Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Gloria Bakst, owner of Chef Gloria B, located in Swampscott, MA, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Chef Gloria B is a healthy personal chef specializing in cooking for any medical condition. We help those going through cancer treatments (special menu devoted to cancer), heart disease, weight loss or gain, dysphasia, SEBO, alkaline diets, and any special diets. I am trained in nutrition and counseling.

Tell us about yourself

I've always been interested in healthy cooking; I have my Master's degree in Counseling and a degree in nutrition and teaching. After I had my children, I spent time searching within to see what I would love to do. I dreamt about teaching my children how to cook. That dream eventually turned into a small catering business (Macrobiotic cooking). After working at Zone Nutrition, I decided to become a personal chef specializing in cooking for any disease. I love what I do; I love being able to help people when they are sick. I view food as medicine, but it has to taste great!

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Having people heal from my cooking. I have helped many clients over the years with permanent weight loss, get through cancer treatment, and do not need drugs for Type 2 diabetes. Having McGraw Hill publish my cookbook "Zone Perfect Cooking Made Easy."

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Getting the word out! I spent the first ten years doing serious networking and going to so many network meetings. I also published a cookbook, "Zone Perfect Cooking Made Easy," and promoted that. I learned to blog and did that frequently.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Get help with the things you can't do! (I'm not good at bookkeeping, so I hire someone to do that for me).
  2. Network, Network, Network- talk to everyone and have a short elevator speech that conveys what you do and be interested in what they do. But don't be pushy. Don't shove a business card at people. Let them ask for it. I've gotten to know some wonderful business associates through the years.
  3. Hire a professional to help with your website and get advice on how to promote yourself online and on social media. I found the classes at the Salem Enterprise Center and the different networking groups very helpful.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

As a solo entrepreneur, I have many consultants I hire to help me. I'm very happy with my business, and I am at the point in my life where I appreciate what I have. My business is very busy, and I don't have the time or the energy to go to networking events. I come up on top of the search engines when searching for personal chefs, healthy cooking, or cooking for cancer.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://chefgloriab.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chefgloriab
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefgloriab1/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gloria-bakst-4271917/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.