Getting your product into grocery stores takes time and requires networking with retailers & buyers in the food industry. Ashley Kirk, Founder of Planted Foods Co, a plant based food company walks us through:

• How to get your products onto store shelves by networking and other strategies
• The consumer research Ashley conducted to decide the products she would sell
• Her winding career path that led to going vegan and building a plant based food business

Full show notes at profoodmaker.com

You won't be able to bootstrap your food business forever and might need investors, says Kai Nortey, co-founder & CEO of Kube Nice Cream. This Black owned vegan ice cream manufacturer explains:

• Why venture capital (VC) may not be right for you as a food business owner
• The types of conversations you might have with potential investors 
• Potential problems working with co-packers & getting into grocery stores

Full show notes at profoodmaker.com

If you are looking to grow your career in hospitality, food & beverage, you need a mentor.  Lorraine Copes founded Be Inclusive Hospitality, an organization that supports and promotes Black, Asian and other ethnic minorities in the hospitality sector through education, coaching, and mentorship. Lorraine walks us through: 

• how and why she created Be Inclusive Hospitality
• how you can join the Be Inclusive Hospitality community

Note: The name of the organization has changed from BAME in Hospitality to Be Inclusive Hospitality

Mentioned in this episode

• BAME: Acronym used in the UK that stands for Black, Asian, and other Ethnic Minorities
• Black in Hospitality founded by Tolu Aladejebi
• Diversity in Wine & Spirits - Lia Jones, Executive Director

Connect with Lorraine & Be Inclusive Hospitality

Instagram: @beinclusivehospitality

Twitter: @beinclusivehosp

Website: bihospitality.co.uk

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Website: profoodmaker.com

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Facebook: facebook.com/profoodmaker

Twitter: twitter.com/profoodmakerpod

Hashtags: #profoodmaker #profoodmakerpodcast

Where can Black chefs, Black owned restaurants and professionals in the food, beverage & hospitality industry go for professional development, collaboration, and support? Colleen Vincent and Clay Williams founded Black Food Folks, a fellowship that centers Black people, our accomplishments, and our growth in food & drink. Colleen & Clay walk us through: 

• the food industry's gatekeeping and how that affects opportunities for Black people
• media's obsession with one Black chef at a time
• how and why they created Black Food Folks
• immediate changes they want to see in food & beverage
• how you can support Black chefs, writers, creatives, etc

Mentioned in this episode

• Nicole Taylor
• Marcus Samuelsson
• JJ Johnson  
• Edouardo Jordan
• Black Food Folks daily conversations on Instagram Live
• Garrett Oliver talks with Jackie Summers on Black Food Folks Instagram Live
• Fresh Fest 
• Adam Rapoport, former Editor In Chief of Bon Appetit resigns (Eater article)
• Whetstone Magazine 
• For the Culture 
• While Entertaining by Amber Mayfield
• CashApp: $BlackFoodFolks
• Black Food Folks partners with Discover on the Eat It Forward Program (website & Instagram post)

Connect with Colleen Vincent, Clay Williams & Black Food Folks

Instagram: @BlackFoodFolks, @ms_collycol, @ultraclay 

Twitter: @BlackFoodFolks, @Collycol, @ultraclay 

Facebook: @Blackfoodfolks

Website: blackfoodfolks.com

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Website: profoodmaker.com 

Instagram: instagram.com/profoodmaker

Facebook: facebook.com/profoodmaker

Twitter: twitter.com/profoodmakerpod

Hashtags: #profoodmaker #profoodmakerpodcast

You don't need to be a celebrity chef to create your own cookbook. LVNGbook, created by Shaun Chavis, a former cookbook editor, offers culturally-inclusive customizable cookbooks for people with a chronic disease. Shaun walks us through: 

• the importance of customer discovery when building your app
• how to find developers to build your app
• potential revenue streams for your app

Mentioned in this episode

• Health Magazine
• Master's Degree in Gastronomy at Boston University
• ABC 11 WTVD news 
• Digital Undivided
• Kemiko Lawrence of Kemboocha
• MyPlate U.S. dietary guidelines
• Brazil dietary guidelines
• Intentionally Good Project - Goodie Nation 
• Joey Womack
• Google for Startups Atlanta Academy

Connect with Shaun Chavis & LVNGbook

Instagram: @shaunchavis and @lvngbook

Twitter: @shaunchavis

Pinterest: pinterest.com/lvngbook

Website: lvngbook.com

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Website: profoodmaker.com 

Instagram: instagram.com/profoodmaker

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Twitter: twitter.com/profoodmakerpod

Hashtags: #profoodmaker #profoodmakerpodcast

Anela Malik is a food blogger & food writer who focuses on food politics and telling diverse food stories. Anela chats about her work that supports Black owned restaurants and walks us through:

• How to plan your content based on your mission statement.
• The equipment and apps she uses to create food content.
• The importance of networking as a content creator and how to genuinely build relationships.

