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| Business (Oct 2010) |
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ZiNG interviews new names in Business. This issue: Joleen and Andrew Williams, Flow wine bar & cafe.
Starting up a new business venture is no mean feat – especially in a recession – but that didn’t stop Joleen Williams and Andrew Williams from giving it a go. Both hold Masters Degrees in Technology Entrepreneurship from University College London and London Business School, and it was partly their love of city-living that led them to open Flow, the first, state-of-the-art wine bar in Kingstown, St Vincent. Judy Bastyra asked them more about their start up process… What gave you the idea to start the business in the first place? It wasn’t a grand idea that came all at once, it was a concept that was thought of in fragments and eventually all came together perfectly. The main concept for Flow Wine Bar & Café is to offer a destination that is quite different from the hustle and bustle outside. We always had thoughts of owning our own business, and as recent grad students it seemed like perfect timing. We learned about simulation and risk analysis in school and applied it to this concept, plugging in numbers to see how feasible it could be. The outcome was favourable and exciting and from that point… the rest all fell into place. What previous experience in this area, if any, did you have? We had no practical hands-on experience in running a bar/lounge. Our experience in this area lies truly in just enjoying entertainment and paying attention to details when frequenting other bars. We have both held management positions in the past, which has helped, but this industry is a totally new game for us. How did the set up go? Any shaky moments? We definitely had moments that held us back, but considering it was our first time setting up a business that was to be expected. We dealt with everything from plumbing, electrical, legal, designs and finishes issues which all involved a lot of back and forth to get everything sorted, but we learned a lot in the process. How did things go after initial launch? The business was very well received, but we had to learn things quickly and adjust the systems we had in place in order to respond quickly to customer needs. But we have been fortunate in that we have a great staff who support us. How is business going now? Things are going well. We are still relying on word of mouth marketing, but we’re getting new clientele as well as repeat customers so we are proud to have kept up with our goals. We change the menu frequently according to what is available, and we try to create a friendly work environment because we believe that happy employees translates to happy customers. What do you offer that’s new? During our travels we saw wine stations in many wine bars in the States, which both dispense and help preserve the wine, and we thought it would be a good idea to use them on our bar. In that way we can offer half glasses of wine to taste as well as the regular size. Currently we are offering eight different wines at a time and have a selection of 25 altogether. What is the dream? Our objective at Flow is to continuously select wines, beers, ciders, coffee and teas that are unique, stylish, intelligent and balanced. We spend a tremendous amount of time swirling, smelling and tasting wines from around the world. Our wines are stored in high quality, temperature controlled environments consisting of separate zones for storage and service. What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve ever been given? Don’t be afraid to take risks, make mistakes, and possibly fail. What do you consider to be the key qualities of a successful business? The ability to adapt to customer needs while staying true to your concept, i.e. not losing focus. A business definitely has to keep up quality, consistency and customer service. Our experience in Flow is non-traditional for St Vincent and we believe that keeping our edge will prove to be a success. |
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