A Rising Tide Lifts all Boats - Ironside Fish and Oyster

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Yara Lamers, chef at Ironside Fish and Oyster, located in San Diego, CA, USA.

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

Hello there! I am currently the Pastry Chef at Ironside Fish and Oyster in San Diego/CA. The restaurant is part of a local group of restaurants and bars called Consortium Holdings.

Tell us about yourself

I am Brazilian and moved to the USA to learn and invest in my career. I have been cooking professionally for over ten years. Five years ago, I had the opportunity to work with bread and pastries and completely fell in love with it! I am definitely passionate about what I do; I love to work with doughs, to learn and perfect new techniques, and most important of all, to see the smiles on people's faces after eating something I have created. I strongly believe my mission is to leave a mark on people's lives, either by giving them happy moments around food or to be the best leader to my team.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

As a leader, my biggest accomplishment is to see how my team has grown professionally and how much I learn with every person when I share what I know with them too. I am very proud of my career and the journey that brought me here today.

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

There are a lot of difficulties for a business owner, entrepreneur, and/or manager. From finances to personnel, running a business or operation takes a lot of hard work and dedication and, of course, a good ability to solve problems. I believe a good business plan helps to start in a good spot, but it is always smart to be prepared for the worst and how you deal with the difficulties is what makes you successful.

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

Plan ahead - as much as possible, meaning do not spend too much or all of your time planning. Get some action going! It is important not to lose momentum. But having a plan to help keep track of the steps you need to take.
Make it happen. Do not be afraid to take some risks with a plan and consider the consequences; taking action towards your goal teaches you even if you fail at first, you have to try.
Trust your intuition. Follow your plan, make it happen, but if something along the way does not seem right, trust your feelings and back up, reflect and make a decision to go forward.

I would like to thank you for the opportunity to share my story my thoughts and hopefully help entrepreneurs in their journey. You are invited to visit our restaurant in San Diego; it would be a pleasure to meet you in person and serve you some good food too!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website:
https://consortiumholdings.com/
https://ironsidefishandoyster.com/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/yara.lamers
https://www.facebook.com/IronsideOyster/

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/yaralamers/
https://www.instagram.com/ironsideoyster/

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.