Mentioned in this episode

• How to Support Black Owned Restaurants & Food Businesses Long Term on ProFoodMaker.com
• Ben's Chili Bowl
• DMV Black-Owned Restaurants Open During COVID-19 on FeedTheMalik.com
• How You Can Support DC Black-Owned Restaurants Now Washingtonian article
• Black owned restaurant resource bank (upcoming; will update with a link later)
• Software that Anela uses for her social media content:
• • Adobe Premier Rush
  • Adobe Lightroom
  • Parker Arrow Lightroom presets
  • Emulsio video stabilizer iPhone app
  • Instories app for iOS and Android phones
  • Later visual planning and scheduling tool for Instagram. Also has a library of free resources

Food & Politics reading

• Jubilee: Recipes From Two Centuries of African American Cooking by Toni Tipton-Martin
• The Cooking Gene by Michael Twitty
• "As COVID-19 Disrupts the Industrial Meat System, Independent Processors Have a Moment to Shine" on Civil Eats
• People of Color are at Greater Risk of COVID-19. Systemic Racism in the Food System Plays a Role on Civil Eats
• The D.C. Region Doesn't Have Full-Time Food Critics of Color. Why That Matters on Washington City Paper
• The Sickness in Our Food Supply on The New York Review on Books

Connect with Anela Malik & Feed the Malik

Instagram: @feedthemalik

Website: feedthemalik.com

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Hashtags: #profoodmaker #profoodmakerpodcast

Mike Bradford, Founder & President of Wonderffle, is a software engineer who invented a stuffed waffle maker that lets you create waffles with your favorite foods inside. Mike walks us through:

• Cost estimates for manufacturing your kitchen appliance
• Lessons learned from finding the right manufacturer for your invention
• How to save money on filing for your patent
• How he was able to get feedback from chefs & food media 

Mentioned in this episode

• NSF certified
• Steven Harvey's Funderdome

Connect with Mike Bradford & Wonderffle

Instagram: @wonderffle

Twitter: @wonderffle 

Website & order directly: wonderffle.com

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Website: profoodmaker.com 

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Twitter: twitter.com/profoodmakerpod

Hashtags: #profoodmaker #profoodmakerpodcast

De J Lozada, Founder of Soul Popped Gourmet Popcorn, and Black business advocate, knows that selling online can be difficult and expensive for business owners. She is launching Shop Kemet, an online marketplace that connects Black owned businesses with customers who want to buy Black. De J talks about:

• What it takes to generate $500,000+ in sales for your food business
• The features available on Shop Kemet that other marketplaces don't offer
• Why Black owned businesses need an online presence

Connect with De J Lozada, SoulPopped, & Shop Kemet

Instagram: @weshopkemet and @soulpoppedpopcorn

Facebook: @shopkemet and @soulpoppedpopcorn

Twitter: @soulfoodpopcorn

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Website: profoodmaker.com 

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Twitter: twitter.com/profoodmakerpod

Hashtags: #profoodmaker #profoodmakerpodcast

Want to open a restaurant? You don't need a brick and mortar location or even a food truck. Fred Corder, Co-Owner of Maryland Chickan, walks us through how #DeepFriedWatermelon does pop ups at night markets and food events in Southeast Asia and the U.S. Fred also talks about:

• Why Black entrepreneurs need to do more business internationally
• The importance of decentralization of business and media and why this is the best time to be a food entrepreneur
• Why pop up restaurants are profitable and don't have to be a stepping stone to a food truck or physical restaurant

Mentioned in this episode

• Pockets Fulla of Pillz
• VeganDale Food & Drink Festival
• Emporiyum Food Market
• 626 Night Market
• Queens Night Market
• Smorgasburg
• Charm City Night Market in Baltimore, Maryland
• Baltimore Seafood Fest

