Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Monica Glass, Founder of Monica Glass LLC, located in Philadelphia, PA, USA.

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

Over the almost 20 years I've been cooking professionally, I've come to embrace food as a source of both pleasure and nourishment, and my business (Monica Glass LLC) is formed on exactly that philosophy. My recipes are wholesome, but they're created with a sense of fun and an awareness that not every ingredient needs to serve a nutritional purpose because health and wellness extend far beyond what's on our plates. As a chef and health coach, I focus on gluten-free and allergen-friendly cooking. Currently, I serve clients as a health coach and private chef for dinners, retreats, and experiences. I also teach cooking in both professional and home settings to people who want to learn how to better nourish themselves with delicious foods. I also just introduced my line of gluten-free flours via my website and am working on a gluten-free cafe.

Tell us about yourself

I'm a Gluten-Free Chef + Wellness Coach on a mission to educate on the deep connection between nutrition, lifestyle, and joy to help you create a nourished life through the kitchen. I want to help you eat better, cook more, and sprinkle in some self-love, and I teach you how to make simple, nutritious food DOABLE.

For over 16 years, I have been a nationally recognized pastry chef in high-prestige, high-volume kitchens working in and consulting with Michelin restaurants, hotels, bakeries, cafes, catering, and cultural institutions. I have also partnered with high-profile brands to develop recipes, content, menus, products, and virtual and hands-on classes and workshops. I work with the national non-profit organization Careers Through Culinary Arts Program to provide underserved high school students with a pathway to success through the culinary arts. My expertise has been recognized with numerous "Best Pastry Chef" awards from Food & Wine Magazine, Boston Magazine, and Zagat, as well as being named a Food Network's ChoppedSweets Champion in 2021.

As a pastry chef living with celiac disease and several other autoimmune diseases, I recognized the need to bring balance to my life and my food and became a Certified Health and Wellness Coach via the acclaimed Institute of Integrative Nutrition. Health, nutrition, and fitness were always a part of my lifestyle, but it wasn't until I realized how mindfulness and intention play an integral role in food and sustainable lifestyle choices that I had an aha moment about how I can help people thrive. I believe that wellness is personal for every individual — we all have a different story to tell with regard to health, food, movement, and what makes us feel good. Today, I run my own coaching and consultancy business. Through both my food and my teaching, I am dedicated to empowering my clients with the confidence to mindfully transform their relationship with food and create a nourished, joyful life.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Creating my gluten-free flour line and being able to help many more people eat well and feel joyfully nourished.

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

Wearing all the hats and managing it all! Also, the slow times or the times you're told NO. You have to have a thick skin to get through the rough patches and rejection, but as long as you are passionate about your product and service to others, you can push through and keep going.

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

  1. Growth is not linear -- be consistent, and don't let twists and turns derail you.
  2. Leadership and business are about serving.
  3. Your network is your net worth.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://chefmonicaglass.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chefmonicaglass
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefmoni/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/chefmoni
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monica-glass-a197266/

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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