Say buongiorno to Fra’ Mani! Specializing in Old World Italian sausages, Berkeley-based Fra’ Mani was founded by Paul (an acclaimed chef and cookbook author) and Tom (a food-loving finance lawyer). Almost 20 years ago, this unlikely duo combined their talents to create a line of gourmet sausages made exclusively from humanely raised pork. By working with small family farms, Fra’ Mani ensures quality from start to finish. With flavors ranging from simple Salt and Pepper to Sweet Basil and Andouille, get ready to enjoy la dolce vita at the dinner table.
Recently, we caught up with Paul to learn more about his journey and hear his advice for fellow entrepreneurs.
1. Why did you start Fra’ Mani?
After 25 years as an executive chef, working day and night in some truly great restaurants, I started to think about other challenges. I had made and served my own charcuterie in various restaurants and had noticed how much our customers enjoyed it. Eventually, I realized that there was a market outside of the restaurant setting for traditional, handmade charcuterie made from the best possible ingredients.
Tom and I met and became friends well before the thought of Fra’ Mani entered my head. He was finishing graduate work at UC Berkeley, and I was figuring out my next restaurant move. Years later, as the idea of Fra’ Mani started to gain some steam, we talked about doing it together. Tom was a successful corporate finance attorney at a large multinational firm. Thankfully, his passion for food and salumi, and his interest in building a different kind of food brand from the ground up, were enough to trade in the briefcase for the “meat case.” The result: Fra' Mani.
2. What obstacles did you face along the way?
A big obstacle we initially faced was the classic error common to start-ups—underestimating the capital and resources needed to start and grow a company. In our case, we overcame this error by sheer grit and obstinacy, along with a dose of self-abnegation (we don't recommend this, by the way).
3. What lessons do you have for other entrepreneurs?
Hire great people.
Make sure you have adequate initial capital and resources.
If your primary goal in starting a company is to make money, you should reconsider your decision. Find a subject matter that you love and see if you can build a business around that passion, because it is this passion that will keep you going when times are tough.
4. What’s on the horizon for Fra’ Mani?
On day one, our mantra was to improve what we do every day. This drive for continuous improvement still defines our daily tasks. We’re creators at heart and are always looking for ways to expand our offerings with new and delicious items. The sweet spot comes at the intersection of what we want to make and what our customers want to eat.
5. How do you keep a work/life balance? What drives/inspires you?
Over time, we learned to delegate responsibilities to our team members. We have a great team that is entirely worthy of taking on more and more responsibilities, but we still have room for improvement when it comes to achieving the right work/life balance. Perhaps this is just a kind of founder's dilemma.
There are several sources of inspiration that we enjoy every day, including:
The company culture we have created and do our best to maintain (a culture of food artisans dedicated to making charcuterie using the best ingredients and old-world techniques).
The market acceptance of our products (we have been fortunate to receive considerable positive press and have also received numerous awards for our products) and our stature as one of a small handful of leading domestic producers of charcuterie.
The realization of our mission to promote what is good for animals, land, and people has been primarily achieved through our steadfast support of family farms, where hogs are raised humanely and without antibiotics.
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