The Enterprise Nation members brewing up a storm with Bristol's first coffee festival
Posted: Tue 4th Sep 2018
Enterprise Nation members Louisa Parry and Sofia Simou are the co-founders of The Coffee House Project, a new coffee festival in Bristol this Friday and Saturday (7-8 September).
Louisa tells the story behind how they got started.
How did you come up with your idea and turn it into an actual business?
Sofia and myself met back in November and we discussed events that were missing from Bristol and we realised no one was putting on a coffee festival and with such a strong coffee scene, with great local roasters, we saw this as a great opportunity to give the industry a platform for everyone to come together under one roof.
What start-up challenges have you faced and how have you overcome them?
The biggest challenge for us is resource as we are only two people, spinning lots of plates.
For events there are lot of different elements involved including marketing, sales, operations, finance etc and we have to do all of these, plus doing other freelance events and projects on the side.
What has been your biggest achievement with your business so far?
Our biggest achievement has been getting a whole range of businesses involved in our first year, from small start-ups to global brands.
The support we have received from the industry has been incredible and we are really proud to be having them altogether under one roof.
What is your next big business goal?
Our next goal is to deliver another year of The Coffee House Project after we have had a moment to breath and a period of analysis, seeing what worked and what didn't and bringing our learnings from this year into the mix.
What do you think will be your biggest challenge getting there?
A lot depends on the success of this year's event, both from the perspective of our exhibitors and visitors. We need to deliver a successful event to gain their respect and support for next year.
How has Enterprise Nation helped your business?
Enterprise Nation has helped us with all the skills and online resources that are available.
Having only recently joined we are looking forward to to the events and meet-ups where there will be a chance to skill share and make contacts with local open minded companies.
Which other entrepreneur inspires you and why?
Jo Malone has always inspired me. She started from nothing, took risks but stayed true to her identify and seems like an incredibly honest and down to earth person. She had massive challenges along the way but never gave up.
What are your three tips for business success based on your experiences so far?
Be honest and true to your business goals
Don't be afraid to take advice
Have a plan but be adaptable to changes along the way
Book your tickets to the Coffee House Project on 7-8 September here.
We're proud to have people like Louisa and Sofia as members of Enterprise Nation. Join Enterprise Nation today and become part of an amazing community of small business owners.
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