Chilli growing chili man jumping to freedom leap of faith across a ravine canyon valley

3: Chilli Leap of Faith

The Chilli Leap of Faith!

Chillies filled me with optimism and confidence. It felt like my chilli dream was going to work! “Pivot” became a reactive business term during COVID. Two decades earlier, I was being proactive and effectively jumping off a cliff into the mist! No one had done this before—it required a chilli leap of faith!

Chilli Business Start-Up Funding

Chilli growing chili man jumping to freedom leap of faith out of a plane into a field of chillies in Chorley Lancashire England

I was “bootstrapping” the venture on a shoestring budget.

I wouldn’t jump out of a plane without a parachute—would you?

So, I combined an economic theory with a safety net strategy:

Economic Theory: Say’s Law

Say’s Law, in a nutshell, maintains that supply creates its own demand. “If you build it, they will come” if you liked the film Field of Dreams. Therefore, if I grow chillies and make excellent products out of them—they will sell. Easy peasy!

Sounds good, but what if the chillies don’t sell?

Blind optimism works well, better sometimes if you cannot see the potential fall from a great height! However, I was not making a chilli leap of faith without a parachute.

Leap of Faith Safety Net Strategy

My safety net strategy was to have another source of income to bridge the gap between creating the chilli business and establishing an income stream. I was also a university lecturer in economics, business, and MBA, and a digital (IT) consultant. I would continue to teach and my digital skills were to play a large part. I even won an award for my chilli website!

My Vision: Getting Chillies on the Shop Shelves

A leap of faith to put chillies in a shop hanging from the chiili hook on the roofThere was a gap in the market. My vision was to get more varieties of chilli on the shop shelves. Tomatoes had achieved this.

Growing up in the 70s and 80s, I only saw 2 types of tomato on the shop shelves: a Spanish tomato and a big beef tomato. In the noughties (year 2000+), many more varieties of tomato were available on the shelves. I was hoping to achieve this for chillies.

You may have noticed chilli availability has improved today. I’m not saying I was solely responsible for that, but I helped 😊

Educating The Nation About Chillies

RK Alker taking a leap of faith in a garden centre in his Chilliman TV Series from Lancashire Chorley UK

I was a university lecturer and education was my thing. I wanted to use my chilli knowledge to educate the nation about chillies. I talked about:

  • Growing
  • Taste or flavour in varieties
  • Heat and the Scoville Heat Scale
  • Health benefits, and
  • Made it FUN! 😊

I did this at events and through my award-winning chilli website, which was achieved by my association with some networks of people which I will talk about next in part 4.

RK Alker taking a leap of faith in a garden centre in his Chilliman TV Series from Lancashire Chorley UK

Local Food Evangelist

The term “Local Food Evangelist” did not exist. But that is exactly what I was—a Chilli Evangelist.

I believe that the love I had for chilli growing, the enthusiasm and the willingness to educate the nation about chillies shone through in everything I did. Someone famous commented that it felt like there was “a smile in my voice” during a competition I entered in the media, which I will discuss later. That smile and enjoyment was borne out of the indestructible hope, love and excitement about my hobby blossoming into a business. I seemed to embody Say’s Law in action!

In Passion Lies Power

I followed my heart, engaged my passion for chilli growing, took a leap of faith and began chasing my dream.

With no money, no guidebook, very little advice and a handful of chilli seeds ‘n dirt, I made my chilli leap of faith and JUMPED into the world of food and drink!

READ ON… Part 4: The Foodie Community

 

 

Part 1: Chilli Beginnings

RK Alker the chilliman going from unknown to famous to a children's author 2

Part 2: Polytunnel Chilli Passion

RK Alker the chilliman in his polytunnel growing chili plants and seeds as a famous children's author 2

Part 3: Chilli Leap of Faith

Chilli growing chili man jumping to freedom leap of faith across a ravine canyon valley

Part 4: The Foodie Community

Local food producer chilli growing chili man with food agencies selling chile products Chorley Lancashire England UK

Part 5: The Rock Star ChilliMan

Rock Star Chilli Grower Local food producer chilli growing chili man with food agencies selling chile products Chorley Lancashire England UK 2

Part 6: ChilliMan Press and Media

Chilliman Press and Media Stories F Word Lancashire Life for RK Alker Childrens Author The Chilli Man from Little Green Men Chorley England UK

Part 7: The BIG Chilli Greenhouse

RK Alker Childrens Author as the ChilliMan Chilli Growing in the BIG Greenhouse Little Green Men Chorley Lancashire Coast Best Selling International Writer UK

Part 8: Chilli Growing Instructions

Chilli Growing Instructions from RK Alker Childrens Author aka The ChilliMan in the BIG Chilli Greenhouse Little Green Men Chili Chorley Lancashire Coast England UK

Part 9: 999 Emergency Ambulances

RK Alker the chilliman on emergency 999 ambulances children's author of funny kids books Lancashire England UK

 

For my Kids’ Gardening Pages CLICK HERE

For more information on Gardeners World CLICK HERE

 

Who is RK Alker Children’s Author?

My Grandad vs The Fangazoo RK Alker Childrens Author of Funny Kids Books from Lancashire England UK 5-Star Book Reviews and TestimonialsR.K. Alker Best-Selling Children’s Author was born in the UK, but he was MADE IN LANCASHIRE!

He is famous as the TV & Radio ChilliMan aficionado and a champion of local producers or “Food Evangelist!”

R.K. Alker has a career spanning more than 3 decades of university lecturing, content writing, UK 999 emergency ambulances, media and entertainment as the colourful TV ChilliMan which contributed to this hilarious children’s adventure book written for his kids.

RK Alker Children's Author award winning Chilliman Little Green Men 5-star book reviews testimonials primary faith school author visits reading funny kids books England Lancashire Day Press Media chilli grower foodie community big greenhouse
Do you remember this funny entertainer? The ChilliMan was on all the TV & Radio Stations!

Read RK Alker Funny Kids’ Author’s amazing story in the PRESS SECTION CLICK HERE

RK Alker is an author of funny children’s books from Chorley, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom, Earth!

His little girls think RK Alker is the Best Funny Kids Author in the World.

Find RK Alker Children’s Author Events, Book Readings, Children’s Bedtime Stories, Kids’ Storytelling, School Author Visits, Children’s Book Signings and more on Eventbrite.

R.K. Alker is also The Chilli man from Little Green Men, a master of The Ancient Lancastrian Art of Ecky Thump! and can be found on Instagram, Blogger.com & Yell