Know When to Adjust Your Course: Food Entrepreneur Blog Series by Little City Kitchen Co.
Little City Kitchen Co. turns one. Can you believe that a year ago, literally to the day, I blogged about my very first day of being an entrepreneur. In the last 12 months, I’ve learned more about myself than perhaps any other time in my life. I wrote blogs until my eyes were blurry, handled an 8-inch chef’s knife long enough to get calluses, and somehow managed to get this company off the ground.
At the time I decided to sell baby food, I had no idea what would be involved, much less that it would take me nearly 10 months of planning to sell my first pack. It’s been a period of dreaming and scheming, along with a lot of trial-and-error. And I learned one of the most valuable lessons along the way:
Know when to adjust your course.
Adjusting your course may mean big changes, or little ones. My biggest one came three weeks into my self-employment when I decided to abandon the idea of being a personal chef/caterer and turned this into a baby food company.
I find that the world sends little messages of validation when you choose the correct course of action. A week after I decided to make baby food, I met a lovely woman in the baby food aisle of Whole Foods that turned out to be the owner of one of the most prominent baby resource centers in San Francisco, Natural Resources. Through them, I found my Baby Tasters which propelled me into the next chapter of R&D, and so on…
My latest course adjustment came after a six-month process applying for a small business loan. In the end, I decided to do something unconventional, maybe even slightly renegade-like, and turn down the loan.
The very next day I had coffee to brainstorm business ideas with a new friend who would eventually turn me one to peer-to-peer lending sources like Slow Money and Prosper. Who knows what will come of this newfound knowledge, but something tells me I’m on the right path.
The point being, that this process is all about trying new things, constantly evaluating what works (and doesn’t work), and making an infinite number of adjustments along the way. Sometimes your adjustments are based on facts, sometimes they’re based on your intuition…either way, they help shape what your company will look like.
Next week we’ll have another installment of the Scoop on Starting Solids with guest blogger Dr. Julia Getzelman of Getzwell Pediatrics. The Birth & Baby Fair is also just around the corner on Saturday, June 25. I’ll be doing another baby food cooking workshop, but RSVP fast because the 50 seats are going fast. For some fun stories about my first experience at the B&B Fair, check out Part 1 and Part 2 from last year.
So, it’s been a whole year since Little City Kitchen Co. was born. I wonder what the next year will look like??
Jill – I am very proud of you and you continue to be an inspiration to me…Congats on Year1!
Go Jill , Im so proud of you! sending you positive thoughts every day!
Happy Birthday! You are now in the toddlerhood stage! This is a great stage to develop you curiosity and exploration! I know you will have amazing new discoveries in this coming year! Keep up the great work, Jill! We are all rooting for you!
Jill, you’ve come so far and are owning your life. Never say never again! I think many little (and big) people will be touched by you. Warm wishes from Boston….
Michelle and Ross
How great, Jill! Congratulations! This post was especially great as these lessons apply not only to what you’re finding in your business but to life in general. It was a great read for me personally. I wish you the best and can’t wait to read more success stories and posts on growth!
Happy 1st yr anniversary Jill! Job well done!
Congratulations…seriously 1 year!!! Wow! Time flys….Megan is graduating next week from 8th grade and Courtney just completed her 1st year of college…..how things change. So proud of you and you are such an inspiration to me…always have been!!! Keep up the good work. Of course, I won’t be able to buy any baby food cause I’m WELL past that stage…but who knows….Someday when I’m an Grandma (that will be a long time from now and you will have gone National!!) I will buy for my grandkids…hee hee!! Miss you perky voice….I also agree with you Mom…I think there is a book involved in this somehow!!….love, Gigi
Ok Jill, your blogs are becoming so WISE! I’m happy that you are doing incredibly well with LCKC but I am most proud of your personal growth. Someday, definitely I see a book in the making too! Love ya, Mom
Congratulations Jill on your 1 year anniversary!!!! I’m so proud and excited for you and what you are doing and have done with your company in just a year! I wish you nothing but the best in the next year to come!!
Happy 1 year anniversary Jill! I am so glad you are doing what you are doing and that we found you! Wishing you many more years of prosperity and blossoming.
Happy 1 Year Anniversary!
Happy anniversary Miss Jill. Congratulations on making it through year one. I’m so happy for you. I love staying up to date on your hard work and the subsequent rewards.
Will.
Congratulations Jill on completely your first year! I have been following your progress on Facebook and the blog. You are truly an inspiration, I admire your fearlessness! All the best to you in the next year!