday– my Tasteful Tour runs on these days, so I dedicate myself to guiding tour-goers and explain to them about the city’s food culture and the importance of the renowned blaa, while I recall the food history of Waterford.
Business Network
Initially, did you manage to get any support or funding for your business?
No, no support not financial support anyway! Lots of encouragement though from my family and friends and my husband has been a rock. Plus, I received back-up from Waterford Local Enterprise Office through their ‘start your own business course’ and mentoring services and now via Boxworks.
Boxworks Co-Working-Space has a great location in Waterford City, it’s so central and you get to meet a lot of other entrepreneurs in the same boat as you, paddling our own canoes- so to speak- as solo entrepreneurs! However, as part of this co-working space- if you hit some waves there’s always someone to chat to in the kitchen area or in the next office that you can bounce ideas off or ask for advice.
And initially when I moved here, Lynda and Gerald from Waterford Chamber helped me out and put me to work on a few projects and they introduced to a few people too so I can’t forget them. They’re great business champions.
Gastro Tourism
Can you see your business expanding further or have you any other projects that you’re working on?
Yes! As I mentioned- I have just recently added a ‘little sister’ brand to my services called Tasteful Tours. It’s something I’ve wanted to start for a number of years but then COVID got in the way. I developed the idea while I was studying for the Masters in Gastronomy and Food Studies in TU Dublin, mostly on the train while I commuted from Waterford. It’s a walking food tour based in Waterford City that runs on Thursdays and Fridays from 11am over lunchtime.
It gets me out of the office and helps me to connect with Independent food business owners and to promote and showcase their offerings to visitors. I feel it’s needed particularly at the time being, with the rising cost of food and to let tourists know where to go for a blaa, a delicious slice of cake or an artisan cup of coffee or tea. Tastings need to be done so people are willing to spend their money on the good locally made stuff. Waterford is a city of hidden treasures with regards to food and historical finds too.
The tour gets me out of the office and helps me to connect with Independent food business owners and to promote and showcase their offerings to visitors.
Do you have any ‘time saving’ tips for business owners?
Sure I do! I’m a big fan of using mind maps to help you visualise your business or projects better. To see the big picture. Also, another tip is to create calendars- yearly and monthly ones to map-out your business course. These can help with everything from planning social media calendars to help with sales and marketing strategies. At least, with these you know where you stand, what tasks you need to do and what days or times to do them. It’s time consuming to set them up, but it puts structure to your days! You’ll thank yourself for it afterwards.
I’m no longer a fan of lengthy to-do-lists. Now I just create a short, daily list of tasks that are reasonably achievable. About 3-5 maybe, this gives you a sense of satisfaction by the end of a workday.
Word-of-Mouth
Has having an online presence helped or hindered your business?
It has absolutely helped! I’m on-line a lot. My little business wouldn’t exist without my website, socials, and my favourite ‘Faces of Food’ blog. Meeting all the food business owners through that interview blog format has been great for me. And I hope it’s helped or reassured some new start-up owners too.
That was the point of it to begin with. To let people know the pain-points and daily tasks that business owners go through. And also to meet the faces behind hospitality businesses and independent food offerings. For example; a young couple starting out on their joint venture, a one-man or woman food truck operation or enthusiastic immigrants doing their best to carve out a living for themselves while contributing socially and culturally to the community. It was literally to capture the friendly faces behind the food, that you meet each day!
I avail of all the digital touch points that my clients and customers can be reached on- my website, socials and google business profile etc.
Digital Touch-Points
How do you engage with your online customer? (What’s your favourite channel?)
I avail of all the digital touch points that my clients and customers can be reached on- my website, socials and google business profile etc.. Instagram is my favourite social site- it’s still fun and valuable content is still shared on it. Insta kind of has everything. I’ve starting to reach my limit with the ‘X’ platform though. It’s pretty toxic and I can’t see it improving. which is unfortunate because it was once a great platform for food communities to connect on.
Tasteful Tips
Finally Sinéad, what advice would you offer someone who is thinking of starting their own food business?
- Read the ‘Faces of Food’ Blog. It’ll help you decide if going solo and being your own boss is for you. Plus, there’s some sound advice there from others who have taken the path before you who already know the pitfalls to avoid.
- Choose a unique offering that serves a niche market.
- Tailor your services and your menus if you’re a food business.
- Regularly engage with your customers online and in real-time.
- Be unique and Be aware that you don’t need to serve everyone and appeal to all tastes.
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