Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Lucy Medina, Founder of The Cheese Ladies, located in Gaithersburg, MD, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
My business is a charcuterie catering company. I create beautiful artsy charcuterie boards and grazing tables and also do "charcuterie-making" workshops. My wonderful customers are mostly women hosting small or big events in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
Tell us about yourself
My name is Lucy Medina, and I'm the owner of The Cheese Ladies. I started the company in November 2021 with my beautiful sister Silvia. It started as a creative outlet at a time when I really needed it; I had just become a mom during the pandemic in a city where I didn't know anyone, I moved to Rockville, MD, in 2020 because of my husband's job and I'm originally from San Diego, so The Cheese Ladies was my hobby to do something different that didn't work and felt really relaxing.
My idea when I started The Cheese Ladies was also that it could help me connect with my community; at the time, I had just joined the community Facebook group, and when I started creating my boards, I posted them in the group announcing I'd be selling them for Thanksgiving, and next thing I knew I had about 20 orders and messages kept coming in! It was really exciting! My sister was visiting for Thanksgiving, and we figured out how to do everything that same week; we were getting so much good feedback, and we just kept going!
What motivates me each day to do what I do is my amazing family and beautiful daughter, Diana; I want her to grow up looking up to her mom and knowing that her mom is a business owner that loves what she does.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is actually finding friends through my business and making it happen in a new city against all my odds.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
One of the hardest things is managing time correctly and making sure I still keep a good work-life balance.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Just go for it! Don't wait until you're an expert or have everything figured out; start with what you have and build from there.
- Make connections! Putting yourself out there and getting out of your comfort zone is key to growing your business.
- Plan out your week and stick to your deadlines.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.thecheeseladies.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheCheeseLadies
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecheeseladies/
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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