Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food services but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Carole Jones, Founder of Carole Jones of My Kitchen Escapades, located in Gilbert, AZ, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
My business began as a hobby food blog in 2008 at the suggestion of my husband, who watched me send one too many emails to friends and family who wanted my recipes. Here we are 14 years later, and that hobby now includes five products and eight different revenue streams. Each one exists to save busy parents from every aspect of the dinner time chaos: menu planning, recipes, grocery shopping, sharing the dinner workload, and fixing picky eaters.
Tell us about yourself
I am a mom to six amazing kids, and my family is the source of all motivation and inspiration behind my business. When all six kids lived at home, I ran the blog completely at nap time and in the evenings after they were asleep. Over the years, the demands on my time have changed as my kids have grown, allowing me to, in turn, grow my business to levels I never thought possible. I still have my youngest two at home, so the constant struggle for balance rages on between my tender "Mom Heart" and my "Take On the World" professional drive.
It is very important to me for my children to know they are my first priority, not only through my words but my actions as well. At the same time, I want them to be proud of the business I have started from the slimmest of beginnings. And to understand that dreams come with sacrifice, like workdays that mainly run from 7:00 pm to 2:00 am when I can take off the Mom badge.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Man, this is like asking me which of my children is my favorite. Each accomplishment felt like the "biggest" at the time. Since you're making me pick one, it will have to be the day I submitted "The 30-Minute Cooking From Frozen Cookbook" on time to my publisher, Simon & Schuster. Not only did I create 100 new recipes and write multiple chapters in 5 weeks, but I did it with a horrible case of COVID. It was the sickest I have ever been in my 50 years. Endless amounts of doctor's appointments and experimental treatments. And, here's where I tie it back to my family...I lost my sense of taste just a few recipes in. Between their brutally honest tastebuds and my recipe expertise, we created 100 delicious, family-friendly recipes.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
For me, proper allocation of time has always been, and will always be, the hardest aspect of owning a business. It is so easy to fall into "firefighter mode." All your time is quickly spent putting out one big fire and then the next. However, my biggest seasons of growth have been when I focused first on actions that would create the biggest change. Sometimes that means letting some fires burn and get bigger or hiring others to manage those fires. There is only one Carole Jones, and my limited time should focus on parts of the business that would falter without my expertise.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Know your limits and hire experts to cover your gaps. While the investment might be more than you want to spend, the right expert can transform your revenue and profits.
- Your time is your most valuable asset. Guard it closely and plan it precisely. Before adding any task or meeting to your list, be sure it is the best use of your time in terms of growth. If the answer is yes, ask yourself if there is someone who can do it faster and better than you.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website/Blog:
https://www.thecarolejones.com/
https://www.mykitchenescapades.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecarolejones
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecarolejones/
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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