Ever wondered how someone makes it as their own boss? What it takes to run your own business? We here at VIP are speaking to some of Ireland’s top business people to find out the secrets to their success.
This week we’re chatting to Lorraine Heskin, the woman behind the ever popular Gourmet Food Parlour to find out more about striking a work/life balance, how Covid-19 has impacted her business and plans for going forward.
How do you balance work/home life as a business owner?
It is important to surround yourself with good people and a strong team at home and at work is essential for a happy work life balance. Creating weekly lists and prioritising them to ensure efficient productivity is key. I am very lucky to have amazing people in my life that allow me to fulfil my dream of being a Mum and running my own business.
Do you find that you often bring your work home?
GFP is my baby, so I’ll always have one eye on everything surrounding the business, but I have such a strong passion and love for the brand that it never feels like an interruption on my home life.
What advice would you give a young woman who wants to be her own boss?
Running your own business is a privilege and when you believe in your business idea and brand so much then I say, Just go for it! Nobody can tell you that you can’t do anything, and if you’re dedicated and determined enough, you will make it. Do not underestimate the work that needs to be put in though, it’s a tough road but the results are very rewarding when you see your ideas and passion come to life.
How important of a role do your team play in your business?
The most important! Without the team there would be no business and the skill, knowledge, and dedication that each of our teams portray day in, day out is imperative to the ongoing success of GFP.
What do you wish you’d known when you first started out?
I am glad I had limited knowledge of what lay ahead, I am not afraid to make mistakes, they have and always will be your greatest learning curve.
What has been your biggest business mistake? What lessons did it teach you?
Not listening to my gut, it is full of knowledge!
What has been your biggest achievement?
There have been so many stand out moments; Expanding to have 7 locations plus a Catering Kitchen from small beginnings, winning the Deloitte Best Managed Company award 2 years running. But continuing to run a successful business throughout the Covid crisis has been a huge achievement, especially with the well-publicised difficulties in our sector. There was genuine concern last year over where the business would be at this stage, but we managed to survive and are now looking forward to bigger and better times!
What woman in business inspires you the most?
I have a lot of respect for Jacinta Ardern, her leadership qualities, and the manner in which she carries herself is something I truly admire and aspire to reach for myself.
What has the past year taught you about business?
That no matter how tough the situation gets, if you surround yourself with a great team and have built up a great relationship with your customers and suppliers, that you have a solid foundation to succeed. We couldn’t have survived without the dedication and hard work of our team and the loyalty and support of our GFP customers & suppliers this past year and I will forever be grateful for that.
What are your plans for the next five years?
I would love to expand the business further and bring the GFP brand to more locations across the country. We also recently launched our premium gifting site, Gourmet Gifts, too which is still in it’s infancy, so we’ll be aiming to grow that to become one of the very top gifting solutions in the country. We also became the official food partner for the Irish Olympic Team, to add to our long-standing ties with other top sports teams. So we’ll be looking to bring on board more elite-level teams and become more involved in bigger events with our catering & event division.