Connect with Fred Corder & Maryland Chickan

Instagram: @marylandchickan

Facebook: @marylandchickan and @pocketsfullapillz

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Website: profoodmaker.com 

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Twitter: twitter.com/profoodmakerpod

Hashtags: #profoodmaker #profoodmakerpodcast

Kombucha brewmaster and yoga teacher Kemiko Lawrence, founder of the kombucha brand, Kemboocha, breaks down:

• How she turned her hobby kombucha home brew into a kombucha brand
• Focusing on prioritizing in life and in business instead of trying to find balance
• The importance of building your own table instead of waiting to be accepted by others

------------

Mentioned in this episode

• Harmony Wellness Angels
• How I Built This podcast
• Side Hustle Pro
• Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't (book)
• University of Georgia food science & technology classes
• Answerthepublic
• Small Business Administration
• Digital Undivided

Connect with Kemiko Lawrence & Kemboocha

Website: kemboocha.com

Instagram: @kemboocha

Twitter: @kemboocha

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kemboocha/

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Website: profoodmaker.com 

Instagram: instagram.com/profoodmaker

Facebook: facebook.com/profoodmaker

Twitter: twitter.com/profoodmakerpod

Hashtags: #profoodmaker #profoodmakerpodcast

Today, we chat with mompreneur, Christian Sargent, co-founder & CEO of Vicky Cakes Pancake Mix, on how she launched her Black owned breakfast brand in two months. Christian breaks down:
• The 5 main steps to plan & launch your packaged food business
• The story behind the Vicky Cakes Pancake & Waffle brand - her mother's 40 year old family recipe
• How to find a commercial kitchen that fits your schedule & budget

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Mentioned in this episode

• Winners Eat Breakfast Vicky Cakes Pancake Commercial (YouTube video)

Connect with Christian Sargent & Vicky Cakes

Website & order directly: vickycakesonline.com 

Order on Amazon: Vicky Cakes Pack of 4

Instagram: @vickycakespancakemix

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClh0_ERxt_a-VUShG2b2GBQ

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Website: profoodmaker.com 

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Hashtags: #profoodmaker #profoodmakerpodcast

You need more than passion to successfully run your food business. Today, we chat about the common mistakes that restaurant owners and food entrepreneurs make, with Chelsea Rainey. She is the founder & owner of Culinistics, a company that helps food entrepreneurs launch and scale their food brand. Chelsea breaks down:

• Market research and how it's a vital component of your food business
• How your business needs to be rooted in strategy and not just passion
• Introducing focus into your business and how to stop "doing too much"

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Mentioned in this episode

• National Restaurant Association
• Whole Foods Top 10 Food Trends for 2020
• Mintel Food & Drink
• Baking Business
• Forbes 10 Food Trends to Look for in 2020: October 2019 article & December 2019 article
• Culinistics free downloads

Connect with Chelsea J. Rainey & Culinistics

Website: culinistics.com

Instagram: @culinistics & @chelseajrainey

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Website: profoodmaker.com 

Email: hey@profoodmaker.com

Instagram: instagram.com/profoodmaker

Facebook: facebook.com/profoodmaker

Twitter: twitter.com/profoodmakerpod

Hashtags: #profoodmaker #profoodmakerpodcast

Are you a food truck owner having trouble with marketing and keeping your social media pages updated? Ariel D. Smith, The Food Truck Scholar, has quick & easy tips for you. Ariel also chats about:

• How she created an audio diary for food truckers using her podcast
• Opportunities for current and future food truck owners
• The importance of insuring your deposit for events

Full show notes at profoodmaker.com

Is your food business ready for the recession? Warren Brown, founder & owner of Spark Bites, previously the founder of CakeLove and host of Sugar Rush on Food Network, talks about the difficulties of running a business, especially during a recession. Warren breaks down:

• How he transitioned from practicing law to running his bakery, CakeLove, full time
• The necessity of having a support system as a food entrepreneur
• How customer feedback allowed him to pivot into another food business during a recession

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Mentioned in this episode

• CakeLove in a Jar website
• Food Network's Sugar Rush (episode on YouTube)
• Spark Bites website

