“5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Became the CEO of Edible Brands”, With Tariq Farid

Remember that every major success story had to start somewhere — As Edible Arrangements began evolving from a small local business to a larger chain, I was really intimidated at the thought of my little brand potentially becoming a household name. When you are a small business owner, you are in awe of the big brands that everyone recognizes. I’d drive by a Walgreens or a Burger King and dream about having a brand presence like that, but small business is about being realistic; taking a dollar and turning it into two. What I failed to realize, and what other people often fail to realize, is that these mega-organizations started small as well; they didn’t just become global sensations overnight. It’s important for a CEO to be the visionary that believes in the potential an organization has to reach the next level.

An outstanding example and supporter of American entrepreneurialism, Tariq Farid is Founder of Edible Arrangements®, the pioneer and worldwide leader in high quality, artistically designed fresh fruit arrangements and Chief Executive Officer of Edible Brands, the parent company that includes other businesses as well as the Edible Arrangements brand. In addition, he has founded or acquired successful companies in the fields of technology, distribution and supply chain management and has established a charitable Foundation designed to support causes both at home and around the world.

Thank you so much for joining us Tariq! Can you tell us the story about what brought you to this specific career path?

As a young boy growing up in Pakistan, I heard stories from my grandfather about the tremendous opportunities he witnessed while working in the states. This convinced me from a…