As a business owner, one of the most powerful resources you have is other business owners. They can share tips and advice based on their experience to help you avoid mistakes and follow the right path.
We spoke with Keira Rumble, CEO and founder of Krumbled Foods and Habitual Beauty, to do just that. Keira was open about her career, the mistakes she’s made along the way and how she takes time out every day.
How and why did you establish Krumbled Foods?
“I went on this health journey and I couldn’t find healthier alternatives to the food that I was eating. I launched a brand and a product and it failed. Within a year of that, we launched a product called Beauty Bites. Now we’re in over 5,000 retailers.”
What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
“I have the ability to write [flexibility and miscarriage grief leave entitlements] into our company policy and be that boss that I know these women should have access to.”
What were some of the challenges you’ve faced while starting and growing your businesses?
“I actually just didn’t do the hard work that I knew I needed to do because I didn’t have confidence in myself.”
How do you approach outsourcing and finding people to help with things in business?
“I think it’s about not going for the first person that you come across and getting recommendations. For us, even just with people that we hire, I’m really trying to make sure that these people are aligned with our values. It’s very much about finding the right people that work with you, finding the people that aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty.”
How did your experience through Covid change the trajectory for your path? What did your business have to do in that situation?
“We launched into Coles at the start of Covid and that was a really stressful time for us because we had issues with the supply chain. We had to just pivot. We just had to think about how we could add value.”
What are your top tips for establishing and then running a brand? Are there tools or strategies that you use to grow your following online?
“We really focus on building our email database. It’s not just about getting sales. We look at ways we can add value. Think about the emails you’ve got. Are you targeting these people with offers? How are you generating income from that database?
“Email marketing, social media, SEO and Google Ads are really the biggest things that we see.”
Do you think the shift towards your customers shopping online more than in store was a result of your efforts to drive customers through those channels? Is it too late for other businesses to pivot online?
“People are shopping online more than ever and they expect fast delivery. If you’re going to have a product, why wouldn’t you have it online? It’s a great way to have an income that makes you money overnight.”
What is your top tip for others starting a business?
“Trust your instincts. If something seems to be too good to be true, it probably is.
“Don’t be afraid to look at the numbers. If you’re not making money you just need to look and figure out exactly what’s going on.”
What business worries keep you up at 3am?
“Where am I going to be getting money from? Especially in those first few years.”
When is the right time to expand? And what advice do you have on expanding a business?
“There’s never a right time to expand. I think that you need to maybe sit down and write down the budget and forecasting.”
How do you de-stress?
“I just try and find little moments out of my day to actually instil this calmness. I find that really helps to create this level of calm and level-headedness in myself.”
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