Connect with Warren Brown & Spark Bites

Website & order directly: https://www.sparkbites.net/

Order on Amazon: Spark Bites Pack of 2

Instagram: @sparkbites

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Website: profoodmaker.com 

Email: hey@profoodmaker.com

Instagram: instagram.com/profoodmaker

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Twitter: twitter.com/profoodmakerpod

Hashtags: #profoodmaker #profoodmakerpodcast

What is food experience design (food tech & food design) and how can it grow your food business? Bianca Jackson, founder of Bianca Bakes and a contestant on The Great American Baking Show, talks about her work at the intersection of food, tech & design. Bianca breaks down:

• How to get feedback from customers, the types of questions to ask, and the questions to avoid asking
• Working as a Product Designer for a kitchen appliance
• Her experience on the baking competition show, The Great American Baking Show

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Mentioned in this episode

• Design Thinking - article from Nielsen Norman Group
• Food experience design - article from Bloomberg
• ChefSteps food videos on YouTube
• ChefSteps Joule sous vide cooking device
• Painted buttercream technique
• The Great American Baking Show (Season 5)
• Bianca.bakes on Instagram
• Bianca_bakes on Twitter

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Twitter: twitter.com/profoodmakerpod

Hashtags: #profoodmaker #profoodmakerpodcast

Fly Carmichael, CEO of Boss Blend Coffee, walks us through how she started her coffee business and the key to a successful business launch. Fly breaks down:

• Her experience searching for someone to teach her about the coffee business 
• Why it's important to take control of your content as a content creator
• How her coffee pays homage to her mother
• Educating herself on commercial real estate as she prepares to open her coffee shop

Mentioned in this episode

• Brew Thoughts Podcast - CultureCon episode 
• Brew Thoughts Podcast - Episode with NYC Food Muse 
• Fly's YouTube channel 
• Kym of TERRA-TORY Skincare https://www.terra-tory.com/
• Boss Blend Coffee Pour Over (link will be provided once this product launches)

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Website: profoodmaker.com 

Email: hey@profoodmaker.com

Instagram: instagram.com/profoodmaker

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Twitter: twitter.com/profoodmakerpod

Hashtags: #profoodmaker #profoodmakerpodcast

Mercedes gives a recap of the good and the bad in 2019 and suggests resources and strategies to help you level up at work and in life for 2020.

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In this episode, Mercedes covers:

• Using social media to learn about your industry & to connect with people in your industry
• Why you need a mastermind group or an accountability partner
• The benefits of having more quiet time
• How to know when it is time to rest
• How to plan & budget for events you want to attend
• Getting out of your own way

Mentioned in this episode

• Bianca Jackson, Sr. Designer & Researcher (@bianca.bakes on Instagram)
• The Great American Baking Show
• The Great British Baking Show
• Pillsbury's Trademark on "Bake-Off" is the reason why The Great British Bake-Off is called The Great British Baking Show in the U.S.
• Fly's YouTube channel for BossBlendCoffee
• Ep 8 (coming soon)

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Reach out to the Pro Food Maker Podcast

Website: profoodmaker.com 

Email: hey@profoodmaker.com

Instagram: instagram.com/profoodmaker

Facebook: facebook.com/profoodmaker

Twitter: twitter.com/profoodmakerpod

Hashtags: #profoodmaker #profoodmakerpodcast

Reggie Kelly, former NFL player, discusses the similarities between playing pro football and running a food business. You'll learn:

• Strategies to overcome marketing & brand awareness challenges
• The importance of conducting research before developing products
• How to get your children involved in the family business

KYVAN Foods, is a line of seasonings, sauces, jams & jellies, and salsas. Reggie Kelly is a former football tight end, and played for the Cincinnati Bengals & Atlanta Falcons.

------------------

Timestamps 

[3:01]: How Reggie & his wife Sheila started KYVAN Foods.

[5:25]: Reggie and Sheila's kids are also involved with the family business. 

[7:02]: How cooking with family has influenced KYVAN Foods. Cooking with family is about the experience and making memories together

[11:02]: Reggie's experience figuring out what he was going to do after his NFL career.

[15:13]: Similarities between playing sports and running a business. Reggie learned the importance of selflessness, being focused, paying attention to details, how to deliver a great product, and perseverance.

 [18:04]: How Reggie and Sheila pitched their products to Walmart

[24:04]: The importance of conducting research before developing products

[28:46]: Marketing and brand awareness were the biggest challenges for KYVAN Foods.

