They Make +$1M/year with a Food App
In this video, we look at Gronda, a food app that achieved 1 million ARR after a life-saving pivot from a recruitment platform. The journey began with Valentin Schütz's mission to solve the chef shortage problem faced by his family's restaurant. The initial idea was to create a LinkedIn for chefs, but it evolved into a platform that allowed chefs to showcase their skills and provided a comprehensive recruiting solution for the hospitality industry.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced a drastic pivot, leading to the introduction of a premium membership and a paywall for recipes. This not only sustained the business but also attracted a new market segment of foodies. Gronda is now used by 1 million chefs and another million foodies worldwide.
The bold pivot and strategic relocation to New York were crucial in the company's success. Persistence, direct communication, and building a great product were key factors in selling to restaurants. The experience highlights the importance of making tough decisions quickly, leveraging user insight, and finding opportunities for innovation and success even in the darkest times.
Guest: Valentin Schütz
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valentin-schuetz/
Gronda: https://gronda.com/
Full Interview with Valentin:
https://youtu.be/yRQ3ssxzZjk?si=d3QtYYREh3kdRZi_
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Chapters
00:00 The Gronda Story: Solving the Chef Shortage Problem
02:59 The Life-Saving Pivot: Adapting to the COVID-19 Pandemic
05:13 Attracting Foodies: The Power of Premium Membership
06:20 Building a Global Brand: Strategic Relocation to New York
07:19 Selling to Restaurants: Persistence and Direct Communication
08:14 Finding Opportunities in Crises: Lessons from Gronda
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