Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Casey Jojic, Founder of The Flavor Labs, located in Norwood, NJ, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
The Flavor Labs is a cooking studio where children can experiment with food while having fun. We currently have 2 locations in Norwood and Paramus, NJ. Our customers are children and their families who are looking for fun, yummy, and intimidation-free cooking and baking events.
Tell us about yourself
I am a former finance executive who left a professional career to pursue her lifelong passion. After 17 years in the wealth management industry, most recently specializing in sustainability, I turned my attention to helping children nurture an appreciation for food through hands-on teaching. My vision behind The Flavor Labs is centered around demystifying the kitchen. With a goal of making cooking and baking more accessible for children and their families, The Flavor Labs teaches the skills to create dishes that can be easily replicated. The use of simple ingredients and non-commercial kitchen equipment makes it easy to bring The Flavor Labs' lessons home.
Studies have shown that hands-on cooking programs help children become more adventurous eaters. There are many other benefits to playing an active role in the kitchen, and at The Flavor Labs, children have the opportunity to enhance their science and math skills, learn to make good food choices, build self-confidence and develop fine motor control. STEM, food education, and sustainability are core to the curriculum at The Flavor Labs while nurturing an appreciation for food and the science behind it. Experimenting with flavors and ingredients will foster creativity and encourage children to think "outside the bowl." I have seen firsthand how much independence children gain in the kitchen when given the appropriate level of guidance – and the confidence that follows is a testament to the work I do every day.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Walking away from a successful career in financial services was scary. I dreamt about quitting my job to open a kid's cooking school since attending business school in 2006, but I didn't get the nerve to pull the trigger until many years later. I finally took the plunge and gave notice at my job at UBS on Feb 26, 2020. Less than 3 weeks later, the world had essentially shut down due to COVID. Pushing through the fear, doubt, and uncertainty of what was to come ended up turning into my biggest accomplishment. We finally opened the doors to our first studio in Sept of 2020.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
You are never not thinking about work. It is all-consuming - so it's important you become a business owner of something you are passionate about. Your job, especially in the beginning, encompasses everything. Literally, you are the cleaning person, tech support, marketing, sales, administrative assistant, strategy lead, inventory manager, etc. You have to learn quickly to be a jack of all trades and do them all well.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Make sure it's something you are passionate about. Your business will be like your child - so it needs to be something you can see nurturing for many years.
- Surround yourself with family and friends who are supportive. And not just people who will say "yes" to your ideas, but who will challenge you to continually improve and make informed decisions.
- Be patient with yourself.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://theflavorlabs.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theflavorlabs
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theflavorlabs/
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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