It’s never too late to become an entrepreneur. Just ask Suzanne Brock, managing director of Nutriment, the successful organic dog food and snacks company. Prior to 2013, Suzanne had been a military officer, a waitress, a project manager, and also worked in the City, at varying levels of responsibility.

“I sort of came to it by accident…”

But at no time did she so much as think about setting up her own Business. In the end, she took the plunge due to external factors. In 2013, the company she was working for had been swept by a style of management that she found aggressive, and so she decided to set up her own firm.

A dog lover, Suzanne Brock wanted to set up a pet food manufacturing firm, but one with a difference. With her partner Peter Nicholas on-board as co-founder and sales director, Suzanne’s vision for Nutriment was raw pet food. However, she wanted Nutriment’s product to go beyond the basic meat-bone-&-veg options available by also including metabolism-friendly superfoods, and further building on chicken-based recipes by advocating for other nutritional pet-friendly alternatives such as tripe and offal.

Although she had stumbled onto the entrepreneurial road not previously taken, Suzanne Brock has never looked back. Opening on June 3, 2013, Suzanne was presiding over 10,000 square feet of factory space, “10 high-spirited staff and a disturbing mound of personal debt”.

Within two years, she, co-founder Peter Nicholas and their team had grown Nutriment into an award-winning business, a leading light among UK independent pet food manufacturers. Nutriment presides over a monthly output of 180 tonnes of raw food products, selling directly to their loyal customers and an expanding network of retailers eager to cater for the demands of pet owners increased concerned about the origins of their dogs’ food and snacks.

12 Questions for Suzanne Brock, Managing Director, Nutriment

“I would have lost everything if we failed…”

Four years into the life of her business, Suzanne Brock remains as enthusiastic about Nutriment as she was back in June 2013 when she opened the doors of the company’s factor for day one of the business.

She spoke to AGENT about her startup story to date, recalling the achievements and triumphs as well as the challenges she has faced while growing her startup into a successful business.

Suzanne also shared her thoughts on work-life balance, and other key lessons she has learned so far, to help benefit entrepreneurs out there who are setting up in business for the first time.

1. How did you first get into business?

I sort of came to it by accident when the company I worked for went through a rather aggressive change in management, and I decided to leave and have a go myself.

2. Describe your business goals

Initially my business goals were to produce an outstanding product and make enough money to pay the staff! Nowadays, having learnt more about running a business, I would say I want to educate dog owners at the same time as growing a healthy, ethical and profitable company into one of the most trusted brands in the UK.

3. What age were you when you realised you wanted to run your own business?

I have never considered running my own business until I made the decision to start Nutriment. Prior to that, I had a varied career ranging from Army Officer to waitress and a few jobs at varying levels in between!

4. Who are your business icons and inspirations?

Because I have not run a company before, I cannot say that prior to this I had any I could particularly comment on.

However, since being involved with everywoman [the organisation founded by Karen Gill MBE and Maxine Benson MBE to champion the advancement of women in business], and winning their award, I have been enormously inspired by the women I have met through their amazing event that’s held in December every year.

There are so many women who have become successful through adversity and their stories never fail to inspire.

5. What has been your biggest challenge in business, and how did you surmount it?

My biggest challenge was managing to open the business when I was turned down for a loan at the eleventh hour.

It meant having to re-mortgage my home and sign personal guarantees in order to begin trading. This meant that I would have lost everything should we fail.

6. Work-Life balance: is it possible? How do you achieve it?

I am a single parent of two teenagers. Work-Life balance is extraordinarily hard and their understanding and support of me during this last four years has been one of the main reasons for my ability to grow the business. My partner Peter is a fellow director in the business and so, even if we don’t have much time to ourselves, we still at least set eyes on each other once a day! My mother also works here, and so that is quite often our only opportunity to catch up. Having a proper work-life balance is something I aspire to achieve in the next year or so.

7. What is the first thing you do every day?

I take my dogs out and then make my children breakfast. I do not feel so much of a neglectful parent if I know I have sent the children off to school with a meal inside them!

8. What screen saver picture is currently on your phone?

One of my dogs, Buffy. She is a dachshund and takes very cute pictures.

9. What is the most important app on your mobile phone, and why?

Audible. I have become reliant on audiobooks for when I am driving. I found myself getting very stressed while I drove because my head would race with all the things I needed to do or have forgotten to do.

Someone recommended audiobooks to clear the mind and I am completely hooked. Now I look forward to having that time in the day where I can guarantee I am not thinking about work or my children.

10. What is the last thing you Googled?

Personal: “garden furniture”. I want to be able to sit in the garden and relax this summer. I cannot remember the last time that happened.

Business: “machinery auctions”. I am always looking for ways to improve production and machinery runs to 6 figures, so you never know what bargains you may find.

11. What item do you never leave the house without, and why?

I am sad to say that it is my mobile phone. I need to make sure that the children can always reach me and it means I am connected to my emails no matter where I am that day.

I get so many emails that if I don’t keep on top of it when I am out of the office or home, it becomes impossible to manage.

12. What advice would you give to your younger self starting out in business?

“…my naivety… made me brave…”

I do believe my naivety in business made me brave.

I also believe the fact that I had risked everything to get Nutriment off the ground meant that I would not have let it fail. I have managed to surround myself with extraordinary staff and good business advisors.

I believe that this formula has bred our success.

I suspect that in the next few years, I would be telling myself that I should take more time off and enjoyed it all a bit more.

But for now, I think I am doing ok.

The post Q&A with Suzanne Brock, Managing Director of Nutriment appeared first on Agent.