[30:36]: Social media engagement, product giveaways, sending emails to your email list are inexpensive marketing tools. You also need to know the right demographics to market to. 

[36:15]: New KYVAN Foods products are on the way.

[37:21]: Family is everything. Reggie gets his drive from his family. 

Mentioned in this episode

• Honey Apple Salsa https://kyvan82.com/shop/ols/products/kyvan-mild-honey-apple-salsa 
• Honey Apple Butter https://kyvan82.com/shop/ols/products/kyvan-honey-apple-butter 
• KYVAN Foods website: https://kyvan82.com/
• KYVAN Foods on Instagram: https://instagram.com/kyvan82 
• KYVAN Foods on Twitter: https://twitter.com/kyvan82 

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Twitter: twitter.com/profoodmakerpod

Hashtags: #profoodmaker #profoodmakerpodcast

Jornae Rideaux, better known as the Modern Day Milk Lady, is a public health professional and the owner of Produce Milk, a dairy-free and plant-based almond milk brand based in Houston, Texas. Jornae discusses:

• Her recipe development process for her almond milk flavors
• The importance of collaborating with other food entrepreneurs in Houston
• How Jornae applies her Masters in Public Health (MPH) experience to running her food business

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Timestamps 

[1:32]: How Jornae got started with Produce Milk. There were several months of trial and error for Jornae when she developed her almond milk recipes. 

[3:55]: Jornae's friend, Kim, introduces her to Ella, the owner of Crumbville, which is where Jornae had her first pop-up.

[7:38]: Working with her hands is important to Jornae and is influenced by her grandfather. He finds a lot of joy working with his hands and Jornae believes that it's his fountain of youth.

[9:39]: Jornae talks about her experience working with the community as a public health professional. 

[12:00]: How Jornae applies her MPH experience to Produce Milk. She enjoys the relationship building aspect with the community and that carries over into her business. 

[14:20]: It can be a journey being comfortable with who you are.  

[15:52]: Strategies Jornae uses for getting people, who may be initially reluctant, to try her almond milk. Samples usually help.

[17:39]: Jornae was on a quest to create almond milk that tasted good enough to enjoy on its own. A lot of plant-based milks need to be paired with something else in order to be tolerable. 

[19:06]: How Jornae prepared for her first pop-up and some of the challenges she ran into.  

[21:02]: Other business challenges and set backs. Jornae explains how helpful the SURE program was for her and her business.  

[23:06]: Some of the fears/concerns that Jornae has as an entrepreneur. Jornae's perspective is that there's something great on the other side of fear, so that inspires her to keep moving forward.

[25:33]: Jornae's top resources that are helping her get to the next level in her business. 

[27:30]: The ultimate goal is to have a storefront. Jornae wants to expand her line and has plans to partner with Sweets by Blackbird owner, Abwori. 

[30:17] Jornae partnered with Kim and her husband, owners of Jinka, a turmeric paste company, to create a golden milk.   

[31:09] Jornae created Produce Milk with the intention of it being a lifestyle brand and helping people take small steps to sustainable, healthy lifestyle. In 2020, Jornae is planning to create healthy living content.

[32:27]: How can you help? Jornae is motivated by your support! 

Mentioned in this episode

• Change Happens
• Kim of Eyebrow Energy
• Ella Russell of Crumbville
• University of Houston SURE program 
• SCORE
• University of Houston Law Center small business services where they pair you with law student and attorney
• Blue Apron
• Abwori of Sweets by Blackbird
• Kim , co-owner of Jinka turmeric paste

Connect with Jornae Rideaux & Produce Milk

Website: https://www.producemilk.com/

Instagram: @producemilk

Facebook: @producemilk

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Hashtags: #profoodmaker #profoodmakerpodcast

Kiano Moju is the owner of Jikoni, a culinary creative studio in Los Angeles, and previously worked as a food video producer at BuzzFeed's Tasty. Kiano talks about:

• Her journey as a food content creator and how she opened a food studio in California
• Plans to create food shows and travel shows to sell to streaming platforms
• The importance of underrepresented people in food telling their own culinary stories

Timestamps 

[1:29]: What it means to be a Recipe Writer and Food Video Producer. 

[8:08]: How media representation, the food scene in London, blogging and more led to Kiano making a career out of food video production and culinary education.

