QA - Fast Food Entrepreneur, Drazen Toic, SurfnFries Ireland

QA - Fast Food Entrepreneur, Drazen Toic, Surf’n’Fries Ireland QA Fast Food Entrepreneur, Drazen Toic, Surf’n’Fries Ireland For Drazen Toic, business is everything, and opportunities are everywhere. This explains not only his  entrepreneurial record, but also why, far from his native Croatia, he is making waves as a fast food entrepreneur who is helping to reinvent chips in  Ireland with the ground-breaking Surf’n’Fries brand.Surf’n’Fries is a company of Croatian origin, established in 2009 in  Drazen’s hometown, Rijeka. Its USP is the shape of its fries: curved,  crispy on the outside  and fluffily tender on the inside, and  perfectly shaped for scooping dips.Drazen and his wife Ana were intrigued by the product, and closely watched the progress of the  company. In 2011, the couple moved to Ireland, Drazen working as project manager in a US company in the wireless industry.Unsurprisingly,  Drazen â€" who set up a number of businesses in his native Croatia, and prides himself on his  results-oriented entrepreneurial ethos even when working as an employee â€"  soon identified the possibilities fo r  Surf’n’Fries in a country that has the greatest level of  potato consumption pro capita in Europe.Image Source: Drazen Toic, SurfnFries.ieAnother decisive factor was that this huge market had  no specialist brand with a unique, high-quality product, and Ana and Drazen Toic decided to target this market share by acquiring the brand’s Master Franchise license rights for the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.Surf’n’Fries initially set up as a pop-up serving the harbour in the South County Dublin seaport of Dun Laoghaire, and they also used the mobile unit to travel to events and showcase their brand throughout Ireland.  The product has been sufficiently of a sensation to enable Drazen and Ana to  investigate the possibility of the brand’s first brick-and-mortar store in Ireland, with the expectation that this will open its doors at the end of the first quarter of 2020. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 14 Questions for  Drazen ToicPoised to take  Surf’n’Fries to the next level with their  first permanent store in Ireland, Drazen Toic and Ana are focused on the future, using the  bricks and mortar location as a springboard from which to grow the business throughout the country. Thankfully, Drazen managed to clear some time to get comfortable in the AGENT Startup Hotseat and answer our questions about his career to date. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 1.  Briefly tell us how you first  got into business, and describe your business goals.Our company, Morabeza Ltd., is the holder of the Master Franchise licence for the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland of the street food brand  SurfnFries. We kicked off our operation in March 2016, showcasing the concept with our mobile unit. After the successful introduction of the brand, the next  step is to open the first brick and mortar SurfnFries store. Were currently in advanced conversations on several locations and expect to open  the first SnF Store ope n by the end of Q1  2017, followed by others in the years to come.2. What were you doing before starting your business?In the 4 years preceding Morabeza Ltd. I worked as a project manager for an American company European headquarters in Dublin. Operating in the wireless industry, I was in charge of different projects across SE Europe. SurfnFries, however, is not my first business venture. I founded my first company back in Croatia at the age of 23, and for  the subsequent 10 years have been an entrepreneur in various different industries. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 3. What  was your Eureka moment?I guess it all happened during 2015.  My spouse and business partner Ana and I had been  following the development of SurfnFries, off and on, for 6 years prior to that, mostly out of curiosity. We came to the conclusion that the Irish market was ready for this extraordinary new concept. Through  our research, we found that Ireland has the greatest potato consumption pro capita in Europe. On the other hand, when it comes to chips, there was no specialised brand  on the market serving  a high quality product. We analysed in depth the opportunity and realised that there was  an interesting market share to be won.4.  Who are your business icons and inspirations?There are so many that I couldnt narrow the choice to a couple. I believe that almost every genuine entrepreneur  who has the ability and stamina to develop a business from scratch, is a great source of inspiration, without discriminating  by size of business, historical period or any other aspect. There is so much to be learned from people who decide  to chase their dreams and find the solutions to take them where  want to be. I have read lately the book  Delivering Happiness, by  Tony Hseih, CEO of Zappos, and I recommend it to every entrepreneur that wants to see a different angle on creating a long-lasting business.Image Source: Amazon (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 5.  What has been your biggest challenge in business, and how did you surmount it?Among others, the biggest challenge I faced at the beginning of this project was the fact that, as a  foreigner who had  worked in a multinational company since my arrival in Ireland, I didnt have any contacts for most of the day-to-day business requirements, and had to build my network from scratch. Being unknown in the community, with no previous business record, presented some important tests. I felt like a tourist who  wants to start a business in a place he fell in love with a month ago. However, through intensive research and attending meet-ups and networking events, this challenge was  conquered quite successfully!6. How are you funded?Personal funds and a  small loan from Bank of Ireland. I have to say here that Bank of Ireland has been very helpful from day one, showing great interest in our project. It is a great feeling when you come to talk about your idea and your interlocutor actually ta kes the time and makes the effort to understand where are you coming from.Image Source: Drazen Toic, SurfnFries.ie (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 7.  Work-Life balance: is it possible? How do you achieve it?I would love to say yes. However, in this early stage of the company we basically go to sleep and wake up with our project. Anyway, since were doing what we love, it’s not that difficult. The ultimate goal is to get to the point of having a more predictable working schedule and be able to have time for other interests. Sooner rather than later! 8. What is the first thing you do every day?I am a morning type of person. I wake up pretty early and get most things done in the first hours of the day. So, if I haven’t fallen off the wagon of my sports activities, I would go to the gym or swimming pool before work. On the other hand, if I am not training, I first have a  warm pint of water and squeezed lemon, and then I  will ‘eat the frog’, in other words,  I tackle the most difficult task of the day first… sometimes while having breakfast at the same time! (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 9. What screen saver picture is currently on your phone?None on the phone. I consider it a tool. On my laptop a sailing boat photo.10. What is the most important app on your mobile phone, and why?WhatsApp. I am not a techie person. As simple as it might look, I find it very useful for communication and sending updates. And, being part of a franchise, we have our SurfnFries Worldwide group, where we share moments and successes in real time. It is fun and invigorating.Image Source: iTunes (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 11. What is the the last thing you Googled?‘Refrigerating units’.13. What item do you never leave the house without, and why?My phone and credit cards. I guess the reason why is  quite obvious! (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 14. What advice would you give to your younger self starting out in business?The first draft of a business plan always looks great. When you have an idea, what you do is look mostly at the the positive aspects,  diminishing  the low points. And this is completely normal, as without that energy and enthusiasm you wouldnt be able to get things going in the first place. However, every business venture has different requirements, making the entrepreneur a pioneer, walking through unknown terrain. Be aware that there will be surprises, unknown aspects and modifications along the way. What is important is the ultimate goal. The bigger picture. If you have that vision clear, than the only challenges you need to overcome are actually building material for your company and project… and for yourself!I am going to draw on  the  sayings and quotes that I have remembered over the years, to encapsulate all of the above in a single piece of advice: “The same boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg. It is not about the circum stances, it is about what youre made of.”Image Source: Drazen Toic, surfnfries.ie