Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food services but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Linda McNally, Co-Founder of Sage Home Chef, located in Portland, OR, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
At Sage Home Chef, our team of talented chefs provides weekly in-home meal prep for our clients. While we work with many different types of clients, our main work is with families who want to eat healthily but can't find the time to cook, individuals who have just received a medical diagnosis and need help with a therapeutic diet, and new moms who need a little help getting extra nutrition on the table.
Tell us about yourself
I first started my business with my business partner Mimi after we both graduated with our Masters in Nutrition, but both had our jobs post-graduation fall through. We connected on the fact that we both had a long history of health issues that brought us to natural medicine and alternative forms of care. Along with our great love of good food and cooking, we thought we would make a great team providing people with healthy, therapeutic foods as a framework for their overall health. I grew up in an Italian-American family where food is love, food is the center of everything we do, and it's so important for our health to be mindful of the foods we are eating and how they are affecting our bodies. I want to teach people that eating healthy can be easy and delicious and that food is one of the best ways we can empower ourselves through our health.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
We won Oregon's Best Healthy Cuisine Personal Chef Services in 2022! That was such a huge win for us. Another big accomplishment I am very proud of is our growing team of women chefs.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Staying consistent and motivating yourself, there's no one running after you assigning you tasks; it's all on you! The most important part is sticking with it even when it gets hard or sales dip or someone on your team quits.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Have a partner, or at least a consultant, someone else who knows your dream and wants to help you achieve it.
- Be prepared to need side hustles as you get going (or have a healthy savings account). I didn't get a salary until we were two years in. That meant a lot of late-night restaurant shifts and picking up nanny jobs while I was working full-time for Sage Home Chef. Those were exhausting days. But put a time limit on it so you can "see the light at the end of the tunnel." I told myself I'd work at the restaurant for nine months. Having a clear goal and exit plan is key.
- Word of mouth really is the most important thing and where you'll get lots of business. Work hard to develop strong relationships with your clients, and always make sure you leave on a good note. Your reputation is everything; you want only positive comments about you and your business out there.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://sagehomechef.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sagehomechef/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sagehomechef/
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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