Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Justice Isom. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Justice , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What do you think it takes to be successful?

Success to me is being able to wake up in the morning and be happy about life. When you wake up and be excited about what you do for a living , you have reached a level of success and peace that most people do not have. In order to have that kind of success it takes a lot of sacrifice , discipline, and consistency. You have to be willing to give it all you got because giving half just isn’t going to work . I’ve never heard a millionaire say they gave “half”, I’ve never seen a successful person not have long nights & early mornings. I think the more you dedicate your time to your craft the more you’re liable to eventually reach a level of success in your life.

Justice , 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 name is Justice and I am the CEO & executive chef of JustTaste , which is a private dining and catering company. I am well-known in the Charlotte NC area. I am 22 years old & I attend North Carolina Central University where I major in Mass Communication with a concentration in Public Relations. I’m always exploring new recipes and fresh cooking methods. Since day one, I have focused on cooking and creating innovative, easy-to-make and affordable food for the community. I love to cook. I love the craft and art of creating dishes. My grandmother taught me how to cook and I’ve always found peace when being in the kitchen. I initially started taking cooking serious in high school. I used to sell cupcakes for $2 & once I graduated and went to college I eventually sold cupcakes on campus to provide for my family and I. I would cook meals for my friends and invite them over to eat and they eventually convinced me to sell plates on campus. I’ll never forget my first plate sell I made $2,000. I was super stressed instead my one bed room apartment with a small kitchen, cooking and packing plates. I did that for a long time. It was super stressful but I found a love for it . Later on I was asked to cater my first event and I did so bad. It was horrible . I remember being late when dropping the food off & I was just super nervous for everyone to eat my food. I cooked for almost 150 people . After that I started looking into mentorship and taking the culinary industry more serious. I made a website , I started taking clients & still selling plates, I practiced my recipes, I would cook for family and friends so they could taste my food & I would always appreciate the honest feedback. I eventually became well known & I created a name for myself . When I’m out people stop me and they’re like “you’re that girl that cook” or “your chef ju , I love your content and food”. It makes me happy because I put in so much work to be where I am and I’m no where near finished so I can only imagine where I’ll be in a few years. It took a lot of long nights. There are times I’m away from my son or my family and it hurts but it’s the small sacrifices I have to make to be where I am. I actually had to dial back a bit this last year and close my bookings for a while because I felt like I was missing out on my sons most valuable time in his life. I was booked every weekend and going out of town every weekend to cook and work and I would have to give my son to his dad or family and I would miss him. It became draining and I realized I was overworking myself . I think it’s okay to work hard but I also think there are times you should be able to relax and enjoy your small wins. I think what sets me apart from others is that I’m not looking to be famous or known or “big time” I really want to create relationships with my clients and give them an experience that they won’t forget. I like to make conversations with my clients, and build a relationship with them. When I walk into someone’s kitchen I leave out knowing them more, creating a friendship with them all while providing a service. I’m real authentic with my craft. Anywhere I go I tell my story about how I started my business and I motivate others around me to take the next step and do what it is they love. That’s what makes me proud the most. I’m doing what I love, I’m creating relationships, I’m motivating others, and I’m making money all while doing it. I’m living the dream.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Social media I think is part of the foundation of my business. I went from having around 6,000 followers to almost 20k within two years. I started creating content and being more serious about displaying my work and caught the attention of a lot of people. I started recording everything I cooked, posting recipes , and reviews of clients I cooked for. It became the push I needed to get my name out there. I think anyone who has a business in todays times should definitely have a social media presence. It very vital in growing a business right now. Everyone is on social media and that’s how most people connect. I personally go to tik Tok or instagram when I’m searching for new food spots, party planners, someone to do my hair or nails, it’s literally the new google. My advice to anyone who are just starting to build their social media presence is to be different. Find your niche and make it apart if your brand.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

My social media is what has helped me grow my clientele . Everything I post is with the intention of catching a potential clients attention. Everyone is on social media these days and The main thing is knowing who your target audience is and then knowing how to appeal to them. 90% of my clients are from social media. They see my content, they see review and I give a glimpse of who I am as a person and they book . They don’t regret it either . All of my clients are also repeat customers. My advice to others it to find what is most effective for your target audience.

Contact Info:

• Website: JustTasteclt.com
• Instagram: Chefju__
• Other: Email: [email protected]