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Summary:
In today’s episode of Born to Be, Sam chats with Opal Rowe, the founder of Stush Foods Inc., a Toronto-based food company making wholesome Jamaican patties. Opal was born and raised in Jamaica and lived in two other countries before finally settling in Toronto. Her love and passion for food and cooking is inspired by a wide range of food from different cultures. Despite her love for many different foods, patties remains one of her favorite foods.
Her journey to entrepreneurship began 10 years ago, when she created Living Assistance Services GTA North, a homecare company that takes care of the needs of seniors.
In 2020, Opal found herself craving patties and despite the abundance of patties in Toronto, she was unable to find a wholesome tasty patty – not a greasy snack, a patty that she could enjoy as a meal with a glass of wine. After an exhaustive search, she concluded that there was clearly a gap in the market which she was determined to fill. Opal’s goal is to make patties accessible to every Canadian whether they know or like Jamaican food, in the same way that pizza has transcended its Italian heritage.
During the episode, they discuss her entrepreneurial path, from the Director, owner and operator of a homecare company to her shift in direction to the food industry, and the surprising connections and synergies that exist between them.
You’ll learn the importance of not relying on perfection when launching your product or service. Every business has a learning curve no matter the industry, and the process of learning and improving is ongoing and never ending.
They also discuss Opal’s strategy behind packaging her patties in smaller 4-patty boxes instead of the more common 12-patty format found in the supermarket.
Opal also offers some insights and lessons she learned when moving into the retail space and presenting her products in stores for the first time.
Join Sam and Opal for this inspiring discussion around entrepreneurship and the power of making the leap to starting a business.
Enjoy!
What You’ll Learn in this Show:
- Why the best time to start a business is when you believe you have a sellable product of service.
- How one event often leads to a multiplier effect, and how to make use of it.
- Why perfection is not necessary when you’re starting your business.
- The learning curve that comes with a foray into the food industry.
- And so much more…
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