Over the past few years charcuterie has exploded onto the mainstream as a massive in-demand business opportunity. Many small charcuterie board businesses have sprung up to cash in. (And many are doing VERY well!) While having food artistry skills is important, there is A LOT more going on behind the scenes when it comes to running a business.
Thinking ahead can dramatically stack the deck in your favor for success.
In this article we are going to break down the main 5 questions you must ask before making the leap from hobbyist to business owner…
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#1: What Type Of Life Do You Want?
While starting like this might initially seem a bit “woo-woo” it's actually quite practical.
For example: Do you like speaking with customers? Do you like driving? If you say yes to both, then maybe you'll enjoy having your charcuterie business offering delivery as well as custom grazing tables for stylized events.
If not then perhaps you'll prefer to have customers order online and pickup at a set location.
What's fantastic about creating your charcuterie company is that you can create it exactly the way you want to. You just have to take a second and plan it out.
#2: How Big Do You Want To Get?
Another way to ask this is: how much do you want to make? The demand for all things charcuterie is one of the most popular industries we've ever seen. This means you can potentially generate A LOT of business.
The secret to success with any business is leaning on processes and systems in order to grow. Based on our research it seems most single person charcuterie businesses can build $100k/year revenue streams in 18 – 24 months.
Do you want to be larger or smaller?
If you have lofty ambitions that's okay! You'll simply want to remember to document your charcuterie making processes so you can use them to train some help during the stages of your business growth.
#3: How Much Time Can You Invest?
Take a realistic look at your current schedule. What can be bumped, delegated or eliminated? It takes time to get any business off the ground and charcuterie is no different. Worry not! If you can only dedicate weekends that doesn't mean you can't start a successful business. It simply means you need to PLAN for it!
#4: How Much Money Can You Invest?
Every business has some costs associated with it. Fortunately, starting your charcuterie business doesn't have to break the bank. Many people have been able to get started with less than $2,000.
Take inventory of what you are spending now on “life”. Look at how much available credit you have and how much cash you can save or divert each month.
Keep it simple! Break down how much you need to live comfortable now, then lay out how much you'll need for your new business. Use a free Google Sheet or spreadsheet to make it easier for you.
You won't need much money to get started, but it's always important to have an idea of where you're going so you aren't surprised.
#5: How Will You Get Customers?
The single most vital function of every business is the ability to get customers. While this vital step isn't hard to do, most small businesses run into big problems because they forget to account for it during all the startup planning.
Bottom Line:
At this moment the demand for charcuterie far outweighs the supply. This means your opportunity to start a charcuterie board business NOW is massive. While there is always risk when starting a business, that risk can be dramatically reduced by simply being aware of the basics. If you're ready to make the jump from hobbyist to charcuterie business owner, consider joining the International Charcuterie Association and get the training you need to succeed.
