Monday, February 20, 2006

So, you think U know enough about starting a food business

In my zest of trying to startup my food business, and having discussed with few friends, I intended to pilot and try out this business soon. However, my rational side bugged my into discussing this matter with and old acquiantance who has been in the fast food business quite sometime previously.

Meeting up with him was a memorable occassion for he reminded me of a walking dictionary or a simple googles on legs. Firstly he was apologetic on his lateness as he got lost from a previous meeting. He also shared with me his moleskin notepad, which he jots down his observation and ideas. I find his caricatures and sketches interesting and then came the keyword - details. He reminded me that in sketches, much as in life, the devil is doing the details. But I digress to much.

I shared with him my ideas on a food franchise and patiently he noded and came back with statistics and retorts for which left me in amazement. He reminded me on locations, renovation cost and how the ROI will work out for each type of food franchise for which I need to be mindful. But what I find perplexing is when he started asking me the details, which left me flabergasted and speechless. It is not that I am slow to answer, but I just don't know the answer.

Simple questions as to what is my Signature Product and whether I want to be involve in the whole value chain or just the manufacturing? In a simple word, he has kindly reminded me that I have not thought through what I wanted to do in the food industry and that I had not thought through in detail in order to execute my ideas. As he reiterated, the devil is in the details...but it needs to be done.

As I bid farewell and thanking him for challenging my thots, I felt humbled that my gung ho effort was a bit short lived. Nevertheless.....the show must go on. ;) Watch this space.

6 comments:

Sze said...

not short-lived, i think. jump-start cables always pinch, no?

i have a feeling a bakery might be your calling, what with your being a practised connoisseur and all.

The Editor said...

Yeah, theres a calling for me to taste every sample that comes out of the oven, Thats not going to be profitable, isn't it ;-).

"Connoisseur", isn't that a term given to people who can only smell but not touch and yet tell people that the food is good?

Anyhow, thanx for your suggestion.

Sze said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Sze said...

heh i think it just refers to someone who knows their Cakes from their cakes.

Berisman said...

I am watching this space;-)

Let qoute a Chinese proverb:

"Anyone can open a shop,but not anyone can keep the shop open".

The Editor said...

[berisman] Thank you for your comments and true as your chinese saying goes, that is why once we decide to go in, we have to stay in and survive irrespective. ;)