Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Mitchell Yu, CEO of Shroom Stop, located in Vancouver, BC, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We're a startup Agri/Biotech company developing novel technologies to upcycle nutrients from all food waste. Shroom Stop is the first of its kind; we're developing Carbon Negative Products by utilizing 100% Waste. Our customers are the health and environmentally-conscious type. Our products offer a way for people to enjoy nutritious mushrooms and utilize organic biodegradable polymers for packaging and building blocks. All our products are locally sourced and crafted in Vancouver, BC.
Tell us about yourself
Shroom Stop Inc. was founded by two brothers who wanted their children to be able to experience the world and appreciate Mother Nature as much as they did growing up in Vancouver, BC. What interested me in us to work on this solution to address Food Waste and Food Insecurity was the COVID-19 Worldwide Pandemic and the multifaceted problem of environmental issues.
Food plays a critical role in human interactions with our environment, from farming practices to livestock ranching and consumption. The fact that so much food & resources are wasted annually further contributes to our global climate change crisis. Food Insecurity drives people to take drastic measures in order to provide for themselves and their communities. We can see this through the deforestation of the Amazon Rain Forest, the consumption of exotic animals (Pangolins, Bats, Sharks, etc.), and the excessive use of Fertilizers/Pesticides. Solving this problem sooner would mean the next generation will not have to face increasing food insecurity and severe weather phenomenon like we saw in 2021!
The purpose of our Store Front is to provide Consumers an opportunity to learn and engage with the complete Food Cycle and the importance of Food. From start to end, consumers are able to watch Mushroom Mycelium slowly colonize and digest cellulose/lignin/fiber, simple sugars, and carbohydrates in order to produce an edible Mushroom.
Our Retail products provide the necessary R&D funding required to commercialize such an ambitious project. Without the support of the consumer, such initiatives and innovative technologies simply would not exist. Our product offerings at the moment only use virgin material from locally sourced vendors and are hand-crafted in Vancouver, BC.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Our biggest accomplishments as business owners were designing, developing, building, and commissioning two state-of-the-art Mushroom Up-Cycling Facilities that utilize our patent-pending nutrient recovery technology.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
The hardest part of being a business owner is the sacrifices you will often have to make in terms of family time, friends, and financial decisions to support your business.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
For anyone starting or growing a business Three Tips:
- Do something you're passionate about, not necessarily a hobby but some mission you really want to accomplish.
- Schedule your time and find ways to scale it.
- Look to collaborate with other similar-minded people.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.shroomstop.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michael.fung.96930013
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/official_shroomstop/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/shroomstop
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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