VBT 100: 5 key lessons learned from 100 episodes and interviews with vegan entrepreneurs

So, this is a special episode of Vegan Business Talk, as it’s episode number 100! I’ve interviewed 100 brilliant vegan business owners for the show who have been so kind and generous in sharing their challenges and how they overcame them, along with providing practical strategies for success. I love how this community of entrepreneurs on a shared vision are willing to share their intel and tips to help other vegan business owners to succeed. I know I learn heaps from every single person I interview and I’m so grateful to everyone who contacts me personally or posts on social media to let me know how much they enjoy the podcast and how much they learn. So a big thank you to all my interviewees for making the show a success and of course to you, the audience, for listening to and sharing the episodes. So for this episode, I talk about 5 key lessons for vegan business owners that have come out of the 100 episodes and you can find links to the ones mentioned below. Lesson 1: Everyone does it tough. Starting a business is a huge undertaking which challenges you on every level: physical, emotional, spiritual. Remember that most people only share the highlights of their life and business success on social media. Episodes mentioned: Jeremy Johnson, Vegan Perfection (12) Joy Pierson & Bart Potenza, Candle Café (10) Lesson 2: Resilience is the number one personal quality of successful business owners. Sticking it out, even when the going gets tough is essential. Episodes mentioned: Rebecca Mink, Mink Shoes (99) Renia Prutchnicki, Truth Belts (22) Seth Tibbott, Tofurky (6) Lesson 3: Take time out from the business Take time to relax, spend with family and friends, meditate or do a hobby. Episodes mentioned: Lisa Gawthorne, Bravura Foods (95) Lesson 4: Everything costs more than you think it will. I hear this time and time again from entrepreneurs, who, even with the most detailed business plan, find that budgets tend to end up being anything from double to four or five times what you estimated them to be. So you need to be prepared for this and make sure you have some kind of backup or buffer and not rely solely on outside investment. Episodes mentioned: Kiki Adami, Veganizer (70) Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni (7) Liz Dee (31) Jody Rasch (76) Lee Coates (83) Jonathan Petrides (98) David Benzaquen (29) The above episodes will give you a good idea of what investors look for, how to know you’re ready for investment, how to pitch an investor, and much more. Lesson 5: Collaboration is essential. What I love about vegan entrepreneurs is their willingness to collaborate with each other and lift each other up so it’s a win-win. Episodes mentioned: Naijha Wright-Brown and Gregory Brown, The Land of Kush (62) Jessica Bailey, The Cruelty Free Shop (39) Jonathan Petrides (98) Tammy Fry, Fry’s Family Foods (85) Kathy Divine, author, publisher and mentor (90) I hope enjoy this episode and find the lessons helpful. I’m looking forward to bringing you more excellent interviews with wonderful vegan business owners, as well as some solo episodes from me with tips on raising the profile of your vegan business. Here’s to the next 100 episodes of Vegan Business Talk! Brands mentioned in vegan business news roundup: Veganizer Chef Chloe Coscarelli by Chloe RESOURCES: My Online PR Course for Vegan Business Owners & Entrepreneurs: Vegans in the Limelight My book Vegan Ventures: Start and Grow an Ethical Business Follow Vegan Business Media on: Facebook   Twitter  Instagram  Connect with me personally at: Facebook  Twitter  LinkedIn