Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Adrienne M. Fudge, CEO of 40 Dreams Catering, located in Maplewood Township, NJ, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
40 Dreams Catering provides healthy, nutritious, and delicious meals to senior citizens and disabled adults throughout NJ. We partner with Medicaid-funded programs, so our clients never have to pay for the meals they receive. The good news is that we are expanding for those people who are ineligible for Medicaid and want to pay out-of-pocket.
Tell us about yourself
As cliché as it may sound, my Mom is who got me started and who motivates me each day. My Mom was diagnosed with Lupus when I was very young, and they didn't expect her to live. Although she has been on medications for most of her life, she has also eliminated some meds by managing her health through food and exercise. I've seen first hand how eliminating added salt and sugar positively impacted and extended my mother's life. I prepare foods for my clients the way we cooked at home for my mom. My goal is to make a positive impact on my client's quality of life. Several clients have told us that they have lost weight and have been better able to manage their diabetes and hypertension while eating our foods. There is nothing more motivating than knowing my business and the choices that I've made not to cook with added salt or sugar and impacting the quality of life for seniors throughout NJ.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment is the fact that every year for the last four years we have doubled the amount of people we serve and doubled our revenue. We want to feed as many seniors as possible and hope to continue doubling our numbers every year. We are planning for exponential growth.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Hiring the right people. This has been especially challenging during the COVID pandemic. At 40 Dreams, we don't just hire people who are qualified. We hire people who have a passion for helping the elderly. I not only want our clients to have a great experience, but I want our employees to know that they are valued and appreciated.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- The main thing is that they should not quit. Things will be difficult, and there will be times when they will question if they made the right decision, but they must push forward and keep going. Every entrepreneur has tried multiple businesses before finding the one that fits them and the one that becomes profitable. They just can't quit.
- They must believe in themselves and their business. This will carry them through difficult times.
- Celebrate their success, but stay humble.
- Always keep an eye on the market so they can be flexible and move with the changes in technology and their industry.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
40 Dreams Catering is the right choice for people on a reduced-sodium and sugar diet. We use herbs and spices to make sure the food tastes great. Many of our competitors utilize courier services, but we hire drivers who will help our clients place the food in the refrigerator. This is very important for the senior market. We like to think of 40 Dreams as a concierge service for home-delivered meals.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.40dreams.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/40dreamscatering/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/40dreamscaters
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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