Finding the next best meal: Bartek Scheibe’s road to the food industry
KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Driving along the road to get to your destination, there are plenty of options to stop for a quick bite to eat. From the local breakfast shop to the fast-food chain that is located in every city across the world, there are endless options. Senior Bartek Scheibe, from Woodstock, Illinois, already has a plan for leaving his own mark on the food industry. As an entrepreneurship major, Scheibe has been developing plans for his own future restaurant business.
“I hope to establish an online cooking brand. The goal of the brand is to create revenue from merchandise, subscriptions and sponsorships. Once I successfully satisfy online customers, I hope to establish a food franchise and restaurants around the world,” he says.
To kickstart his dream, Scheibe has founded an online business called The Polish Express. Focusing on bringing Polish food to your dinner table no matter where you are in the world, Scheibe wants to make his food from home accessible through humorous, easy-to-follow videos.
“Why not try out a business idea and see if there is a following before spending a lot of time and money?” he mentions. “Social media in my eyes is a playground for companies to interact and understand their customers. With social media being a very popular industry for influencers, I hope to stand out with my authenticity, humor and teaching abilities.”
The creativity and innovation required as an entrepreneur is extensive, but that is one of the exciting challenges Scheibe is ready to face. The options are limitless, and having a goal in mind will set him up for success.
“The entrepreneurial mindset can be applied to an endless number of industries,” he says. “You just must find your ‘why.’ During my studies, I’ve been learning all areas of business while at WMU Haworth. From consumer relationships to managing and supporting a team of employees, I'm prepared for the challenges.”
It takes initiative and drive to start a business. Developing the needed leadership and organizational skills to acquire the momentum to keep the idea moving forward takes practice and patience. Yet, Scheibe has been honing these skills through his time creating the Polish Student Association on campus.
“Being a founder of the Polish Student Association has allowed me to use what I’ve learned in the classroom in creating an organization. Planning for meetings is plenty of work. Additionally, running a successful meeting needs open collaboration, command and then review of what can be improved,” he says.
During his time at WMU Haworth, Scheibe found a community of supporters while creating his path towards entrepreneurship.
“Every single one of my professors has left an impact on my perspective as well as the way I approach every situation,” he says. “I’ve also been able to find a network of friends who can support me and keep me accountable.”
Having found inspiration from Kalamazoo entrepreneur Doreen Gardner, founder of Papa's Peanut Brittle, Scheibe has found a model for success as a future business leader.
“Doreen has been one of my inspirations in the local food manufacturing industry. Recently creating a startup two years ago, she has already expanded into four Meijer locations,” he says.
Once Scheibe graduates, expect to find his franchise on your drive home. For now, you can follow his journey on LinkedIn.
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