We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Annmarie McArthur a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Annmarie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

The isolation of the pandemic was a blessing in that it forced me to examine my career. I had worked every side of the food industry up to the point of lockdown. End-user, owner, COP sales, brands manager, broker, food service director and more. Made the decision that being an entrepreneur was what I do best. Took the decades worth of skills and professional relationships I had developed and decided to sell my home and move across the country, to the beach and start a new company. Just like that, doing Private Chef work, catering and specializing in Artisan Charcuterie and Cheese and The Board Chef was born. Right in the middle of covid. Biggest risk I’ve ever taken!

Annmarie, 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?

Have been in the food industry since I was 14 years old and started my first real job at Martha Ann’s Pies. This is where I learned that pie filling didn’t come off of a tree, but out of a 5 gallon plastic bucket. I was hooked on the business. Life in foodservice became all of who I am. From pie filling to a corporate catering specialist, to brands management, COP specialist and more. Now, primarily as a Private Chef, I am able to offer one of a kind specialized experiences with ease. Serving my clients the gift of food allows them to entertain like Martha. My Artisan Charcuterie and Cheese Boards allow them to gift like a unicorn. One of a kind and spectacular.

Can you talk to us about your experience with selling businesses?

One of my biggest accomplishments, no doubt, was growing and selling my first company. I started and grew a corporate catering company in Austin, Texas. After 18 years, I was exhausted. Eighteen years of major losses, huge lessons, trial and error and ultimately successes. As a single Mom, I had grown my business to significant sales, 28 employees, 6 delivery vans and a 2,000-square-foot kitchen packed with equipment, supplies and memories. After interviewing and then hiring a business broker, I made the changes suggested and plans to sell. Lucky enough to find a cash buyer, I did my own due diligence and closed on my sale within four months of making the decision to move on. Sitting at that closing table, signing the paperwork and leaving with a check that offered me months of peace, quiet and stability, was an adventure beyond compare. I would not have been able to sell the way I did, if I had not managed my books, my procedures and my employees as well as I did. A lesson that I have definitely taken into my new entrepreneurial journey.

Can you open up about a time when you had a really close call with the business?

Unfortunately, the story is common. I remember like it was yesterday, working in my big kitchen, doing what I love, baking, when my bookkeeper came in to tell me I had visitors. I responded that I would be upfront to the offices shortly. I didn’t move quickly enough. Within minutes, there were police and investigators in my kitchen and the bookkeeper, out the front door never to be seen or heard from again. My bank accounts were empty. My business bookkeeping software cleaned out. Checks that I had signed to the state, never mailed. Now, the state had come calling in the form of a now we throw this single Mom in jail because she never responded to any of our notices, calling card. Officers took the seven dollars I had in my wallet and gave me 24 hours to come up with a plan. Within those 24 hours, I had zero sleep and a high-powered attorney. Took months for that plan to take effect. I had to move from my large dream kitchen to a shared kitchen space. Had to recreate all of my bookkeeping. Existing on diet coke and advil, I grew my business again, knowing everything that I now knew. Customers were more precious. Employees were more precious. Honesty was more precious. And I will never, ever hand off bookkeeping responsibilities ever again. On any given day, can tell anyone what my operating bank account looks like, how my P&L reads and what my balance sheet is telling me about the state of my day-to-day. In hindsight, I call it the crash. I lived through it. My kids lived through it. My business lived through it. The lessons, invaluable and life-changing.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.theboardchef.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/the.boardchef
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/theboardchef
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/81896579/admin/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@theboardchef
• Other: While YouTube channel under construction, watch The Board Chef on streaming tv service Eat this TV.  New 12 episode season will air on all Eat this TV streaming platforms 4^th quarter 2023.  Clips and shorts will be posted to YouTube channel above.  Hope you subscribe and enjoy!

Image Credits
Jen Deeb Go With the Flow Photography