Back at the end of 2001, when we, Noam Bar and Yotam Ottolenghi, were about to set up a company, we faced a trivial challenge: money. The concept and vision were great; the professional experience there; the business plan meticulous; a few promising locations lined up. Yet, we needed a hefty sum to make it happen and we didn't have it. It was that simple.

At first we approached a few professional investors, people we came to half-heartedly with a vague notion of being entrepreneurs, of selling a scheme, of closing a deal. This only lasted a couple of months. Both sides realized very soon that we were operating in completely different universes.

So, instead, we gathered a group of friends and close family members. We presented to them (“our investors”, as we now fondly call them) with the same business plan we had produced earlier and asked for their support. They were immediately taken by the idea, very few questions were asked.

the trust of a person who doesn't fret about being taken for a fool – that was the first lesson we learnt.

We were blown away and totally grateful. It is this engagement that doesn't call for a guarantee, the trust of a person who doesn't fret about being taken for a fool – that was the first lesson we learnt and one of the guiding principles behind the way we still run the company.