In this episode of What’s Your Stori?, we sat down with Ioan Dillon, a young entrepreneur who took a bold risk at just 18 years old—buying a business while still in school.
Now, he’s the driving force behind Lean Kitchen Wales, a thriving meal-prep company making healthy eating easy for busy people.
Ioan shares his incredible journey from buying and selling gym equipment during lockdown to scaling Lean Kitchen into a business that stocks fuel stations, gyms, and local shops across South Wales.
We cover:
🔹 Taking Risks at a Young Age – How Ioan bought Lean Kitchen at just 18, despite doubts from those around him.
🔹 Scaling a Business – From working alone in borrowed kitchens to running a full-scale operation with an eight-person team.
🔹 The Future of Lean Kitchen – Plans to expand to 20+ stockists and push meal sales past 1,500 per week.
If you’ve ever considered starting a business, this episode is packed with inspiration, business lessons, and real talk about the challenges of growing a company from scratch.
💬 What’s the biggest risk you’ve taken in business? Let us know in the comments!
📲 Connect with Ioan & Lean Kitchen Wales:
🔗 Website: leankitchen.org.uk
📸 Instagram: @leankitchenwales
📘 Facebook: Lean Kitchen Wales
🎵 TikTok: @leankitchenwales
⏱ Time Chapters:
00:00:00 – Welcome & Introduction
00:02:00 – Ioan’s Background & Early Entrepreneurial Journey
00:08:30 – What is Lean Kitchen?
00:12:00 – Buying a Business at 18 – The Risk & Reward
00:18:00 – Expanding into Petrol Stations & Shops
00:22:30 – Growing the Team & Leadership Lessons
00:28:00 – Challenges, Business Growth & Future Plans
00:33:00 – Ioan’s Advice for Young Entrepreneurs
00:39:00 – Who's stori would you like to hear?
00:41:00 – Personal Values, Hard Work & Business Mindset
00:42:30 – Where to Find Lean Kitchen
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