[13:53]: How Kiano's experiences traveling influences her cooking and baking.  

[17:09]: Dealing with reactions from viewers who aren't used to seeing Black people represented in food media.

[21:53]: Kiano's favorite video is the one she directed with Wolfgang Puck.

[25:37]: Kiano made cheesecakes as a side hustle in college.

[26:04]: Jikoni, a culinary creative studio in Los Angeles, has kitchen studio space available for rent, and specializes in creating editorial food content and food programming/events. 

[29:49]: How Kiano is working to help people tell their own culinary stories with Jikoni.

[33:57]: Research on food studios was a time-intensive but essential process in building Jikoni. 

[35:01]: The importance of getting help from your network when you're building a business.

[36:04]: Kiano is interested in creating food and travel shows to sell to streaming platforms, like Netflix and Hulu.

[38:45]: How can you help? Kiano is on the lookout for food stylists, recipe developers, camera operators and other food production talent.

Mentioned in this episode

• Chapati (Kenyan flatbread)
• Agua fresca
• Emeril Live
• BuzzFeed's Tasty (website and YouTube)
• Behind the Scenes with Tasty (on YouTube and on Hulu)
• Chocolate Ripple Cheesecake video and How to Make Ripple Chocolate Cheesecake with Kiano video
• Jikoni
• Delicious Magazine
• Keturah King (website) Jollof rice workshop at Jikoni

Connect with Kiano Moju & Jikoni Culinary Creative Studio

Website: jikonicreative.com and kianomoju.com

Instagram: @jikonicreative and @kianomoju

Facebook: @JikoniCreative

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Hashtags: #profoodmaker #profoodmakerpodcast

A food business consultant (or coach or advisor) can help you start and grow your food business or beverage business. The host shares her experience searching for and working with a food business consultant for her early-stage food brand. She explains:

• Where to find free business consultants
• Example questions you can ask during your meeting
• Questions that your food business consultant may ask you during your first meeting with them

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Mentioned in this episode 

• Small Business Administration
• SCORE (free business resources)
• Kiano Moju (website)
• Jikoni (culinary creative studio)

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Reach out to the Pro Food Maker Podcast

Website: profoodmaker.com

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Starting a food business? Need help with your restaurant business plan? Looking for a job at a bakery, restaurant, or food truck? Your public library, the Small Business Administration (SBA), and local food community are great resources for your food business and food career.

• Librarians help food entrepreneurs conduct market research and customer research
• The SBA and other organizations provide free business coaching and business workshops

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Timestamps 

0:38 - 1:00: Episode 1 recap.

1:11 - 1:41: Why an episode on free career and business resources?

1:42 - 2:26: Resource name, availability, and cost vary by location.

2:51 - 4:34: Librarians are expert researchers and can help you with your market, customer, and competitor research. Can also help you with your job search.

4:35 - 5:40: Mock (practice) job interviews may be a service available at your library.

5:41 -  7:17: Notes on interviews being a two-way street. Work on making interviews a conversation so that you can ask your questions throughout a job interview instead of waiting until the end of the job interview.

7:24 - 8:40: My personal experience on shifting my mindset when it comes to job interviews. I stopped taking the first job offer I received and paid attention to whether or not I actually wanted the job during the interview. 

8:41 - 9:37: General business workshops at the local library about how to start a business, marketing, funding, etc.

9:42 - 11:44: Free search tools (ReferenceUSA, Demographics Now) used through your local library (if available). Use Reference USA for job & internship searches and competitor research. Use Demographics Now to search demographics information to help your market research and customer research.

11:51 - 12:47: Introduction to the Small Business Administration (SBA). The SBA helps you start and grow your business, navigate laws and taxes, secure funding, government contracting, and more.

12:48 - 13:24: Introduction to the SBA's free and confidential business advising.

13:25 - 13:42: How often do you meet with your business advisor? Depends on schedules and needs.

13:42:06 -14:04: Do you have to meet your business advisor in-person? Usually, no. Phone calls, emails, and video conferencing are options, however, the first session is usually done in-person.

14:05 - 15:41: Why is it important to get a business advisor or business coach? They can help you work through business problems, brainstorm ideas, avoid pitfalls, etc. 

