Week 5/10 — Real Food Real Kitchens

5 weeks in! I’m halfway done with my time here at Groundswell and I still have a lot to learn. This week, instead of talking about me, I’m going to be interviewing one of the startups at Groundswell. With me is Craig Chapman, founder of show Real Food Real Kitchens, a show featured on major streaming networks such as Hulu and Amazon. The show is all about retaining family recipes and household food culture through storytelling. To be frank, they enter family homes and document the culture and stories behind family recipes, so that they aren’t forgotten! The show is entering its 4th season and is going strong. Before I start my interview with Craig, check out the trailer for season 1 below:

The interview:

What has Groundswell contributed to you since your arrival?

When I moved from New York to Melbourne, I needed a nice space to work in. New York and Melbourne are vastly different in that there is a 10 year lag between the two: New York back then had co-working spaces, but Melbourne at the time did not, at least not until now (Groundswell). So when I moved to Melbourne, having the option to be apart of a work environment like this has contributed a lot to my business.

What areas of growth have you seen in your time working here at the co-working space?

Everywhere, my team and I obviously am not oblivious to the business side of launching a company, but the help Groundswell has offered has been very appreciated. From speaking to mentors who are 10 steps away to getting the connections to funding, we’ve seen a lot of growth from all aspects of the company. In fact, our first round funding happened because of Groundswell’s Guidance.

What does Co-Working mean to you?

I see co-working as a community of people who are not necessarily in the same field as me, but are in the same position as me: people who are starting a business or company of their own.

Have you benefited from other companies, startups, and workers around you?

There’s a lot of benefits from working around other like-minded individuals who are starting something of their own. Just being able to tell them my idea and having them think it’s great has been a huge confidence booster a long the way.

Why did you choose to operate off the space coast?

At the time I had the idea, I was living in New York. Obviously, the ideal option for my business was to operate there, but things are too fast paced and hectic there. I wanted to get away from all that and go back to my hometown to get a clear mind, so that I can work efficiently. I still go back to New York occasionally for business when I need to, so nothing has really changed. However, as my business eventually expands, we plan on moving back and operating there.

Do you recommend a incubator/accelerator-like co-working environment to other up and coming startups?

Absolutely, why work from home when you can immerse yourself in a space filled with leaders, mentors, and access to vital connections? It’s helped me, I don’t see why it won’t help others.