SUNDAY SERVICE: OVERWHELM & SIPELLO
I’m building a few things at once across food, drink & hospitality. Sunday Service is where I share the wins, the wobbles - and the growth tips to help you build yours...
In this week’s post:
Why I felt a sense of overwhelm and how/why I’m dogging it out
Lessons from my spotlight session with Tim Simmons, founder of Sipello - an outstanding British aperitif
A final rallying cry for Best Before 3 (there are no replays - be in the room)
And, my verdict on that viral sandwich
If you’re trying to build something in this industry - this one's for you.
oh, and if you’re wondering who I am,
I help ambitious food, drink & hospitality brands grow through retention, community and clarity.
If you want fresh eyes and a fresh take on your business, I offer one-off workshops, email audits, and virtual co-founder support via On A Plate Growth.
BIT OF OVERWHELM
As I’ve written before, Substack and my SUNDAY SERVICE posts have become a place for me to wrap up the week and reflect.
It’s crept up and become one of my favourite moments of the week.
As I get into the backend of the week, I start to think, oh I should add that, I should mention that. What did I do with those guys, ah yes…
I used to write it at ‘ninja school’ whilst my son learnt the way of the Samurai but he’s hit pause on that.
So, now I tend to get up early, and me and Alfie, the pup, hang out. He potters about, chewing things, and I tap away with a freshly brewed coffee
(just enjoying one I was kindly gifted from Roasting Party if you’re interested!)
before the rest of the house wakes and the chaos begins!
But, what has also crept up on me this week was the realisation that I’m a bit knackered.
CONTENT CREATION
I’ve added to my Substack output:
I’ve created what I call MIDWEEK SERVICE which is where, every Weds, I give you an idea for your next email campaign. There’s copy you can directly lift and a promo idea too.
You can check out this week’s one here,
and I’ve started WEEKEND PREP which is a Friday series that shines a light on the people in food, drink and hospitality.
Not so much from the business side per se but more about how they live the life, do the juggle, what their mindset is, and also what they like to eat and drink.
I’ve just published one with Andrew Murray-Watson, who is the founder of Brixton Spirits and Guzzl which is in Brixton Village (if you’re a challenger brand and aren’t listed in there, then add it to your hit-list, very much a purveyor of nice things).
I thoroughly recommend you have a read,
WEEKEND PREP with: Brixton Spirits & Guzzl
WEEKEND PREP is a real conversation about the journey - told by those in the thick of living it.
[I do also have another little series up my sleeve - MONDAY MOTIVATION - which will drop soon. It’s going to look at creatives working in food, drink and hospitality, a dollop of inspo to counteract general Monday moods.]
And, there’s The Growth Collective, my member’s only community, where most weeks I host a Masterclass or a Spotlight session.
On Thursday, I hosted a brilliant Masterclass with Koral Ibrahim of The Ready House. I’m a LinkedIn fanboy of his, and his presentation absolutely delivered. I’ll share more on that soon (and, if you’re a member of The Growth Collective, don’t wait, go watch the replay now).
And, as you’ll discover, this SUNDAY SERVICE will go into learnings from the spotlight session I did with Tim, the founder of Sipello, the best tasting British aperitif.
So, that’s quite a bit of content creation on the go, alongside daily LinkedIn posts and doing my bit to appease the algo Gods, and be a community player, with comments.
Also, fellow parents, the kids start to get a bit extra crazy towards the end of the school year + the heat tends to make them a little extra too, right?
I’d also say, as cute as Alfie is, adding a puppy into the mix, has somewhat added to the general day to day life admin. Plus, he’s been a bit poorly this week, I won’t go into the gory details but it was pretty gross for a little while there, so I’ve been ‘sleeping’ downstairs with him to try and avoid a repeat situation!
ACTUAL PAID FOR WORK
There’s also Best Before 3 next week (on the 17th July)
WORK IN PROGRESS: Stories of Craft, Creativity and Chaos
and a final push for ticket sales.
Bloody Bens deliveries, email campaigns and a collab project I’ll be announcing soon.
And, I’ve been kicking off work with new clients (Savvy Ferments, Big Hug Brewing and EDGE coffee & tea).
IT’S A LOT
I don’t very often feel this but I’ll admit to a sense of overwhelm this week.
I saw a post from Daniel Rowntree this week about doing one thing and doing it exceptionally.
What a tantalising thought.
But I don’t think I’m wired that way.
And, perhaps, not a great way to think, but I don’t feel I am exceptional.
I tend to think of myself as good.
In my restaurant days, I was good enough to have a super popular restaurant. But not great enough to make it super popular AND profitable as our operating costs rose and the trading environment got tougher.
Conversely, I wasn’t bad enough to make it fail fast.
I never thought I could go freelance and consult because I felt I had to be exceptional.
However, I reframed that, I’ve learned that being reliably good is often more valuable than chasing perfection. My job is to help brands move from stuck to strong and then pass the baton to help them go from good to great.
Anyway, I was relieved/reassured when in the latest WEEKEND PREP, Andrew revealed he felt similar, “I tend to get bored if I only have one thing to do, so having lots of different priorities suits my mindset.”
