Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Elizabeth Mehditach, Executive Chef and CEO of Cafe Leza, located in Woodland Hills, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I am a private chef, baker, writer, and performer. My customers are high-end affluent families and professionals seeking services for lifecycle events, dinner parties, and generally entertaining and corporate functions.
Tell us about yourself
I come from a long line of incredible cooks. Cooking is our love language. I have many forms of expressing art and my story through this medium. I love a challenge. Pushing myself to that next level. Getting better at what I do. Finessing a dish is a work in progress. I love the journey.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is turning a hobby into a 7 figure thriving business. Being an entrepreneur is not for the faint of heart; it takes grit and confidence. Sometimes confidence comes after grit. The more you do, the more you find you can do. The more you can accomplish.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Business is like being at sea, on a ship in the middle of the ocean. Sometimes the water is calm, and there’s an ebb and flow, and sometimes it’s a bloody storm. You can’t predict it. You can only be as prepared as past experience has proven, aka the COVID pandemic. Being able to pivot and pivot quickly is the only way to stay afloat.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
The first thing I would say to anyone who wants to start a business is: How comfortable are you with uncertainty? With the unknown? No matter how scared they are or how daunting starting a business is/ somewhere deep inside of them, even those who have little confidence yet, know that choosing this path is their way. I would say: Just start. Where ever you are. Just start. You’ll figure out all the rest as you go.
You WANT to fail. Do not be afraid to try and try again and again. The learning curve is a real thing. Don’t give up. Take a break and come back to whatever it is that’s stumping you. It’ll be clearer with fresh eyes.
Bonus: Ask for help. Seek out mentors, coaches, etc. Be bold. Trust your instincts and go for it!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.cafeleza.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cafeleza
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cafe_leza/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chefleza/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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