Doug & Sarah Taylor Journey: How Taylor Chip grew from a wedding cookie idea to a $10M dessert brand with 42 team members, 7 stores, and nationwide expansion through automation, e-commerce, marketing, and overcoming challenges. (Episode 632 - Doug Taylor)

In this episode of Grow a Small Business, host Troy Trewin interviews Doug Taylor, co-founder of Taylor Chip, a rapidly growing dessert brand. Starting from a wedding cookie idea in 2018, Taylor Chip now has 7 retail stores, 42 employees, and $10M revenue projections. Doug shares insights on expanding beyond Pennsylvania, leveraging automation, e-commerce, and marketing strategies. He also discusses the challenges of scaling, hiring the right team, and overcoming financial hurdles. Tune in to hear his inspiring journey from a small startup to a thriving dessert empire! Why would you wait any longer to start living the lifestyle you signed up for? Balance your health, wealth, relationships and business growth. And focus your time and energy and make the most of this year. Let's get into it by clicking here. Troy delves into our guest's startup journey, their perception of success, industry reconsideration, and the pivotal stress point during business expansion. They discuss the joys of small business growth, vital entrepreneurial habits, and strategies for team building, encompassing wins, blunders, and invaluable advice. And a snapshot of the final five Grow A Small Business Questions:

1. What do you think is the hardest thing in growing a small business? According to Doug Taylor, the hardest part of growing a small business is market capture and scaling effectively. He emphasizes that each new level of growth presents unique challenges, especially in a highly competitive industry like desserts. Doug explains that getting people to know about your brand, breaking into new markets, and ensuring consistent quality while scaling are major hurdles. He also highlights the importance of adapting to changing marketing landscapes, staying financially disciplined, and continuously improving operations to sustain growth.

2. What's your favourite business book that has helped you the most? Doug Taylor's favorite business book that has helped him the most is "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill. He credits it for unlocking the mindset and strategic thinking needed for business success. However, he also acknowledges the controversies around the author but still finds the psychological principles valuable. Another book he frequently references is "The Paradox of Choice", which explores decision-making and its impact on business and consumer behavior.

3. Are there any great podcasts or online learning resources you'd recommend to help grow a small business? Doug Taylor recommends "How I Built This" with Guy Raz for valuable insights from successful entrepreneurs, especially in food and beverage. He found it instrumental in learning about scaling a business. However, he later reduced content consumption to focus on execution, believing that prioritizing action over excessive learning is key to growth.

4. What tool or resource would you recommend to grow a small business? Doug Taylor recommends TikTok Shop and Facebook Ads as powerful tools for growing a small business. He emphasizes the importance of organic social media, e-commerce, and influencer marketing to drive sales. He also highlights email marketing as a high-ROI tool for customer retention and business growth.

5. What advice would you give yourself on day one of starting out in business? Doug Taylor's advice to his day-one self would be: "Be patient and invest in automation early." He regrets not adopting automation sooner, which could have saved time and labor costs. He also emphasizes the importance of understanding good debt, scaling efficiently, and staying resilient through challenges.

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Quotable quotes from our special Grow A Small Business podcast guest:

You cannot hire or fire out of fear — your A players are watching – Doug Taylor Success isn't just about money — it's about the impact you make and the lives you change – Doug Taylor Discipline in finances, team building, and operations is the key to sustainable growth – Doug Taylor