This is a reason for creating WEEKEND PREP, so we can discover that we’re not alone in the journey. That people have similar feelings and struggles.
So, yeah, I’ve definitely being considering, is it worth it.
WHY DO THE EXTRA?
It’s not like, I have massive Substack audience (79 subscribers - feel free to add to that number if you haven’t already subscribed!)
I don’t have an inbox jammed full of inbound work enquiries.
I could slow down right…
But I’m going to dog it out.
Sometimes, it’s about doing the work.
And going through the grit.
Because things quickly move on.
You get into a flow with new clients, so it doesn’t take up quite as much bandwidth, you understand what they want, what their TOV is and what their priorities are.
It’s almost the school holidays.
It won’t stay hot for too long.
And, I believe in creating your own luck.
I don’t believe I’ll be fully booked out with work if I’m not putting in the hard yards now. Laying the foundations, so it’s a stronger business in the future.
I also have a dream about passive income.
Would I want my content creation to be sponsored? Yes, sure, why not.
Would I like digital products that constantly sell on my Stan Store? Too right.
But that’s only going to happen if I keep showing up and creating. Learning how to build a sizeable community and making something of value, that’s worth following, that’s worth buying or indeed, worth sponsoring.
These things won’t be given to me.
So, I’m going to carry on, spreading my surface area, and giving myself more chance to ‘get lucky’.
[Also, on Friday night, I did a couple of laps of the park, with Alfie, and had a glass of wine afters and suddenly things felt a lot better - a reminder that ‘feelings’ can quickly pass.]
If you feel similar, about a sense of overwhelm or being a bit burnt out, and ever want to chat, I’m always happy to do so, whether it be online or over a coffee. Drop me a DM or email ben@onaplategrowth.com
MOVING ON
Right.
Enough.
The main purpose of this post was to talk about Tim and Sipello and how that can be inspo for you, whether it to be to start something new, or to help you carry on building your business…
BEST BEFORE 3 - 17th July
But actually just before Sipello, a final rallying call for Best Before.
It’s the in-person community platform that Lizzy Kaplan and I have created.
Living in Brighton, we were both amazed to find no dedicated networking events for food, drink and hospitality folk.
So, we created our own!
Now, funnily enough, neither of us are natural networking event types, so we created it with that in mind.
We source great speakers, we have food and drinks from challenger brands and we host it in a great venue (shout out to Projects, Nile St).
Our third event is on the 17th July.
WORK IN PROGRESS: Stories of Craft, Creativity and Chaos.
Food and drink from Earls, CANS, The Protein Ball Co, Bervera, The Curators and OMGTeas.
And, Ted Talk style talks from this epic lineup,
Diego Ricaurte, chef and founder of, arguably, Brighton’s best restaurant: Palmito.
Harry & Sam, founders of Shrub, who supply incredible restaurants around Sussex and London with produce from small holding farms - they’re building a better food system.
Luke Hemsley, founder of non-alcoholic wine brand, Wednesday’s Domaine.
Suzie Bakos, who is a presenter, a supper club host and maker of her own hot sauce.
Rollo Scott, founder of Singular Films who works with top chefs, restaurants and products to produce highly engaging videos.
Mariell Lind Hansen, who founded Benk&Bo, a cafe, bakery and creative hub in Spitalfields and is now an interiors photographer for hospitality spaces.
Running from 12-2.30pm, this will be the best working lunch of your summer.
It’s not just for Brighton and Hove folk, we always have people from London and further afield join us.
There are still tickets - so do grab yours now.
Remember, there are no replays.
If you miss it, you miss out on all the insights, all the inspo and all the connections you could make in the room.
(there’s still a late in the day opportunity to sponsor too - email me ben@onaplategrowth.com if you’d like that slot)
SPOTLIGHT ON: SIPELLO
Recently on The Growth Collective, I had the pleasure of doing a spotlight session with Tim Simmons, founder of Sipello - a British aperitif that’s different by nature.
Now, I’d urge you to watch the replay on, The Growth Collective,
a members only community for those of us in the business of growing food, drink and hospitality businesses.
Not limited to founders, it’s for anyone who is looking for help, looking for others to share their challenges with and for people and products to help them grow.
You can join by starting a 7 day free trial (or work with me through On A Plate Growth and I’ll give you a free lifetime membership)
It’s on the replay, where you’ll get all the insights, all the little nuggets that will make sense or serve to inspire.
But I’ll share some of the key themes here…
For me, Tim’s story is one packed with inspo and an example of how far you can go with ‘a bit of fun’ and then determination.
Sipello can be found on the menus and on the back of most of the best bars and restaurants in the land.
But it started off as three friends mucking about with ingredients, with the hope of creating the perfect first drink of the evening.
After early experimentation and co-founder exits, Tim went solo and began working with Silent Pool (btw they help me produce Wild Mary which is the ultimate spicy vodka to go with Bloody Bens Bloody Mary Mix)
It was basically a mistake that led to the hero ingredient being discovered… ever heard of a chuckleberry? Me neither. But it turns out if you accidentally steep them for 5 weeks then they help you create the ultimate aperitif.
