A 30-year-old entrepreneur found a lead investor through a failed Kickstarter campaign and opened her dream cafe in New York. Here's how she's grown it to $1 million in revenue.

Julia Kravets/Little Choc

Julia Kravets.

• Julia Kravets is the founder of Little Choc Apothecary, a vegan cafe and restaurant in New York City that she started as a 24-year-old without any prior experience running a business.
• January marks five years since Little Choc opened, having grown 30% in revenue every year. The business will hit $1 million in revenue this year.
• Kravets cautions new business owners to "Be prepared to never not work. It isn't glamorous, but it's so rewarding."
• She spoke with Business Insider about how she grew Little Choc, from a failed Kickstarter campaign to success through online learning and partnering with influencers.
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Julia Kravets was tired of sacrificing her sweet tooth for a healthy appetite. A model in the fashion industry, she found that her diet consistently lacked flavorful options.

As a result, she developed a keen interest in nutrition, experimented with recipes, took classes at the Natural Gourmet Institute, and earned a plant-based nutrition certification from eCornell.

Julia Kravets/Little Choc

She then embarked on an ambitious plan to open Little Choc Apothecary, her dream cafe and restaurant, in New York City. "I wanted to have a place where you could order anything on the menu and have it be good for you," Kravets told Business Insider.

Julia Kravets/Little Choc

January will mark five years since Little Choc opened in Williamsburg, one of the most happening neighborhoods in Brooklyn. "I absolutely love the area. I really feel like I'm a part of the community," Kravets said. It's come a long way from what Kravets first envisioned; Little Choc has grown 30% in revenue every year and hit $1 million in revenue in 2019. Kravets, now 30 years old, runs Little Choc full time and manages a team of 17.

"It has become a cute spot with a kick-ass menu, amazing cocktails, great music, and just wonderful vibes all around," she said. Kravets plans to open new locations across the city, collaborate with plant-based chefs, and expand her catering offerings.