about ten minutes later a lady came in and took a box and put it in her trolley. I turned to her and said ‘that’s my company, and I’m interested as to why have you chosen it’ and she replied ‘I saw an advert on TV this morning and
“When does an issue become a crisis? Well the answer is it doesn’t if you can manage the problem properly”
I remembered it- I usually try another brand but I thought this one sounded healthier and I’d try it’. Apart from the immense pride of seeing Ella picking up the product of a shelf for the first time, my initial reaction was that the idea had worked.”
with a look which was spot on. We sent it out to my wife’s book club who were mainly mothers with young children and with only a slight bit of refinement the whole brand has pretty much stayed the same from him interpreting my ideas to today when we are expanding into new markets. The key was that food for all of us, children included, is about engaging all of your senses. Not just the taste sense and therefore our whole marketing philosophy and brand is about trying to engage all of those children’s senses. So, for example just this week we have launched an album of songs for toddlers which Rachel Stevens - the singer - has done for us, which is about introducing children to food through music, sound and fun. Once they have engaged all of their senses they will eat better.”
After two years working with food scientists and building his brand Paul launched the first of what is today 70 products, “I remember stalking the aisle in the Sainsbury’s we were in and
As Ella’s Kitchen expanded globally, firstly to Sweden and more recently to the US, Paul has become reflective on the similarities of global onsumerss as opposed to the differences, “whilst I think growing up and then working abroad certainly helped when it came to exploring overseas markets, more I believe that business is about people dealing with people. Your consumer or customer is a person, so ask yourself what is driving them to buy your product or engage with your brand? Meeting people around the world, be it L.A. or Zambia, makes me think that people are more the same than they are different and whilst there are fascinating differences in societies and cultures, essentially we are all the same. That gave me the confidence that our brand would be transferable and would work in other markets because the product is really about human development and the health of children and that doesn’t change.”
The small one man team that was Paul, has grown but remains a humble core of 40 people and for Paul his team have been critical to the brands success, “to get the wrong person in your team is very disruptive. The wrong people tend to be wrong through mindset as opposed to skill set. They need to recognise the complexities and dynamics of working in a small team and understand all aspects of your business when it’s that size. And in return you need to reward them, in terms of letting them see how important
25 entrepreneurcountry
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