16:04 - 17:02: Think of an athlete who is the best in their field. They are incredibly talented and  may possess several medals and trophies. Guess what? They have a coach. And their coach(es) were likely a crucial part of their success.

17:03 - 17:21: Business advisors/coaches can be expensive. They are worth the investment, but if you don't have the funds yet, free business advising through the Small Business Administration can be a great option for you.

17:24 - 18:43: Connect and network with your local food community (restaurant owners and staff, food truck owners and staff, commercial kitchens, food career and business Meetups, food professional organizations). 

18:44 - 19:17: Don't be afraid to ask for help and don't give up. 

19:42 - 20:12: What did I miss in regards to free business and career resources? Let me know!

20:13 - 20:21: The next episode is about my business advising experience.

Mentioned in this episode

• ReferenceUSA 
• Demographics Now 
• Small Business Administration

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Website: profoodmaker.com

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Hashtags: #profoodmaker #profoodmakerpodcast

A podcast introduction that includes who I am, why I started this food podcast, why we need to support Black owned businesses as a lifestyle, not a special occasion, and episode topics you can expect:

• The steps a food entrepreneur took to start their food business
• How to conduct market research
• How to price your products
• How to write a business plan
• How to get customer feedback
• Navigating food and safety laws
• The types of funding available and how to secure funding for your business

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Today's guest is...no one! Hey everyone. I'm Mercedes Gosby, the host of the Pro Food Maker Podcast and welcome to the first episode.

Pro Food Maker's mission is to provide a blueprint on how to grow your food career and/or food business by:

• Interviewing Black food professionals and entrepreneurs about their career and/or business
• Sharing what I'm learning as a food entrepreneur

Mentioned in this episode

• Fertile Ground Food Cooperative
• 5 Steps to Buying from Black Owned Businesses Every Day

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Listen to this episode:

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Reach out to the Pro Food Maker Podcast

Website: profoodmaker.com

Instagram: instagram.com/profoodmaker

Facebook: facebook.com/profoodmaker

Twitter: twitter.com/profoodmakerpod

Social media hashtags: #profoodmaker #profoodmakerpodcast

Interested in getting more press for your business? Mercedes outlines common mistakes we make when pitching to media outlets and tips on how to successfully pitch to journalists, podcasters, YouTubers, and bloggers.

Full show notes: https://profoodmaker.com/how-to-write-a-media-pitch

This podcast is for people who are starting a food business, looking to grow their food business, want to explore careers in the food industry or want to discover Black owned food businesses they can support.

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Welcome to the Pro Food Maker Podcast, hosted by Mercedes Gosby.

You'll hear from Black food professionals & entrepreneurs on how they made a career out of making food and how you can do the same.

If you're looking to:

• explore careers in the food industry or
• start and grow your food business

then this podcast will give you the resources and actionable insights you need to make your food business and/or career happen.

Be on the lookout for new episodes twice a month and follow us on Instagram and Facebook @profoodmaker.

I'm really looking forward to this and I hope you are too!

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Reach out to the Pro Food Maker Podcast

Website: profoodmaker.com

Instagram: instagram.com/profoodmaker

Facebook: facebook.com/profoodmaker

Twitter: twitter.com/profoodmakerpod

Social media hashtags: #profoodmaker #profoodmakerpodcast

Geo Darwin, a Philadelphia-based food & lifestyle blogger and content creator, is on a mission to highlight underrepresented people in food & beverage. We chat about:

• Being consistent as a content creator
• Why blogging isn't dead and the evolution of blogging
• The Philly food scene

Full show notes: https://profoodmaker.com/geos-table

Courtney Lindsay is the chef & owner of Houston Sauce Co, a super popular vegan food company in Houston, TX. Courtney shares:

• how a hot sauce turned into a food truck, BBQ trailer, storefront, and more
• what food truck owners need to do to grow their business and who they need to hire
• how much a food truck costs

Mentioned in this episode

• $2 tacos, Drippy Southwest Burger, the lump crab gumbo, and the garlic parmesan wangz
• Texas Southern University
• Food Network's Chopped
• Max's Wine Dive restaurant
• New York Film Academy 
• Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern
• DJ Reel Chill (Chasitie Lindsay)
• Pro Food Maker's Instagram post about the $2 tacos
• Jarrett Milton, co-owner of Houston Sauce Pit 
• Sauce Co Shoppette provides grab & go items (non-fried) (cajun alfredo, gumbo, chik'n & mac, lemonade, etc)
• TRUE Laundry Detergent (Black owned). Order from TRUE's website or Sauce Co. Shoppette.
• Tennessee Hot Tacos
• Big Hot Chik'n Sammich

Listen to this episode

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Connect with Courtney Lindsay & Houston Sauce Co.

