Tom Gozney
In this exclusive interview, we delve into the fascinating entrepreneurial journey of Tom Gozney, the founder of Gozney. Tom's passion for cooking with fire and his desire to reconnect with loved ones became the spark that ignited his business. In this candid conversation, Tom takes us back to the beginning, sharing his inspirations and the challenges he faced along the way. We explore the evolution of Gozney, from its early days as The Stone Bake Oven Company to the global success it is today. Tom discusses the game-changing Roccbox pizza oven, the reasons behind choosing Christchurch as the home for his business and offers valuable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Hi Tom! Could you please take us back to the beginning and share what inspired you to embark on your entrepreneurial journey?
Of course! Growing up I was always a fan of constructing and getting hands on and making things. However, I struggled to find my place in my teenage years and ended up turning to drugs and alcohol.
Fresh out of rehab at 21 I was a little lost and turned to cooking as a way to reconnect with loved ones. Cooking with fire was something I could lose myself in and better myself at. It was a new skill to master and a whole new way of connecting with the people around me.
And then one night we made pizza. Unlike other dishes or dinners, everyone rolled up their sleeves and got involved. I was inspired. I went to buy a pizza oven online and realised you could only buy expensive Italian imported pizza ovens, so I decided to build my own. And that started something. From my garden, Gozney was born, and I started building the business brick by brick on a mission to make the best possible pizza ovens and make live-fire cooking accessible to all.
How has Gozney evolved since you began in 2010?
It’s been a wild ride. Beginning in 2010, as The Stone Bake Oven Company, our first big break was building commercial pizza ovens for pubs and restaurants around the UK, but the vision was always to make live fire cooking accessible to everyone – using the same technology and materials as our professional pizza ovens.
In 2016, we launched Roccbox, the world’s first stone-floored portable pizza oven. Ready to rumble straight out the box at just £399, Roccbox opened up the category to make pizza ovens accessible to home cooks for the first time. Winning multiple awards, Roccbox quickly won the hearts (and stomachs) of chefs, home cooks and street pizzaolos alike – fuelling the street pizza scene and featuring in gardens, patios and balconies all over the world.
Lockdown combined with the launch of our next generation pizza oven, Dome, then saw us experience exponential growth like we had never witnessed before. Demand skyrocketed and we struggled to keep up with the pace of the growth.
Since, we have more than doubled our team, onboarded a killer CEO, Denny Bruce, opened new offices in both the US and China and for the first time expanded into retail in four key markets.
The future is looking bright as we continue to grow, with an innovative product pipeline, entry into new markets and channels, and a continued focus on design and innovation to help bring our mission to change the way the world cooks outdoors to life.
Why did you choose Christchurch to be the home for your business?
It’s my home so it just felt like a natural fit. I love being by the coast and it's such a beautiful setting.
As we continue to grow, I feel a great pride in being able to play a part (however small) in supporting our local community and am super excited about our new HQ in Bournemouth town centre which we will be opening later this year.
Do you have any advice for people wanting to follow in your footsteps?
The main piece of advice I would give is to firstly find a niche that you’re super passionate about, like I was about live-fire cooking, as it helps to set a foundation for your business and shape your brand’s core values. Then believe in your vision and don’t give up on it. At the start of building Gozney I experienced a lot of rejection and I honestly think it's all part of the journey. Some people won’t get your vision but someone will. Stay determined, hone your craft and keep going.
Instagram →
@gozney
Website →
gozney.com
