Launching my business

I became interested in cooking while watching TV. Throughout college, I was the Food Network's biggest fan who didn't own a knife. For years, I faithfully tuned in but never cooked a thing. Upon graduation I took a sales job that had me home by 4pm. With the evening looming large and newly acquired cash in my pocket, I hit the grocery store and found that, in fact, you can learn something just by watching TV. I became a serious home cook whipping up dishes that left my friends drooling and asking for tips. Unhappy in sales less than one year later, I discovered personal cheffing. I would quit my sales job and go to culinary school! Eventually, I would help time starved families eat healthier meals with less time and money spent each day. Traditional culinary schools are focused on the restaurant industry. When I mentioned to a chef instructor that I was going to be a personal chef AND cook in families' homes she laughed in my face. The chef told me that I would have no "street cred," weak skills, and would fail. Better to first slave away in a restaurant for 10-20 years, wait until the time is right, she insisted. This became a theme with chefs in school. I ignored them. Finally, I graduated and began looking for clients. For 6 months-nothing! In the morning I would check my seemingly dead telephone. Was my email disconnected? Did my fliers fall off the community bulletin board? Why was no one calling? I tried everything I could think of including (illegally, I later found out) dropping incentives in mailboxes, posting ads, emailing former connections, agreeing to walk dogs and babysit kids if I could just cook one dinner... When I booked my first client they requested 20 servings of mac&cheese and a gargantuan chicken pot pie each week. This is OK I thought, if not the more inspiring at least it pays. Later, this couple referred me to another who hired me to cater for a presidential candidate (OK, it wasn't Obama)! Finally, after almost one year of amateur marketing attempts my schedule began filling up. Now, I deliver meals to families each evening. Some days are still difficult-fingers are cut, asparagus is overcooked, clients cancel - but through it all, I know the most difficult part is over because I took the plunge. I'm in business and I made it happen!

Advice for others

Find your passion and make it your career - not the other way around! Do what you have to do to get started. If you have to add dog walking to get a client just do it. Eventually, you can afford to be much choosier. Finally, don't burn bridges or leave on bad terms. As with my mac&cheese turned presidential reference, you never know where your paths will cross in the future in a way that suits you better.