Company: YUMMY Wiesbaden/freelance
Founder: Julia Schmitz
Date of establishment: April 12, 2023
Industry and company: Services/catering

What drives you? What is your motto?
Believing in your own idea and being passionate about the project are the keys to success for me. Only those who are enthusiastic themselves can convince others.

What is your start-up about and what makes it special?
YUMMY WIESBADEN is a digital gastronomy portal that authentically and independently showcases Wiesbaden's culinary diversity. 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 gastronomy, making it easier for readers to find a suitable restaurant and inspiring them to try something new.

What are your first successes?
One highlight is the positive response from the community, which values YUMMY WIESBADEN as a reliable source for gastronomy news and reviews, but inquiries from the gastronomy sector also show that the concept is being accepted. 

In particular, the cooperation with local partners who see the platform as an 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 region is another success.

What is your professional background?
I have over 20 years of experience as a communications professional, during which I was responsible as a senior manager for PR and marketing for many different international clients such as Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, destinations such as Korea, French Polynesia, Sarasota/Florida, and New York City, and over 15 years of experience as a freelance food 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 developed a desire to do something for my own region. Corona ultimately provided the decisive impetus. 

My idea was to help the restaurant industry gain more visibility as a driving force behind vibrant city centers. That's how YUMMY WIESBADEN came about – a platform that focuses on quality and authenticity and perfectly combines my expertise in destination marketing and my experience as a food journalist.

Who advised you, who are your helpers and mentors?
Right from the start, I was able to win Wiesbaden Marketing over to my idea and received valuable support. My family was also an important source of support, especially in the early stages.

How did you experience your first days as a founder?
The launch remains unforgettable – I was full of excitement and joy. The media response was overwhelming: from FFH and Planet Radio to Merkurist and Allgemeine Zeitung Mainz to Wiesbadener Kurier – all reported positively. It was incredibly fulfilling to see how enthusiastically Wiesbaden embraced 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, thorough research and quality pay off. 

The biggest challenge was monetization. A paywall, as used by many media outlets, was out of the question for me. Instead, I gained 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 follow your own authentic path.

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 build trust and reach exactly the target group that values authentic gastronomy. I also use digital advertising posters and traditional 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, organizing a charity event, and promoting more sustainability and less food waste—to make the world, or at least Wiesbaden, a little bit better.

Please complete the following sentence: If I had more time, I would... travel
around the world again and try out different foods – from street food to Michelin-starred restaurants, like in "Tim Raue reist."

What is your special tip: What would you recommend to founders?
For me, the most important thing is belief and passion for your own project. It's also crucial not to give up when you encounter setbacks, because success often comes down to perseverance. Never ever give up! Believe in yourself!