Personal Chef Services - Gather Around Nutrition

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food services but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jed Thaggard, Owner of Gather Around Nutrition, located in Portland, OR, USA.

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

We are a private chef business based out of Portland, Oregon, built by holistic nutritionists. We offer event catering as well as personalized meal prep services tailored to meet our client's specific dietary needs & wellness goals. With a passion for environmental sustainability, we source from local farms, ranches, and native fisherfolk in the region as much as possible. We believe this upholds a reciprocal relationship with the land we inhabit. We focus on seasonal eating and vegetable-forward meals, and as a business, we are always striving to be as low-waste as possible!

Tell us about yourself

We started our business at the beginning of the pandemic and have grown in response to the needs of our community. We love working with clients with specific dietary needs & restrictions and providing them with delicious, farm-fresh meals that are nutrient-dense and leave our clients feeling satiated and healthy. We enjoy introducing our clients to the practice of eating with the seasons while investing in our own local food economy.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Our biggest accomplishment has been our ability to adapt throughout the pandemic and grow from just the two of us who started it to now a network of 12 amazingly talented chefs who all share a passion for healthy, whole-food cooking & environmental sustainability.

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

The work never ends! There are always projects that need to be done and things that could be improved. Also, being a business owner means having to learn a little bit of everything (managing accounts payable/receivable, basic graphic design, etc.). Hire out on a contractual basis whenever you need further help from a professional, such as a bookkeeper, lawyer, and marketing specialist.

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

1. Find a business partner! I cannot imagine trying to do all of this by myself. As business partners, we recognize what each other's strengths are so we can approach everything with a divide & conquer mentality.
2. Invest in your website. Make it visually appealing, easy to navigate, and professional. Hire someone to help you with SEO throughout the website so that clients can easily find your business through Google searching.
3. Think of your business as your baby. It will take up all of your free time, but it is so rewarding to watch it grow. However, it is also important to have boundaries such as no work on weekends or other time dedicated to yourself, when you will not be checking your emails, etc.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.gatheraroundnutrition.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gather_around_nutrition/

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.

Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.