NOT your average takeaway! Young woman whose health food delivery service brings Instagram-worthy meals to your door shares the secrets of her success

The founder of a health food delivery start-up after now used by the likes of Hugh Jackman and Miranda Kerr has shared her tips for launching a successful business venture.

At the age of 22, Sydney-based Bianca Monley launched Eat Fit Food in 2002, long before the health food craze, and struggled to get it off the ground until she later became a leader in the field.

Ms Monley had grown up in a family restaurant, and lost both her parents to cancer at an early age – igniting her passions for food and health.

The concept was conceived for the time poor but health conscious, during a time when there was very little nutrition information.

‘People who were training hard in the gym were eating canned low-fat food, and I thought: “This is crazy”,’ she said.

Inducted in the 2016 Businesswomen's Hall of Fame, the now 35-year-old has revealed her secrets to success - suggesting you take the start-up off the ground on your own without outside assistance. 

Bianca Monley (pictured) was just 22-years-old when she launched Eat Fit Food in 2002. The now 35-year-old mother-of-three has revealed the tips to her success

Her business venture all began by cooking for a couple of friends in her apartment in Bondi in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, and slowly took on more clients (Eat Fit Food meals pictured)

Ms Monley said the success of Eat Fit Food only began skyrocketing about three-years-ago, more than a decade on.

‘I didn’t make a dollar until 10 years into the business,’ the mother-of-three, originally from New Zealand, told Daily Mail Australia.

It all began by cooking for a couple of friends in her apartment in Bondi in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, and slowly took on more clients.

She had no business experience and no funding, occasionally borrowing from friends until equipment was repossessed because of outstanding debts.

And as the business grew, Ms Monley juggled more responsibilities.

‘I was the driver. I was the marketer. I was the chef. I was doing pretty much all the roles in the business,’ she said.

Miranda Kerr, pictured here at the 2016 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Graydon Carter at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills last week, is a fan

Eat Fit Food delivers fresh meals to the people’s homes and offices, made from organic, ethically sourced meat and fish and locally farmed produce in Berrima (Ms Monley pictured at farm), south-west of Sydney

However, Ms Monley said she has no regrets about doing it that way, and is glad she didn’t take friends with different skills on-board.

‘I think that’s been one of the biggest keys to my success. Do it yourself first to learn how to do it directly, and then bring people in to do it how you want it done with your vision,’ she said.

Eat Fit Food launched in 2002 to fill a gap in the market for education on nutrition and health

‘I’ve learnt a lot of harsh lessons. I had no prior business experience – so instead of studying at uni, I’ve thrown myself in there and I’ve learnt by losing lots of money. But I wouldn’t change that.’

Ms Monley said the mistakes she learnt along the way eventually worked in her favour, making ‘a better business tomorrow’.

‘Every challenge you’re faced with improves your business.’

One major drawback was the 2007 global financial crises, ripping 40 per cent of Ms Monley’s business from her grasp.

‘I guess you’ve got to stay strong, never give up, and keep inventing the things for tomorrow,’ she said. ‘Stay ahead of the game.’

The 35-year-old said following trends is a ‘risky endeavour’, and with health food now trending, Ms Monley has had to continually develop on Eat Fit Food.

Although there was a gap in the market for nutrition information in 2002, the market has since ‘become saturated with similar concepts’, she said.

The 35-year-old said following trends is a ‘risky endeavour’, and with health food now trending, Ms Monley has had to continually develop on Eat Fit Food

As such, Eat Fit Food are rolling out vending machines stocked with fresh meals made daily for corporate customers this month.

Later in the year Ms Monley hopes to be educating children on wholesome living, and has plans to expand Eat Fit Food to Brisbane, Gold Coast, and internationally – starting with New York – in 2017.

Another tip for success she suggested was to write down long term goals with a business plan – overestimating expenses and underestimating revenues.

Ms Monley also recommended finding a mentor, and to get cash flowing as early as possible.

‘Cash flow is the lifeline of your business. Grow organically as much as the cash flow allows.’

Despite all the financial barriers Ms Monley faced in the earlier days of Eat Fit Food, the 35-year-old said the problems don’t stop.

‘The challenges are bigger, but principally the same.’

Instead, Ms Monley said she looks back at the strife she went through in the early days of Eat Fit Food to remind herself she can overcame the challenges today.

Eat Fit Food now has almost 38,000 Instagram followers and 19,000 likes on Facebook.

Although there was a gap in the market for nutrition information in 2002, the market has since ‘become saturated with similar concepts’, she said

'Now we’re doing over 3,000 meals a day out of a kitchen in Sydney and Melbourne,’ Ms Monley told Daily Mail Australia

‘And now we’re doing over 3,000 meals a day out of a kitchen in Sydney and Melbourne,’ Ms Monley told Daily Mail Australia, with the hopes of soon expanding around the country and internationally.

Eat Fit Food delivers fresh meals to the people’s homes and offices, made from organic, ethically sourced meat and fish and locally farmed produce in Berrima, two-hours south-west of Sydney.

The meals have made their way into the routine diets of Hugh Jackman, Rachael Finch, Miranda Kerr, Turia Pitt, Daniel Macpherson, Delta Goodrem, Lara Worthington, Michael Klim, Ronan Keating, Jesinta Campbell and Zoe Marshall. 

Bianca Monley is to be inducted into the Australian businesswomen’s Hall of Fame in the lead up to International Women’s Day on Tuesday March 8, by HerBusiness.

The meals have made their way into the routine diets of Hugh Jackman, Rachael Finch, Miranda Kerr, Turia Pitt, Daniel Macpherson, Delta Goodrem, Lara Worthington, Michael Klim, Ronan Keating, Jesinta Campbell and Zoe Marshall

The concept was conceived for the time poor but health conscious, during a time when there was very little nutrition information

Eat Fit Food are rolling out vending machines stocked with fresh meals made daily for corporate customers this month

Later in the year Ms Monley hopes to be educating children on wholesome living, and has plans to expand Eat Fit Food to Brisbane, Gold Coast, and internationally – starting with New York – in 2017