When the pandemic struck, Tim got on his bike and hand delivered Sipello samples to London’s best barmen.
This I think was a stroke of genius. Literally locked down and grateful for something new to try. They had time to feedback to Tim on how they’d tweak the liquid and how they’d look to use it.
Think about that. The best barmen, the very people who you want to list and use your product, giving you direct feedback. And by listening, not only do you end up with an even better product but you also have ready made customers as soon as you launch.
Sipello is unique because it set out to be exactly that. It wasn’t meant to be a British version of Aperol. It’s unapologetically unique, informed by terroir, wild fruit and craft - hence the tagline, “Different by nature”.
And, there’s another element to Sipello.
Tim created it from day one to be a legacy brand, to pass it down to his daughters.
That long-term view informs every decison.
And, by having that baked in from the start, it means Sipello will always be different.
The competition can’t copy moves like that. You can’t fake that.
Often it’ll be intangible. Why do I like/love this brand? You may not be able to explain it. And part of the reason will be, that in its DNA, it acts and behaves differently.
As a parent, another reason why I’m such an admirer of Tim and Sipello, is that he’s also doing the family juggle, whilst bootstrapping his brand.
He’s candid about the guilt and the emotional effort of doing both and “spinning plates”.
If you’re in a similar situation, know you’re not alone. Sometimes, you can think, gah if only I was in my 20s and didn’t have the commitments.
But, Tim and I agree, that kids help put things into perspective. They don’t care if that bar can’t list you due to a contract with some big player or that your bottle run has been delayed and you’ve got no stock.
Also, I feel like in your 20s, you’ll find different ways to burn out, like being out enjoying your commitment free life! And, you may not have the experience or the home environment to put the setbacks into a more manageable context.
Based on the above and/or, if you’ve watched the replay, what’s your take on Sipello? And, have you tried it for yourself yet? Let me know in the comments.
GROWTH CHALLENGE
When I host a Spotlight session, as well sharing their brand story, the founder shares a growth challenge.
For Tim, whilst he’ll always want to be in more bars, restaurants and pubs, there’s serious growth to be had in the at-home market.
But how?
Push this serve: Sipello & Pink (grapefruit) Soda
Anyone can make it - this is his G&T equivalent
It’s visually amazing (see below)
Lean into the rise of hosting
The art of hosting is back. Think candles, curated playlists, beautiful drinks. So Tim should explore,
Collaborating with supper clubs
Selling curated dinner party bundles online (bottle + soda + playlist + glassware)
Align with creators in food, interiors and hosting culture
And, think beyond food. Sipello is an aesthetic product.
Tapping into the interior design and stylists space will lead to it showing up in more kitchens and cocktail corners.
Do more around online gifting. As I always say, a key reason for people buying online is for gifts. They don’t need to buy your product but they do need to buy gifts. So, the more you lean into this, the more sales you can generate. Create gift packs and bundles.
There’s lots more in the Spotlight session, so, go check it out and, in the meantime, ask yourself,
If you’re building a drink brand, what’s your version of Sipello & Pink Soda? Could you lean harder into the rise of hosting?
And, if you need help identifying this, or bringing it to life, I’m here for you.
BTW, next up on The Growth Collective is a masterclass with Lisa Whalley-Smith who will be guiding us through, how to double your website sales!
Tune in at 12.30pm on the 23rd July.
What next?
✅ Got something to say? If anything in this post has had you nodding along or shaking your head, then please say. Likewise, if you can add to the conversation, then please do so in the comments.
✅ Curious about The Growth Collective? Join for £15/month
✅ Got a growth challenge? Book a call or email me at ben@onaplategrowth.com.
✅ Want to be in the room for Best Before 3? Get your ticket here, before we sell out.
✅ Want to do email better? Download my free guide.
👋 I’m Ben, founder of On A Plate Growth Agency
I help food, drink & hospitality brands grow through:
🧠 Virtual Co-Founder service - a sounding board, strategist, and connector, all rolled into one.
📩 Email strategy
📈 Smart marketing support
💬 Community & masterclasses via The Growth Collective
Got a growth challenge you’d like to talk through?
Drop me an email ben@onaplategrowth.com
or head over to my website to book a free discovery call - you can also download email marketing guides, inc my free guide to nailing your welcome series, The First Bite.
Also, co-founder of Bloody Bens & Best Before Events.
PS
It had to be done right?!
Have you tried one yet?
I actually thought it was tasty and lived up to the hype.
That said, would I buy another? No. Would you?
With the hot weather cranking up, I was really pleased to receive this iced coffee gift pack.
Also, I have been in so many meetings, where a branded ice tray has been discussed and never actually done.
You know what, I don’t think I’ve actually ever seen one in the wild. Bravo Rude Health (also I really enjoy the mocha - reminded me of a Frijj, which I used to love but haven’t had for at least 10 yrs).
If you enjoyed this, share it with someone in food, drink or hospo who’s growing something great. And/or, if you’re not already, please subscribe.
Congrats on landing those 3 new clients!