Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Lawren Moneta, Owner of Lawren Moneta Culinary Media, located in Vancouver, BC, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Lawren Moneta Culinary Media offers a variety of services that cater to the food and beverage sector. Whether it's food styling a gorgeous plate of food, creating on-brand recipes, or food writing, my goal is to turn my client's creative vision into a delicious reality. I mainly work with agencies, magazines, publishers, food or drink producers, and photographers.
Tell us about yourself
I have always had an appetite for food and life. After an early introduction to the culinary arts through working in professional kitchens, I completed formal culinary training. I then traveled around the world and worked in top restaurants for several years before transitioning out of professional kitchens and into food styling as the food stylist assistant. It seemed a natural progression for me as I loved cooking and being creative. When I settled in Vancouver, I started my business. I love that each day is different, and working alongside other creatives is a great motivator for me to keep learning and growing in this field.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Being able to grow my business over the last 12 years and working at something I really enjoy doing has been a great accomplishment for me.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
My business is pretty much a one-person operation. While I thrive on the creative aspects of it, there is a lot of back-end work that also always needs attention. During slower periods when I don't have as much studio work, I try to lean into keeping myself busy with marketing, researching trends, accounting, and recipe testing. Learning to ebb and flow with the busy and slow times and how to best make use of your time and resources can be a challenging dance that takes patience and persistence.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Make sure there is an element of something you love in what you are doing. It can be small, but it will drive you to keep going and succeed.
- Be organized. Keep well-organized copies of records and write a daily to-do list. This will help you stay focused, on task, and productive.
- Businesses will grow at their own rate. However, having a clear goal, staying focused, and providing the best service possible will definitely pay off.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://foodbylmcm.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawren-moneta-6269183a/
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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