Soup making for start-ups

I love making soup.  So much so that in October I plan to run classes on how to make soup, because so many people have asked me to do it. 

Who knew?  But I am quite excited at the opportunity.

But it struck me that making soup is a bit like starting your business. 

It takes several ingredients to be successful, and you need to get the right blend.  

Just as when you launch your business it takes more than just having a good idea for it to work. You have to get all the other pieces in place and have a real sense of the end result you want to achieve.

Often when you start making soup, you begin by melting butter or oil and adding onions and garlic.  This creates a wonderful aroma and anticipation of what is to follow.  Likewise when you start your business, you want to stir up interest in what you are doing.

Chopping up the vegetables is an integral part of the soup making process, and often you have to balance the flavours so that the soup has the right taste.  Celery, for example, is a strong-flavoured vegetable and could totally change the overall result.  So in your business, you want to make sure you have balance.  Balance in what you are offering and balance in your life too.  I know, tall demand, especially when you start out, but it is important that you pace yourself.

I love adding herbs to my soup.  They’re like the little extras that make the difference and in your business, you need to consider what you can do to go the extra mile to make the experience special for your customers.

Living in the country, I have learned to be flexible with my ingredients, as I can’t just drive around the corner to pick up a missing item.  Salsa, for example, makes a great substitute for tomatoes.  In working with “newbies” I have often found that the idea they started with is not what they end up doing.  Flexibility is therefore key, so you can move on an opportunity that arises, rather than being tied to your plan, or in my case, the recipe.

The finishing touch is blending the stock with the cooked, softened vegetables to create a creamy, tasty soup, with no lumps.  Just as with your launch, when you’ve planned it carefully, all goes smoothly.

But not everything always goes to plan, in the kitchen or in the business world, and so it is important to keep this one ingredient – your sense of humour.