Did you have a lightbulb moment?
There was no plan or specific moment, I just stopped working in restaurants as I was fed up of it and I thought I’d see where things would take me. I said yes to everything and that led me to chocolate. I started out selling at food festivals and did a bit of everything, like getting involved in product development.
With four paul.a.young shops open across London, how do you keep organised?
I have to plan my diary carefully as one day is completely different to the next. I now have a team of 32 and have to go to a lot of meetings, but I’m also in the shops every day.
Technology helps. The chocolate-making process has to be documented at each stage, including shelf life, how each chocolate is made and the packaging. All the information is stored on tablets or computers and shared between the chefs and managers. A tablet works well in the kitchen as it’s wipe clean and easy to stand up without getting mess in a computer keyboard. It’s better than having a scratchy notebook with writing that only I can read – a tablet’s legible for everyone. I’m somewhat technophobic, but technology helps every step of the way when you’re following a standard recipe.
What’s been the biggest challenge of running your business?
The hardest thing is that you have to give 110% every day. If you’re not careful, you can forget there’s another world out there. I was totally absorbed in the business at the beginning. And then I remember noticing that there were suddenly no leaves on the trees – I’d been so engrossed I hadn’t seen the seasons change.
Your product relies on skilled staff. Do you have any recruiting tips for other business owners?
Recruiting is the hardest thing. People living in London are very transient and many are from other countries. My staff is very international, but it’s also a solid team.
I’m firm but fair when managing, but you’ll lose good people sometimes, no matter how much you try to keep them. So you have to make sure your staff feel valued and help them with their progression. I know the actions I take can affect my staff long-term.
What’s been your proudest moment?
I’m proud there are still customers coming through the door and I’m proud of the people around me in my business. I was also proud when my first book, Adventures with Chocolate, was published back in 2009 and it immediately won a prize at the Gourmand Cookbook Awards in Paris. We’ve won lots of awards for our sea salted caramel filled chocolates too, including gold at the International Chocolate Awards world finals in 2012. And we’ve expanded through the recession – that’s very rare.
How do you balance work and home life?
I block out time for myself in the diary a week, or sometimes even a month, ahead. But I’ve just had my first holiday in 12 years of working. My mum says I have a traveller’s spirit – I’ve lived in 19 different homes in 20 years. I’m very affected by my environment and surroundings, and I like the variety. That’s why I haven’t bought a house, I don’t want to be tied down. I like to have structure, but I hate routine. I would live without any planning if that was possible.
Do you have any advice for other entrepreneurs?
Attention to detail is so important when you’re running your own business. You can always improve and always do better as a small business owner. A lot of running a business is remembering – you should remember to take time out for yourself, remember to cook for friends, remember to take the dog for a walk.
Paul Young is a chocolatier, author and founder of paul.a.young
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