A 30-year-old entrepreneur found a lead investor through a failed Kickstarter campaign and opened her dream cafe in New York. Here's how she's grown it to $1 million in revenue.
- Julia Kravets is the founder of Little Choc Apothecary, a vegan cafe and restaurant in New York City that she started as a 24-year-old without any prior experience running a business.
- January marks five years since Little Choc opened, having grown 30% in revenue every year. The business will hit $1 million in revenue this year.
- Kravets cautions new business owners to "Be prepared to never not work. It isn't glamorous, but it's so rewarding."
- She spoke with Business Insider about how she grew Little Choc, from a failed Kickstarter campaign to success through online learning and partnering with influencers.
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Julia Kravets was tired of sacrificing her sweet tooth for a healthy appetite. A model in the fashion industry, she found that her diet consistently lacked flavorful options.
As a result, she developed a keen interest in nutrition, experimented with recipes, took classes at the Natural Gourmet Institute, and earned a plant-based nutrition certification from eCornell.
She then embarked on an ambitious plan to open Little Choc Apothecary, her dream cafe and restaurant, in New York City. "I wanted to have a place where you could order anything on the menu and have it be good for you," Kravets told Business Insider.
January will mark five years since Little Choc opened in Williamsburg, one of the most happening neighborhoods in Brooklyn. "I absolutely love the area. I really feel like I'm a part of the community," Kravets said. It's come a long way from what Kravets first envisioned; Little Choc has grown 30% in revenue every year and hit $1 million in revenue in 2019. Kravets, now 30 years old, runs Little Choc full time and manages a team of 17.
"It has become a cute spot with a kick-ass menu, amazing cocktails, great music, and just wonderful vibes all around," she said. Kravets plans to open new locations across the city, collaborate with plant-based chefs, and expand her catering offerings.