Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Courtney Douglas. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Courtney, thanks for joining us today. What do you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry?
I feel that Corporate America has lost its touch within the food community. After achieving substantial success, most corporate food entities begin to franchise, which opens up opportunities for the product to lose its quality. In the midst of that, the corporate entity isn’t as focused on the satisfaction of the customer, as long as the financial gain is increasing. As more and more franchises open, the founder/ owner begins to lose interest in the quality and focuses more on increasing wealth. As for me, being a small business owner, I feel that the quality of food that I present to my patrons, and their reactions to eating my food, means more to me than any financial gain could ever mean. I know that’s easy to say being that I don’t own a Fortune 500 restaurant, but what made them become who they are today? It was the quality of what they were producing, but if you notice, over the years, these restaurants’ locations are closing because of poor quality and low revenue. Food companies, even the major chains, should bring passion, high quality and love back to the kitchen.
Courtney, 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 have 30 years of culinary experience, ranging from cooking at outdoor festivals, carnivals and for family and friends. I believe that good food brings people together from all walks of life. I owe my love of cooking to my mother and grandmothers. I have always had a passion for food and cooking. I’ve always believed that, when working a job of any magnitude, you must love what you do. After 15 years of working in distribution and warehouse management, I was never able to acquire the love for these industries that I have for food. After years of encouraging words from my wife, and seeing her leave Corporate America to follow her dream, I began to realize that I should do the same. I went out on a whim and established the brand and, even though it didn’t materialize in the manner in which I envisioned, it gave me the motivation to want to achieve success in this industry more than ever.
Bones & Batter is a mobile food business and catering service serving Southern-style seafood and more. We pride ourselves in serving the freshest seafood, meats and scratch-made sides in the mobile food business.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I was doing a five-weeks long outdoor event, and during the third week, my tents were destroyed two days in a row due to high winds. I was ready to give up. Thanks to encouraging words from my wife, I pushed through and finished the event. I was glad that I did, because it let me know that I have the inner strength to push through any adversity.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
After being led by God to a certain market hours away from my home, I began to see that there was a demand for my product. I’ve built my reputation by serving high-quality food, being fair and honest and treating people how I want to be treated. I’ve personally served food to hundreds of people, and I have let each of them know how much their support means to me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bonesandbatter.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bonesandbatter/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonesandbatter/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@bonesandbatter
Image Credits
Bones & Batter