Kendra Burgon Entrepreneur
- English
What I need help with
My background as an entrepreneur
My current challenges
I have long been self-employed but having employees is a whole new world for me. There is a lot I need to learn and implement in order to keep the quality and consistency as if I were doing it all myself. Undertaking the construction of a commercial kitchen and it's funding feels very overwhelming to me. Navigating the pricing and contracts needed to open a commissary kitchen and manage the various users is daunting. I feel like if I knew where to start I could feel more confident. I'm sure some jobs are better done by others but deciding what I can and should be doing versus what I should hire out is tough to decipher. How to manage my sublease-able retail space as commercial real estate is new to me.
Actions I’ve taken so far
Personal Loan acquired, applied for grants (received two so far), Leased a building, begun design plans and engineering requirements prior to construction. I have been licensed for Hemp processing.
My future goals
- To have an established and successful commissary kitchen.
- To have a personal chef network capable of expanding nationwide.
- To provide positive employment and partnerships.
- To give back to my community with time, resources and money.
My motivations to work with a mentor
I believe I have offer fantastic products and services that could generate a real business with room for growth. I think my ideas for each income stream are unrefined but can be profitable if I manage them correctly. I am not sure how to go from "self-employed" to employing others, because that is my goal. I am hoping I can find greater momentum and direction through the mentoring process.
About my venture
Nourish Nosh/Kindest Bites Started 2015
I have been a personal chef for 7 years. 18 months ago I also became licensed to process hemp and began packaging infused snacks for both retail and wholesale distributors. This year, I have been able to hire additional chefs whom I coordinate with families for meal prep and private party services. With this, I have decided to expand my concept and open my own commercial kitchen. I intend to use the kitchen for my own food businesses as well as leasing space in this shared commercial kitchen to other food based businesses. I would love for my space to become an incubator for food businesses with resources and guidance to assist other startups and small businesses toward success. I do have a larger building than I need but can sub-lease that area to other business(es).
Countries of operation: United States of America