Today we’d like to introduce you to Jon Griffin.
Hi Jon, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Olly’s Donuts started in 2015 in a tent traveling the state and setting up at fairs and festivals. Our first event was the Gizzard Festival in Potterville, MI. It was a weekend side gig to earn college tuition money for my kids while working a corporate job. Our first year, we did five events. in 2016, I was laid off and decided to make Olly’s a full time pursuit. In 2017, we purchased our first food trailer, just as food trucks started gaining popularity in Grand Rapids and West Michigan. Since then, we have built our business to two trailers and a team of 10 people operating at over 150 public and private events each year.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Heck no…starting a business is never a smooth road. It’s learning to absorb the bumps and keep traveling down the road that makes the difference between success and failure. At the beginning, finding money to fund the business was difficult. As we grew, finding team members that were reliable and a good fit was a constant challenge. Now, many people have opened their own food truck so the market has become saturated. Staying relevant and standing out from the crowd is always focus.
We’ve been impressed with Olly’s Donuts, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We believe that Olly’s Donuts is a unique experience…that we make events more fun and memorable. We’ve created a lot of special memories at weddings, grad parties, church events, employee events, school and college events. Serving fresh mini-donuts made on site with unique toppings is not something you come across often. To watch people’s faces light up when they see and taste our donuts is a great feeling.
What are your plans for the future?
We are expanding our menu to include unique hot & cold coffee drinks and donut ice cream sundaes. We also plan to add a third unit in 2026.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ollysdonuts.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ollysdonuts
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ollysdonuts
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ollysdonuts/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/ollys-donuts-grand-rapids?osq=donuts
