We were lucky to catch up with Alicia Shevetone recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alicia, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you share an important lesson you learned in a prior job that’s helped you in your career afterwards?

Follow-Up is critical. No matter your product or service, you are likely fairly far down on your client’s list of priorities. The best way to ensure your success is to consistently follow up, which reinforces your resolve and embeds your brand’s footprint on their business. As many as 44% of corporate sellers fail to follow up after their first attempt. In most cases, a minimum of 5 outreach attempts is required to lock down interest – and up to 8 connects is needed to secure business (FitSmallBusiness.com November 2024).

Generally speaking, the more high-profile or costly your concept, the more you will need to push to execute. In some cases, my projects have required 100+ calls, texts and meetings to bring an event to fruition. My corporate background offers me the discipline required to grow my small business.

Alicia, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Several years ago, I observed that the majority of culinary media focused on recipes for families and large portions. I started developing recipes for two, and quickly realized that my demographic (households of two people) represents about 60% of America. Whether you are newly on your own, a couple with no kids, roomates with a friend or an empty nester, I offer you the opportunity to cook small. Rightsizing your cooking habits at home helps you save money and time – and it translates to less food waste.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

This is huge! When I gain a client, it’s personal. I want to know them. And the more I come to know someone, the more I care about them. For me, this defines friendship. Too many people reserve customer outreach for when they are selling. I am extremely fortunate in that many of my clients and guests are personal friends. And if we are friends, we should act like friends – we should text each other to say hi, grab a drink, ask about each other’s day, tell each other we are missed and appreciated… Friendship leads to trust. And when it’s time to conduct business, the trust you’ve earned pays off. Not just for revenue, but when there are challenges. Every small business has them – and the harder you’ve worked to earn trust, the more your friends and customers will stick by you and extend their grace.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I spent the majority of my life under the illusion that I am not creative. What I came to understand is that everyone is creative – we simply express creativity in different ways. My persona for many years was limited to business. I perceived my value in that regard. For me, the journey as a creative began with my acceptance of an evolved self, a realization that there’s more beneath the surface.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.dinkcuisine.com
• Instagram: @dinkcuisine
• Facebook: @aliciashevetone
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliciashevetonejd/
• Twitter: @dinkcuisine
• Youtube: @dinkcuisine

Image Credits

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