Spotlight Series Q&A for Entrepreneurs

Lauren Storeby and her husband Shawn love the sense of community that their business creates. They have a love for great food and beer which easily translated into their business venture, Snack Attack!, a specialty sandwich and brew shop they started from the ground up. They love to host fun, family events and activities such as bingo and game nights at their store. It’s no secret in Fort Collins that Snack Attack! definitely has all the ingredients for success.

1. Tell us a little bit about your business and what you do.

My husband & I own a sandwich bar called Snack Attack! in Fort Collins, Colorado! We specialize in handcrafted sandwiches, salads and wraps freshly prepared with quality ingredients like non-GMO produce and Boar’s Head Meats and Cheeses. We also feature a wide selection of local craft beers! We thrive on building community through our business and host events like weekly bingo, Bend & Brew yoga, crafting classes and other community driven events that help support local non-profits.

2. What made you aspire to be an entrepreneur? 

Well both of my parents (and grandparents) were entrepreneurs so you can say it runs in my blood. My husband and I are both extremely hard workers and passionate about where we spend our energy so it was simply natural to want to work for ourselves. Really our sandwich bar idea came shortly after having our first son when we realized we wanted a better life for him and the opportunity to create our own schedules to spend more time with him.

3. What is the one thing you wish you had known before starting your own business?

This is actually the second business that I’ve owned. My first business was a clothing line when I lived in California so I knew exactly what I was getting myself into. Haha! I had grown up in the restaurant industry as my parents actually owned a small counter style restaurant when I was 8. I always worked in restaurants but never owned one until now. I guess I wish I would have known more about all the expenses that go into running a restaurant. Restaurants by nature don’t operate with a large profit margin and there are a lot of moving parts with staffing, inventory control and the challenge of constantly acquiring new customers. But luckily my husband and I are really great partners and we have a great balance of responsibilities.

4. What has been the most successful avenue for building and growing your brand/business (social media, ads, word of mouth, referrals, etc.)?

We’ve been successful with growing a community around us. We also acquire a lot of new customers through social media presence and word of mouth. We quickly learned that advertising isn’t nearly as valuable for our business as focusing on customer satisfaction and consistency which turns into word of mouth.

5. What are the aspects of your business that you enjoy the most?

I love creating relationships with our guests! Getting to know people and providing a great experience from when they walk through our doors, enjoy our food and watching their expressions as they spend time in our space is absolutely priceless. As we navigate this strange time of social distancing, that’s what I miss the most – seeing our guests on the daily. Many of our regulars have become friends. Luckily, we are still open for take-out and delivery and getting to connect with them over social media has been a good alternative.

6. What do you love doing in your free time to refuel and have fun?

I love spending time outdoors with the family! I’m very involved with the fitness community and recently got asked to be a Lululemon Ambassador so you’ll find me in fitness classes, out running, teaching yoga or paddle boarding (when it’s warm enough out!). I love creating as well, so doing art projects like painting and drawing fills my cup!