Paul Owusu is an entrepreneur and co-founder of Phreshly, a ready-to-drink plant-based cocktail brand. He spent the early days of the pandemic indulging in new hobbies, including mixing cocktails. He first shared his creations on social media and eventually connected with area cocktail enthusiasts and now-business partners Tai Applewhite and Ama Marfo to create their Atlanta-based brand.

Key Takeaways

01 Innovation is at the heart of entrepreneurship

Differentiate your products to not only appeal to, but also excite prospective customers in the market.

02 Make your business model customer-centric

Generating feedback from your consumers builds a better understanding of their preferences. Know what outcomes you’re looking for and what processes will help you achieve those goals.

03 Create a culture that is forward thinking

To remain at the forefront of the conversation, it is critical to empower your community to ask the right questions. Stay open to new ideas to improve the customer’s experience.

04 Stay true to your mission 

To find alignment in your brand, connect with like minded individuals to establish a sense of identity. It’s critical to allow members of the community to actively ideate on your brand, while staying true to your brand’s purpose. 

05 Give back to your community where you can

Building a business or any meaningful venture is no easy endeavor. Share in your successes with others and sow seeds where you want to see your people grow.