Company YUMMY Wiesbaden/freelance work

Founder: Julia Schmitz

Date of foundation: April 12, 2023

Industry and company: Service / Gastronomy

What drives you? What is your motto?

For me, believing in my own idea and passion for the project are the keys to success. Only those who are enthusiastic themselves can convince others.

What is your start-up about and what is special about it?

YUMMY WIESBADEN is a digital gastronomy portal that shows Wiesbaden's culinary diversity in an authentic and independent way. As an expert, I offer well-founded restaurant recommendations and comprehensive reviews.

It is Wiesbaden's first and only platform that focuses exclusively on the world of indulgence, making it easier for readers to find a suitable restaurant and inspiring them to try something new.

What are your initial successes?

One highlight is the positive response from the community, which values YUMMY WIESBADEN as a reliable source of restaurant news and reviews, but the inquiries from the restaurant trade also show that the concept is being accepted.

The cooperation with local partners in particular, who see the platform as added value for Wiesbaden, was an important milestone for me. The Hessian Cultural Foundation also supported the project. The adaptation of the concept for the Rheingau is another success.

What is your professional background?

I have over 20 years of experience as a communications professional, in which I was responsible for the PR and marketing of many different international clients such as Lufthansa, Singapore Airline, destinations such as Korea, French Polynesia, Sarasota/Florida and New York City as a senior manager, and over 15 years of experience as a freelance gastronomy journalist for various print publications.

What prompted you to start your own business?

After many years of positioning foreign destinations in the German market, I had a growing desire to do something for my own region. Corona finally provided the decisive impetus.

My idea was to help gastronomy gain more visibility as the driving force behind vibrant city centers. This is how YUMMY WIESBADEN was born - a platform that focuses on quality and authenticity and perfectly combines my expertise in destination marketing and my experience as a gastronomy journalist.

Who advised you, who are your helpers and mentors?

I was able to win Wiesbaden Marketing over to my idea right from the start and received valuable support. My family was also an important source of support - especially in the initial phase.

How did you experience the first few days as a founder?

Going live was unforgettable - I was full of excitement and joy. The media response was overwhelming: from FFH and Planet Radio to the Merkurist and Allgemeine Zeitung Mainz to the Wiesbadener Kurier - everyone reported positively.

It was incredibly fulfilling to see how enthusiastically Wiesbaden received my "baby" YUMMY.

What was your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?

Establishing a brand and building a reputation requires hard work at the beginning. But in the end, sound research and quality pay off.

The biggest challenge was monetization. A paywall, as used by many media, was out of the question for me. Instead, I won the trust of the community through consistent quality and authentic communication and created a sustainable basis - attractive for sponsors and advertising partners.

I am convinced that quality and commitment pay off in the long term, especially if you take an authentic approach.

How do you draw attention to your company? What is your best marketing idea?

Social media, especially Instagram, is a key marketing tool for YUMMY WIESBADEN.

Direct interaction with my community, personal recommendations and links to well-researched blog posts generate trust and reach precisely the target group that values authentic gastronomy. I also use digital advertising posters and classic flyers.

How did you finance your start-up?

The start-up was financed with my own funds, supplemented by targeted investments to continuously develop YUMMY WIESBADEN.

What dream would you still like to realize?

I still have many dreams: a YUMMY Food School for kids to teach them about good nutrition, to organize a charity event and to campaign for more sustainability and less food waste - to make the world, or at least Wiesbaden, a little better.

Please complete the following sentence: If I had more time, I would ...

... travel around the world again and test food - from street food to Michelin-starred restaurants à la "Tim Raue travels".

What is your special tip: What would you recommend to founders?

For me, the most important thing is to believe in and be passionate about your own project.

Not giving up even in the face of setbacks is crucial, because success often comes down to perseverance. Never ever give up! Believe in yourself!