EP36: Andris Lagsdin - Kick Start Your Way To Becoming an Entrepreneur

Making the Cut with Chris Hill and Shawn Wenner

When I think of inspiring Food Entrepreneurs, Andris Lagsdin is someone who certainly comes to mind. We've been connected with Andris for a couple years now and it's been neat to see him grow his brand, Baking Steel into something really special. He's had two successful Kickstarter campaigns, has created a number of successful products and as he explains in our conversation, it all comes from very humble beginnings. In this conversation, we discuss:

• Andris' background, from going to culinary school, to work in the family business, completely unrelated to the culinary industry and how he came to be a food entrepreneur.
• How he combined his past experience in the family steel company with his passion for the culinary industry.
• How he was able to come up with and go to market with his first product, the Baking Steel.
• Why Andris chose Kickstarter as the platform to launch the product (hint, it wasn't just about the money).
• How to get influential people to support your mission and endorse your products.
• The secret to using social media to grow sales.
• How he has grown the Baking Steel brand from just one product to a portfolio of products that all fill different needs in the marketplace.
• How the Baking Steel company has been able to leverage Kickstarter as a way to validate their newest idea, a 72-hour pizza dough delivered right to your doorstep
• Advice Andris has for an up and coming food entrepreneur about what it takes.

At the time of the release, the Baking Steel company's second Kickstarter campaign is at 275% of their original goal for the 72-Hour Pizza Dough. You can learn more about their campaign here. If you aren't familiar with the original Baking Steel, here's a link to it (literally one of the best kitchen tools on the market). Check out the Baking Steel on Instagram and Facebook - they do a stellar job. Many Thanks to Our Sponsor, Le Cordon Bleu Become part of a great tradition of culinary excellence! With over 120 years of teaching experience, Le Cordon Bleu is well-established as the global leader in culinary, wine and hospitality education. Learn from a team of classically trained teaching chefs with years of experience working in Michelin-star restaurants and the industry’s finest kitchens. Earn the most respected culinary qualifications and live a truly unique cultural experience in one of their 35 institutes around the world! Your culinary journey starts today. Apply now at www.cordonbleu.edu.