LESSONS WHICH I WISH I KNEW BEFORE STARTING DRIZZL’D

When we opened Drizzl’d, I didn’t walk in blind. Systems were in place. The brand was clear. Every process was designed with scale in mind because I knew from day one that we weren’t building something small - we were building something that could grow. But even with all the preparation, there are things the textbooks don’t teach you. Things you only learn in the middle of it all.

Here are some things that only life experience will teach you..

One of the biggest lessons? Margins in food are tight. Tighter than most people expect. You can be flat-out busy, have a loyal customer base, and still find yourself chasing real profit. A booming night in sales doesn’t always translate to what’s left at the end of the week. Wages, rent, waste, and supplier price changes can shift the goalposts overnight. The lesson? Profit doesn’t come from popularity alone. It comes from staying sharp with your numbers and being flexible when the game changes.

I also learned how fragile culture can be, even when you’ve built something strong. We worked hard to create a positive, high-performing team culture and that paid off. In fact, we went 20 months without a single team member leaving. But even then, culture isn’t something you build once and forget. It needs protecting. One wrong hire or a few unresolved issues can shift the entire energy. So now, we stay proactive. We check in often. We nurture the vibe, not just the tasks.

The emotional investment? That’s real too. The responsibility of leading a team, keeping standards high, and delivering a great customer experience can weigh heavily but it also keeps you grounded. You realise you’re building something that impacts people’s lives, and that makes every tough day worth it.

Then there’s the chaos. The things you just can’t control. You can prep perfectly and still get hit with a rush, a tech issue, or a surprise plumbing leak. But the ability to stay calm, reassess, and move forward? That’s a skill you learn fast. And it pays off.

Marketing was another eye-opener. I always knew it was important but I underestimated just how constant it would need to be and where I needed to focus my energy on. In hospitality, visibility is everything. You’re not just selling a dessert, you’re creating an experience, a vibe, a moment worth sharing. That takes creativity, consistency, and a team that believes in the message.

And yes, we’ve been copied more times than I can count. At first, it bothered me. But now? I smile. Because if people are copying you, you’re doing something right. Our job isn’t to worry about that – it’s to keep leading and keep evolving.

Even now, though I haven’t been rostered on for years, I’m still involved. I support the team, oversee the systems, and drive the direction. That’s the beauty of a well-built business – you don’t have to be on the tools every day to still be in the driver’s seat.

So, if you’re thinking about getting into hospitality, whether it’s through franchising or starting your own venture, know this: the food business will stretch you, test you, and teach you. But it will also reward you, connect you, and grow you in ways you never imagined.

And if you’re ready to take that step, just know, you won’t be doing it alone.