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

Caroll, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How do you think about vacations as a business owner? Do you take them and if so, how? If you don’t, why not?

I absolutely take vacations, and I highly recommend that all small business owners do the same! As owners, we carry a significant weight on our shoulders. I’ve often felt the responsibility for the well-being of my clients and employees, while also trying not to neglect my personal responsibilities and relationships with friends and loved ones. Stepping away from the day-to-day realities of running a business is essential for long-term success.

One of my favorite quotes is from Sahil Bloom: ‘Your entire life will change the moment you stop treating rest as a reward and start treating it as a critical part of your high-performance routine.’ When I prioritize rest, play, and joy, I’m able to show up healthier and more whole in my professional life. Often, the problems or decisions I’m struggling with gain clarity once I get a little distance from them.

Plus, I’m someone who needs a deadline to get sh*t done! So, when I have a trip coming up and know what work needs to be completed before I leave, I’m extra motivated to finish everything on time so I can fully relax while I’m away.

Another bonus of taking vacations is learning how to delegate. When I’m OOO and can’t be reached, I need to ensure the business continues to run smoothly in your absence. This means leaning on the strengths of the people around me, learning to trust others, and creating space that I can maintain even after the vacation is over.

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.

Provenance Meals is all about making healthy eating easy for busy people. We offer a prepared meal delivery service that brings nutrient-dense, ready-to-eat meals straight to your doorstep. All our meals are made with whole food ingredients and are 100% free of gluten, dairy, and refined sugar. We also have Detox programs designed to help you reset, kickstart weight loss, and get back on track with a healthy diet.

What you eat every day is a huge part of living well and aging well. As a business owner, I know firsthand how easy it is to let healthy habits slip when you’re juggling so much. So, I wanted to create a service that helps people feel like their best selves every day, without the hassle of meal planning or cooking. This past year has been especially exciting for us—we’ve expanded our delivery zone to cover 98% of the U.S. and partnered with Equinox to offer a powerful combo of nutritious meals with physical fitness.

Our meals are more than just convenient—they’re made with care. We work with local farmers and purveyors who prioritize organic and sustainable practices. And we cater to a variety of dietary preferences, including vegan, vegetarian, and grain-free options, so there’s something for everyone.

At the end of the day, Provenance is about helping people thrive. We want to make it easy to fuel your body with the nutrition it needs to prevent illness and promote overall wellness. Our network of wellness partners includes nutritionists, acupuncturists, and functional medicine practitioners, rounding out our holistic approach to wellness.

Let’s talk M&A – we’d love to hear your about your experience with buying businesses.

In 2019, I acquired a prepared meal delivery business in Los Angeles with a similar model to Provenance, which I had founded in Brooklyn, NY. At that time, we were only delivering to the New York tristate area and shipping a few items nationally via FedEx. I had always dreamed of expanding to the West Coast, as I knew there was a large audience for healthy eating, and requests that we deliver to California were coming in on a regular basis. So when a business owner I had exchanged referrals with reached out about selling her business, I knew it was the perfect opportunity to make my bicoastal expansion happen. Acquiring her business allowed me to integrate her client base, gain a commercial kitchen, and inherit a trained, dedicated staff.

The acquisition process was bumpier than I expected. Timing was critical because I wanted to take over in time for our busiest season, which was just a few months away when we started negotiations. With lawyers, executives, and accountants involved, getting everyone aligned was a serious challenge. It quickly became clear that the only people truly invested in closing the deal on time were the seller and me. I had to be very active in coming up with creative solutions to each obstacle that came up to keep things moving on schedule and get the deal that I wanted.

This acquisition was my first, and it taught me a lot. It reinforced that I can do hard things and that looking externally for answers is often not as good a resource as looking within.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

After acquiring the business in LA, I found myself facing the new challenge of running two locations on opposite coasts, managing more employees than ever, and then navigating the unexpected onset of the COVID pandemic just a few months later. We had to rethink everything we had planned for the new location, but the biggest pivot was personal: leaving New York City, where I had spent 19 years building my career, raising my two children, and creating a life full of memories. My husband and I didn’t make the decision lightly. We were pulling our kids out of the only home and community they had ever known, but after more than 100 days in quarantine in our Brooklyn apartment, it was clear we needed a change.

So, in June 2020, we made the leap. We packed up, fully masked and with hand sanitizer at the ready, and drove cross-country to start a new chapter in Los Angeles. It was a whirlwind of uncertainty and hope, but being on the ground allowed me to run the West Coast location in person and fully integrate it into our brand. I could see firsthand what needed to be done, streamline operations, and implement efficiencies that would have been nearly impossible to manage remotely.

This pivot wasn’t just about logistics—it was about embracing change and finding new ways to thrive. It allowed me to eventually take the brand national and outsource areas we’d struggled with, and it freed me up to truly embrace our new West Coast lifestyle. I became a more present parent and more supportive partner, and even found space in my life for more joy and play.

This experience reminded me that the challenges we face—whether in business or life—usually carry the greatest opportunities for growth. Leaving behind the familiar wasn’t easy, but it pushed me to build something stronger, both for my business and my family. It’s these pivotal moments that test us, shape us, and remind us of what we’re capable of when we step out of our comfort zones.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.provenancemeals.com
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Provenance Meals