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From Doubt to Drive - Entrepreneurs Only
This week, we feature Thom Elliot, Co-Founder of Pizza Pilgrims (https://www.pizzapilgrims.co.uk/), which he started with his brother in 2012 following a pilgrimage to Italy. They have grown the business organically, with a lot of fun, and with massive respect for bringing Neapolitan pizza to London. What began as a street food movement has now expanded to 22 pizzerias across the UK, employing 480 people, generating 30 million in sales, and 1 million in profit. The company is still growing at 20% per year. It was initially funded by 15 early-stage investors and Imbiba (https://imbiba.com/news/2021/3/24/imbiba-invests-in-pizza-pilgrims).
Thom talks with us about how COVID presented the ultimate roadblock but also created big opportunities, such as selling pizza ingredients in a box—up to 10,000 boxes a week—which saved the company. He also shares why, as a founder, he doesn't focus on numbers at all and how listening to Led Zeppelin exclusively for weeks helps him during crises.
Our key takeaways from our conversation are:
- Make a problem a problem only when it is a problem.
- We are not a family; we are a team.
- Slow down—focus on one thing at a time.
- Doubts grow as your company grows.
- Hire people you trust.
- Make decisions as a team.
- If everyone follows big data, we all end up in the same place.
- Trust your gut; believe in what you want to do.
- Don’t let data lead you to places you don’t want to go.
- Focus on developing people, but don’t overpromote them.
- Happiness is a business goal.
- Success is happiness.
… Hit the subscribe button and hear more stories from successful entrepreneurs worldwide in hospitality, food & drinks, and related industries, as they share their inspiring journey FROM DOUBT TO DRIVE. Uncover their tools and tactics, shifts in mindset, and breakthrough moments - how they knew they were stuck and how they got out. Join our community & learn how you can move from DOUBT TO DRIVE.
© From Doubt to Drive Podcast, owned and operated by Aperitivo International B.V Recorded on 28. May 2024 via Zoom in London (Thom Elliot) – Kandy, Sri Lanka (Mario C. Bauer) – Hamburg, Deutschland (Florian Schneider).
