Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Melanie Doucet, founder, and owner of Pomona Raw Fusion, located in Bouctouche, NB, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Pomona Raw Fusion is a plant-based smoothie bar. Our top item is the smoothie bowl. Our smoothies and smoothie bowls are made with real plants, full of fruits, and some vegetables with nut milks. Our customers are people who are looking for more health-conscious food options on the go. Our smoothies are great as a snack, and our bowls can substitute a meal and fill you up with the right energy, and it feels like your eating a treat.

Tell us about yourself

I am the type of person who doesn't like sticking to one type of employment for too long; I like it when things change, and I learn new things. Owning a business does that every day. My business started with the idea from my 8-year-old at the time, who enjoyed creating a lemonade stand at my mother's yard sales in the summer. He came to me asking how he could grow his stand, and we came up with doing it at the farmer's market. That's where we started with a lemonade stand at the Bouctouche Farmers Market. I wasn't sure a lemonade stand would work, so we added a few smoothies. At home, we were both vegans at the time, so that I wouldn't have sold anything but plant-based. Our little lemonade stand grew from there, and one day I decided to see if I could make it a full-time business. Two years later, we are continuously growing.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

The biggest accomplishment was opening a permanent location and leaping from an 8-5 job to operating my own business full time. I still dabble in other things on the side, but my business has been my main focus for the past few years, and now I am focusing on growing it even more.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Constantly having to push yourself to do the work. You don't have a boss telling you what needs to get done. You have to decide what needs to be done and then either do it yourself or delegate to have it done. It's also a challenge for as a new business owner to figure out my next moves to be successful.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

If you have an idea or a passion, do your research and just go for it. You will never know everything, and you will never be able to execute at 100% perfection, so JUST START!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.pomonarawfusion.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pomonarawfusion/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pomonarawfusion/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.