We recently connected with Abigail Martel and have shared our conversation below.

Abigail, appreciate you joining us today. Almost all entrepreneurs have had to decide whether to start now or later? There are always pros and cons for waiting and so we’d love to hear what you think about your decision in retrospect. If you could go back in time, would you have started your business sooner, later or at the exact time you started?

Back in 2013, I entered an entrepreneurial challenge contest at a local university and came up with my first food truck concept and business plan. I didn’t wind up winning, though. I was in my early 20s, fresh out of college, living on my own… I chose to continue on the typical career path instead of pursuing my dream because I figured it would be more steady and predictable.

Fast forward to now: I wish I had taken the risk much sooner! It wasn’t until about 10 years later that I actually opened my food truck business, so balancing that with my full time job is proving to be quite challenging.

Abigail, 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?

I’m from a big italian family where all of our gatherings centered around food, so for as long as I can remember, I’ve been in the kitchen learning as much as I can from my mom and aunties. I distinctly remember wanting to open a bakery/farm when i was a kid, but abandoned that in favor of college and a traditional career path…. It turns out I’m just not meant for that rigid monotony, so Imposter’s Kitchen was born from my love of food, and cooking, eating, and sharing it!

I fell in love with Korean food working for a family owned restaurant in my hometown for several years, so with my former boss’ blessing, i have mainly offered korean/asian fusion so far. My favorite part about my food truck though is that I don’t limit myself to one type of food. I love changing it up and creating custom menus for each event- for example, a creative hot dog menu for a Dachshund Festival this past weekend. I think what sets me apart is that nothing is fried on my truck, and everything is made to order so it’s super fresh. I operate as a pop up only, so I am limited to 4 or fewer events per month, so due to my super-small scale, everything is made with love and intention by ME! I strive for consistency, high quality, and freshness.

I’m proud that i am “doing it anyway.” I still have a full time job for a medical device manufacturing company, am generally pretty reserved/anxious, and honestly kind of hate having to post about my business– sometimes trying to please the algorithm gods feels pathetic and desperate… with that said, i am truly passionate about my business and what i offer, so i do it anyway! It makes me feel super proud of myself to throw caution to the wind, ignore my fears, cannonball into this 100%, and pursue my dream.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

In 2022, i wrote and self published a cookbook! The sales of my book helped me get started on licensing and supplies for starting my cottage bakery. I sold my baked goods at fairs and markets from a tent/table for a year, and garnered tons of local support! From there, i applied for, and was granted, a loan through Kiva.org. It is a crowdfunded business loan- so my friends, family, and supporters near and far rallied behind me and believed in me enough to fully fund my loan within a few days! With that, i was able to purchase my food trailer & outfit it with all of the supplies and equipment. My donors all get their money back with every payment i make on this loan- it truly would not have been possible without their support and for that i am eternally grateful!!

Any advice for managing a team?

I only ever work with one person at a time, usually friends or family who volunteer! I have a pretty easy going approach, I allow for flexibility and for my ‘workers’ to set up their area in a way that works for them. I’m open to the input of others and always willing to update a process. Being kind, understanding, and transparent is how i operate my business through and through and I think that keeps people happy and willing to work hard.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @imposterskitchen
• Facebook: @imposterskitchennh

Image Credits

Food Truck, Sandwich & action shot: Dominique Marinzulich, DM Photo
Cinnamon Bun Shot: Joey Palmieri Photography