We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jeffrey Johnson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jeffrey below.

Jeffrey, appreciate you joining us today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your business sooner or later

I worked in the banking and finance industry for over 14 years, if you combine that with customer service it’s 20 years. In all of those a industries I gained transferable skills that I use today. Looking back I do wish I started my business sooner because when you work for someone else you are subject to their rules, their timeline, their assessments be it fair or not about your performance. Essentially your progression and experience good or bad is subjective to your leadership or management. For me I wish I would have started my company sooner because it has given me the opportunity to truly be hands on with my career. Starting a business has given me the opportunity to take ownership of the brand, growth, & personal development. I began my business in 2020 while working full time as an AVP for a global bank. I realized very quickly that it was not going to be easy, but every time I over came a hurdle I gained confidence and pride in knowing I made someone’s event special. In March of 2023 I left my full time job and began working for myself full time. Since then my business has grown even more because I can invest my time and resources fully. I have been able to expand and take on more corporate clients because I have more capacity.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I started cooking when he was nine years old. I grew up watching my mother and grandmothers prepare amazing meals for family and friends. I took note of how food brought people together. I enjoyed watching celebrity chefs on tv. I would take the recipes he would see on tv and to the best of my ability recreate a “version” of the dish. In 2015, I accepted a job working as a banker overseas working with the military service members in Djibouti. After being in a deployed environment I began to understand that being away from family and friends can be difficult and that food unites people. I sought to bring a taste of home to those deployed by volunteering my time to cook for the holidays, hail and farewell parties, birthdays, and special occasions. Once I moved back to the states in in 2020 I launched my Catering business 3J’s Catering & More. I started out doing a brunch at a local bar and from there 3J’s grew exponentially through word of mouth. Since 2020 3J’s has earned several large corporate contracts, has won the Black Expo People Choice Award for 2021, Savory Award in 2023, has been booked as a private chef for celebrities, nominated for the 2022 Boss Award, featured chef at unCorked Jax Wine Festival, Night Markets, and been featured a chef on the local news stations. The mission behind 3J’s is to curate menus that take our clients on a culinary adventure. I take the pride in providing my clients with more than food, but giving them a culinary experience.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Consistency is the foundation to growing your business. No mater what industry you are in you want your customers or perspective clients to get the same experience each and every time they shop with you or do business. This starts from initial contact to final purchase. Take the time to perfect the brand you want to be known for and ensure every decision you make aligns with the brand. This will help to make decisions easier and give notoriety and identity in your industry.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

3Js’s has grown through o word of mouth. Majority of our clients that we do business with with has been referred to us or were at an event and enjoyed the experience. I believe this is because of one word consistency. When people feel like they get the best experience possible, each time they’re more likely to refer other people to you to get that same experience. If there are varying experiences with your product, customer service, communication, or branding this will likely cause a negative experience. Asking clients for review also helps to drive customers to shop with you. You can use this as free marketing on social media, company website, or other marketing platforms. So it is imperative to have a presence online, because it gives people access to share your business, learn more about your business, products and capabilities of your business.

Contact Info:

• Website: 3jscatering.com
• Instagram: 3js_catering
• Facebook: 3J’s Catering & More
• Other: Wedding Wire/The Knot