Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food services but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Charlene Forde, CEO of Melanated Vegan, located in Scarborough, ON, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Melanated Vegan is a Vegan catering company that also provides private chef services and cooking classes. We create gourmet Veganized Caribbean food (Trinidadian) using fresh ingredients, recreating dishes we grew up eating. Our belief is that our food should entice even the pickiest eaters! Most of our customers are not vegan and are interested in trying Vegan Caribbean food and fall in love with our dishes.
Tell us about yourself
I have over 20 years of culinary experience. I was always in the kitchen watching my Dad cook or bake, I'm a big Daddy's girl, and it was always fun bonding over food. I was also the taste tester, which I loved the most. I always had the desire to cook and started cooking at the age of 12. My first dish was making Trinidad's National dish, Pelau. After high school, I planned to get into social work but instead took a year off and then decided to go to culinary school and complete a two-year program.
I had a passion for food and creating and started my own catering company, "A little taste of home." As I transitioned into veganism, so did my cuisine, and Melanated Vegan was created. I love when people try my food for the first time and can't believe Caribbean vegan food can taste so good. This motivates me to keep creating food that everyone can enjoy without the lack of flavor because flavor and authenticity are what makes them come back for more.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Even though it took me three years to write, my cookbook is my biggest accomplishment thus far. It has veganized Trini recipes I grew up eating as a child that bring back memories of cooking in the kitchen with my Dad. Since I don't follow recipes on a day to day, this was extremely hard preparing step-by-step recipes for my book, but I love the outcome! I literally cried when I had my softcover copy in my hands. I remember calling my Dad and him saying, "doesn't it feel good to see all your hard work pay off." I was so proud, and so was he.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
I quit my full-time job last year, and even though I had a plan in place, sometimes things don't always work the way you expect them to. You always have to have more than one backup plan and be prepared to pivot at a moment's notice. I'm also a perfectionist and hate delegating, so asking for help when you need help is not a failure but necessary to keep in good mental and physical health. My mom reminds me all the time that I'm not Super Woman even though I try to be. Running a business is definitely not an 8-hour shift; you are always on, and it takes a lot of hard work and dedication.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Corner your niche and make your brand stand out! Whatever your business is, determine what makes you different and why people should buy from you or your product. Customer service is EVERYTHING!
- Your friends and family are not your customers! It's nice that you get support from them, but in order to really grow, you need to broaden your customer base in order to be successful.
- Be prepared for some setbacks and let them drive you, as they are only stepping stones to greater things. We all wish we could live in a perfect world, but we also need to learn how to adapt when things don't go right.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.melanatedvegan.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melanated_vegan/
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.