From idea to business launch in 3 months - We chat to Philip Crilly of Eatibbles

by Startacus Admin
For those of you who think it can take an age to start a business don’t panic - it doesn’t have to be that way! Philip Crilly is a case in point - having conceived, set up and launched Eatibbles within a three month period. When Philip mentions in one of his answers “back in February 2013”, he is not speaking ironically - he literally only started the process of starting Eatibbles ‘back then’.
And so, it stands to reason that Philip is a good real life case study to chat to about just that and also how he has achieved some pretty useful and self generated publicity over the last few months. So it’s over to Philip to answer our questions...
Eatibbles- What's it about and who is it for?
Eatibbles focuses on creating quality gluten-free products that can't be distinguished from their gluten-containing alternatives. We create products that all the family can enjoy regardless of whether they have coeliac disease or not. By creating delicious products we are aiming to not only capture the coeliac market but also those who enjoy great tasting healthy snacks.
We currently have three products available in 450g bags: Sour cherry and Mixed berry gluten-free granola, Macadamia and Cranberry gluten-free granola, Pecan and Almond gluten-free granola
Our aim is to expand our product offering to include smaller snack-size packs, and also to address different food intolerance needs.
We had spotted your name and business mentioned in a Startup article in the Guardian and we are also aware that you have been getting some good coverage via Enterprise Nation with a 12 week blog. Explain how all of the above came about!
Back in February 2013 I was looking for some information on starting a business when I came across the Enterprise Nation website which was running Start-Up Saturday events at the British Library. One of the barriers I faced starting my business was that I didn't know where to start! So I thought this would be the perfect event to get me going!
At Start-up Saturday Emma Jones ran through all the essential processes required to set up a business and she gave us all some feedback and advice on our new business ideas. She also suggested contacts that may be able to support our venture.
In the past, when I have attended courses and workshops, I tend to go home and forget about them, never putting anything I have learned into practice. This time I decided that I really needed to get started on my business. I contacted Emma to see if she would mind featuring my startup story on her website as part of a 12-week challenge. She was hugely enthusiastic and loved the idea and that is how the Eatibbles story came to be featured on Enterprise Nation.
The Guardian article came about when a journalist, called Mark Williams, approached Emma to feature businesses that operate in the hours of 5-9pm. Mark rang me to ask a few questions about my business journey so far and the result is the Guardian article you mentioned.
Your business is still in the process of fully launching - what have been the biggest challenges you have faced to date?
When launching a new business there are lots of things you need to get right like deciding on what type of company you will be (sole trader, limited company etc), getting the appropriate insurance and having your product tested to ensure it meets industry standards. While these are all challenges in themselves, when they are broken down into manageable tasks then they can really go from being challenges to just being things to do.
For me, setting myself a 12-week deadline to get up and running really forced me to work through the challenges more quickly than I would have otherwise done. Emma's book 'The Start Up Kit' does address a lot of the questions I had about successfully launching and I would recommend this to anyone thinking of setting up on their own.
As a part time business one big challenge I face is lack of time! I leave for work at 7am, get to the gym for 7pm and then after I've had dinner it might be 9pm so fitting in the work I need to do on the business can be difficult to manage. If you're passionate about your new venture and really believe in it then I think you will find the time to get it up and running. Early stage VC fund Anamcara led by Female Solo GP Closes $10.6M Seed Fund to Invest in Founders Building Defining B2B Software Companies Want to ensure your startup runs smoothly? Hamid Bagherzadeh, Legal expert and Co-Founder of LegaMart shares insights on the legal contracts that will help you do just that. Koala, the innovative travel insurtech startup, secures investment to fuel its growth in Europe, expand its team and build additional travel protections.
The best early stage tech startups from across the UK revealed in Tech Nation’s final Rising Stars competition. Over 100 organisations come together via The Micro Business Alliance to help provide a voice for the UK's startups, micro businesses and small businesses. The lowdown on London-based hearing wellness startup Mumbli and its mission to help businesses provide inclusive spaces for all hearing abilities and preferences. Tech Nation calls for tangible support to secure capital, talent, growth and exits needed to accelerate the growth of UK tech in decade ahead. Glasgow-based This is Milk seeks investment for Neve Learning, its cloud-based Ed-Tech platform that has inclusivity and accessibility at its core. With the UK facing a clear digital skills gap, Amy Caton, Digital Talent and Impact Senior Manager at BT Group shares some insights on what businesses should do to close that divide. The lowdown on Berlin-based Beazy and its innovative solution that helps teams to plan, produce and deliver creative content and helps businesses to connect with talented content creators.
Continued on Page 2...
Subscribe to our newsletter
If you would like to receive our startup themed newsletter, full of the latest startup opportunities, events, news, stories, tips and advice, then sign up here.
Anamcara launches $10.6M seed fund to back new wave of business tech
Seven contracts every startup should be aware of
Travel insurtech Koala raises €2m to accelerate its growth
Tech Nation announces the 10 winners of its latest Rising Stars competition
Micro Business Alliance launches to represent 75% of the UK’s businesses
Mumbli - audio accessibility for all
Tech Nation report reveals UK Tech could quadruple in value by 2032 with right conditions
Neurodiverse learning and training platform Neve shares major six-figure investment opportunity
How UK businesses can close the digital divide
Beazy - the startup that's building the operating system for the creative economy
If you would like to enable commenting via your Startacus account, please enable Disqus functionality in your Account Settings.







- Anamcara launches $10.6M seed fund to back new wave of business tech 30th Mar 2023 Early stage VC fund Anamcara led by Female Solo GP Closes $10.6M Seed Fund to Invest in Founders Building Defining B2B Software Companies
- Travel insurtech Koala raises €2m to accelerate its growth 29th Mar 2023 Koala, the innovative travel insurtech startup, secures investment to fuel its growth in Europe, expand its team and build additional travel protections.
- Tech Nation announces the 10 winners of its latest Rising Stars competition 29th Mar 2023 The best early stage tech startups from across the UK revealed in Tech Nation’s final Rising Stars competition.
- Micro Business Alliance launches to represent 75% of the UK’s businesses 28th Mar 2023 Over 100 organisations come together via The Micro Business Alliance to help provide a voice for the UK's startups, micro businesses and small businesses.