Although everyone discouraged him from doing so, Patrik Fuska (21) started his business at the age of 14. Today he sells the most expensive yogurt in the Czech Republic
Where did the entrepreneurial spirit come from? Did your parents lead you to it?
It was the other way around. My parents told me that I was young and that I should finish my studies first. Go to college, etc. I think the entrepreneurial spirit is more genetic. For me, it's also a hobby, just like football for example.
Did the prospect of big money play a role in this?
At the age when I started my business, I didn't need much money, so it wasn't even a motivation in terms of money. There was some vision for the future, but it certainly wasn't decisive.
So can we say that from about the age of 14, you've only been in business? Or did you ever go to work and do odd jobs?
Of course, I was still at school. (laughs) But as far as the "working sphere" is concerned, yes. I never worked in any job, I never went to any part-time job. I was always independent.
Don't you feel that you lost a little bit of your childhood and those so-called best student years because of starting so early with the business?
Of course, you can look at it that way too. But I don't see it that way, because I was never the kind of person who was attracted to parties and parties. Everyone's preferences are a little different.
Was the first major business you got into selling watches?
Yes, that was literally the first project of my own, which is still going today. I've been on the Czech market for about five years now. Since then, of course, the competition has grown and I am now in a kind of a transitional period and I am thinking about what exactly to do with this project and whether to go out into the world with it, for example. However, everything is running, and nowadays in such a way that I don't even have to devote that much time to the overall running. Everything is automated. This was, by the way, also the impetus for me to start doing something new, because this company was no longer taking up so much time.
How did you get from watches to yoghurt?
Basically, there was no specific reason, I was never an excessive yoghurt lover, but with more time and already accumulated capital, I was thinking about a bigger project of my own. I was quite attracted to gastronomy.
And how did you come up with yoghurt?
I saw a lot of interesting photos on Instagram of different decorated smoothies, shakes and desserts. In truth, I often didn't know exactly what I was looking at based on the photo. But in the end, this is where I got inspired and connected the whole idea to yogurt.
So you're into making designer yogurts?
Exactly. Design is a big part of it, but then it's also up to us to meet customer expectations in terms of taste with quality ingredients. When people see our yogurts, they evoke luxury, freshness, etc. That is exactly what yoghurts must taste like.
I read somewhere that you would like to teach the Czechs to eat yoghurt differently. What do you mean by that?
It's more about the fact that the yoghurt we make is not what Czechs are used to eating. Probably mainly because of the price and the portion size. We have the most expensive yogurts in the Czech Republic, and it will take some time before the Czechs get to the literally fancy yogurts.
Where do you get your inspiration and how do you come up with the ingredients for your yogurts?
In the time we've been making yogurts, we already know what people like and what combinations are pleasing to the human eye. Mostly my girlfriend and I come up with everything ourselves.
You're one of the few people who've arranged to talk to me in the wee hours of the morning. What's a typical day like for you?
I usually get up between 4 and 5 o'clock. Then I cook for the day and go for a workout. Then I go to the plant or take care of other things in town. If I don't have to go anywhere, I sit at my laptop and do administrative work. Every day is different.
You don't make yogurt yourself?
Of course I do that too. (laughs) I think every entrepreneur should know in detail what his business is about. I can physically help when needed, but I don't directly produce yoghurt on a daily basis.
What do you think is behind your success?
You want me to give you the key to success? (laughs) I just think the key is "doing". It's not very good to think about "what if", but to just start. It's always better to do something than to think about it all the time.
It's true that almost every entrepreneur gives this advice, but how do you motivate or force yourself to do it? Because that's what many people have a problem with...
You shouldn't force yourself to do it. I think that if you're not meant to be an entrepreneur, you just don't learn. It's important to find something you enjoy, and then it doesn't matter whether you're in business or employed somewhere.
And what if someone is just plain scared? How to avoid fear?
Everyone is afraid of whether their business will work and whether they will drown a lot of money in it. But I would say that most people are more afraid of what others will think of their business. And that's one of the things that needs to be let out. A lot of people do things to make themselves look good to others. Of course it's important to listen to the opinion and criticism of others, but I certainly wouldn't go 100% with that.
What has been the biggest obstacle for you to overcome?
I would say initially it was my parents, but paradoxically they wanted the best for me - for me to finish my degree. Convincing them was a bit of a problem. I was also held back by the administration. You can't just start a company at 15. At the beginning of the yoghurt business, my lack of knowledge of the industry was also a problem, because gastronomy is very specific and there are many problems that have to be solved.
Would you have done anything differently in your journey? Or would you even do something like this if you knew what it entailed? (laughs)
Sometimes I honestly wonder why I did it. (laughs) But I probably wouldn't have done anything differently. I wouldn't like to change things that I can't change anymore. I think there was a reason for everything.
Where are you going next with the business? Do you have any other milestones set?
I definitely have a lot of ideas in my head, which now revolve mainly around yogurt. I'm thinking about a branch somewhere closer to the centre of Prague. Ideally Karlín, which is much more attractive for this type of business. Here in Vršovice not many people come directly from the street, they mostly come to us on purpose. I'm also thinking about something bigger, where people could sit down, have a coffee, etc. That's the current vision.
