We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jeanette Vargas a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jeanette , appreciate you joining us today. Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?
I am passionate and love my catering business. Ever since I was a child I grew up in Mexico watched my elders cook and that sparked my love for food. I went to law school and thought that was going to be my career. Being a native born American I came back in 2007 when I 25 years to Arizona and started as a dishwasher in an IHOP. Moved to KS and had jobs as janitor, working in a optic office and was florist. After working in various job fields and life circumstances it pushed me back into the kitchen and once again spark my interest for culinary. The situations life put me in pushed me to innovated and become an entrepreneur in starting my catering business. My catering business was the missing piece of my being complete.
Jeanette , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My catering business name is Juan Colorado. Many ask why that name? When coming up with that name I wanted people to distinguish me and know that I offered authentic traditional Mexican food. Growing up I was raised in Mexico in Michoacan, Apatzingán in a small town called Loma de Los Hoyos. From where I grew up there is a popular song call Juan Colorado when people hear this name or song they can associate me from where I was raised. As people would hear a hispanic catering business they would know what business would be tailored but as well my Hispanic community could reach out and identify that I would those traditional authentic food to bring to their parties.
As well many our surprised to know that I run my business on my own no partners. With being a women owned business I only hire women with backgrounds of being single mothers. My focus wants these women to know they can accomplish anything they set their mind too. That I can testify dreams do come true.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
The most effective strategy for growing my clientele are word of mouth once they have been able to taste my food. Once they try my food they spread the good word to others. By recommendations and good reviews. I only put an ad Kansas City Wedding Shop on Facebook
Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?
How was I able to start with my own personal saving that I had to purchase the basic necesites of my business. Once my business started I was able to start investing. And able to grow my business. I was able to build my own commercial kitchen.. due to my love for culinary I had some kitchen items to start my business
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.juancoloradocatering.com
- Instagram: Juancoloradocatering
- Facebook: Juancoloradocateringbyjeanettevargas