There Are No Mountains Without the Valleys | Connor Claussen, Co-Owner of Axel's Pretzels

Proprietors of Pittsburgh Podcast

English - July 05, 2020 00:00 - 28 minutes - 37.5 MB - ★★★★★ - 46 ratings
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Previous Episode: It's OK to Reach Out for Help | Brittany Hartle, Owner of Yogi Be Wellness & Your CBD Store-North Hills

Next Episode: Communicate With Other Local Business Owners | Hannah Lane Critzer, Owner of HLane Dry Goods & Coffee

Axel Claussen longed for the kind of authentic, soft-baked pretzels that he once enjoyed in his native Germany. After his search in Pittsburgh came up dry, he decided to make some himself. Even though he didn’t have a baking or culinary background, he did know what a genuine German pretzel should taste like. After some trial and error, he nailed it and a budding business was born.

After a short stint in college, Connor Claussen decided the traditional career route wasn’t for him. He approached his dad about ramping up the pretzel business, and the father and son duo became partners. Since 2013, their business has grown steadily by wholesaling to breweries, restaurants and cinemas. All that came to a screeching halt in March 2020 when the pandemic hit. They had just finalized a lease on a bigger commercial kitchen space two weeks before the shutdown. Connor and his father had to quickly pivot to online and direct-to-consumer sales in order to keep the business running. Like so many other entrepreneurs, they needed to find a way to adapt. In this discussion, Connor reminds us how important persistence is for an entrepreneur and that difficult times can result in a stronger and more resilient business.

If you have any questions or if you’d like to chat, you can reach me at my contact info below. The purpose of this podcast is to share ideas, inspire action, and build a stronger small business community here in Pittsburgh. So please say hello, tell me what you think, and let me know how I’m doing. It means a ton!

YOU CAN REACH ME AT:

Podcast: https://www.proprietorsofpittsburgh.com

Website: https://www.thestartupshoppe.net/podcasts

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/proprietorsofpittsburghpodcast

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/proprietorsofpittsburghpodcast

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darinvilano

Phone: 412-336-8247

YOU CAN REACH CONNOR CLAUSSEN AT:

Website: https://axelspretzels.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/axelspretzels

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/axelspretzels