Instagram: @houstonsauceco

Twitter: @houstonsauceco

Website: houstonsauceco.com

Reach out to the Pro Food Maker Podcast

Website: profoodmaker.com

Instagram: instagram.com/profoodmaker

Facebook: facebook.com/profoodmaker

Twitter: twitter.com/profoodmakerpod

Hashtags: #profoodmaker #profoodmakerpodcast

How much does it cost to open a restaurant? A lot. Learn restaurant start up costs and best practices from Felicia Middleton, an architectural designer for food spaces, specializing in food service design. Hear about:

• The costs for equipment, renovations, etc
• How to open a restaurant: steps & tips
• Common mistakes & misconceptions about opening a restaurant

Listen to this episode

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Connect with Felicia Middleton & the Foodie Builder

Instagram: @foodiebuilder

Twitter: @foodiebuilder 

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/urbanaesthetics

Website: foodiebuilder.weebly.com

Reach out to the Pro Food Maker Podcast

Website: profoodmaker.com

Instagram: instagram.com/profoodmaker

Facebook: facebook.com/profoodmaker

Twitter: twitter.com/profoodmakerpod

Hashtags: #profoodmaker #profoodmakerpodcast

Meet Kyle Sexton, owner of Kyle's Good Finds, a Black owned bakery in Tokyo, Japan. We chat about:

• How and why Kyle moved to Tokyo 30 years ago
• His bakery's best sellers which includes carrot cake 
• The importance of having true friends who will support you

Mentioned in this episode

• Rhode Island School of Design - Photography
• Minshuku - Guesthouse accommodations that are family-owned and family-run
• Mandarake - popular used goods chain in Japan. Mostly known for their comics and toys.
• Nakano Sun Plaza - Hotel in the Nakano neighborhood of Tokyo, Japan that has a concert hall and several restaurants.
• Shinjuku Station
• Edogawa - neighborhood in Tokyo, Japan
• KitchenAid flour/grain mill attachment (affiliate link)
• Takkyubin - Shipping & delivery service in Japan
• JAFA: Japan African American Friendship Association

Listen to this episode

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Connect with Kyle Sexton & Kyle's Good Finds

Instagram: @kylesgoodfinds

Facebook: @kylesgoodfinds 

Website: https://kylesgoodfinds.net/

Reach out to the Pro Food Maker Podcast

Website: profoodmaker.com

Instagram: instagram.com/profoodmaker

Facebook: facebook.com/profoodmaker

Twitter: twitter.com/profoodmakerpod

Hashtags: #profoodmaker #profoodmakerpodcast

Welcome to Season 2! Mercedes talks about highlights, media features, and collaborations from Season 1. She finishes the episode with an Ask Me Anything segment and a sneak peek for the new season.

Mentioned in this episode

• How to Support Black Owned Restaurants & Food Businesses Long-Term guide
• Ep 17: Improve your food photography skills with food blogger Anela Malik
• The Food Truck Scholar Podcast
• 20 Food Podcasts by Black Women on soulphoodie.com
• Pro Food Maker was featured in MOFAD, Food + Tech Connect, Washington City and more (Pro Food Maker Press page)
• Pro Food Maker was featured by Apple Podcasts
• Houston Sauce Co
• Favorite Black Owned Restaurants in Houston 2020 Edition on profoodmaker.com

Listen to this episode

Apple Podcasts | Libsyn | Soundcloud | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify

Subscribe to the RSS feed: http://profoodmaker.libsyn.com/rss

Reach out to the Pro Food Maker Podcast 

Website: profoodmaker.com

Instagram: instagram.com/profoodmaker

Facebook: facebook.com/profoodmaker

Twitter: twitter.com/profoodmakerpod

Hashtags: #profoodmaker #profoodmakerpodcast

The new season of Pro Food Maker launches this month! Find out how an extra 15 seconds of your time will lead to a bonus episode. Subscribe to this podcast and follow us on Instagram @profoodmaker. Thank you for listening and for your support.