wracking experience as the results were unknown and the time pressure was constant. With so many ingredients, options and tools available, he confirmed his ability to be agile and nimble in a high-stress environment. He enjoyed the challenge and also learned a lot from it. On the business side, it is often challenging for Black owners to raise capital and get buy- ins during the early stages. He thinks that it is essential to have a clear vision of their businesses and not wait for the perfect moment to launch. “There’s never a perfect time other than now,” he says. “Just get started, you’re going to make mistakes and that’s okay. Learn from your mistakes, put the right people around you, and make sure that you’re really paying attention to the business side.” In order to stand out, it is important to do the research, know the industry as well as the customer. With all that said, one has to be nimble enough to know when and how to pivot to enhance your business. “Set goals and then 10 or 20X them,” he says. “Most importantly, your product or service has to be impeccable.”
Speaking for himself, Chef Rix thinks that his past marketing and sales experience was the edge that helped him thrive early on. In his mind, it is imperative to spend the money on marketing. To be successful, this is one area that cannot be skimped on. All aspects of the business – whether it is production, creative, strategy or tactical - have to tell a cohesive story to the public to truly succeed in today’s competitive environment. He reminds us, however, the most important aspect for any business is to have a great product or service that people would want. It is the most crucial part of starting up a new business. “At the end of the day, the product or service has to be great. And then it’s about finding the right people who can support it, sell it, and scale it. Before going to market, make sure that the product is excellent and it’s the best version at that time,” he says. Phillip Ashley Chocolates is one-of-a-kind and could not be compared to any other product on the market. “That’s been my whole goal: to create things that no one else would have thought of, that no one else would have dared to put into chocolate.”
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