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

Alright, Courtney thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

I’ve always had a passion for cooking, health, and wellness. After graduating from culinary school and working in restaurants, I realized I didn’t want to stay in that world long term — I loved the creativity of cooking, but I wanted to work more personally with people and make a real impact on their health. That led me to pursue a degree in nutrition, which helped deepen my understanding of health, wellness, and how food truly supports the body. A couple of years later, I had the idea to start my own personal chef business — a way to bring together everything I love and create something that helps people eat better without the stress.

I started small. I cooked for just one or two clients in their homes, creating custom menus based on their dietary needs. I used everything I’d learned about food safety and sanitation from my restaurant days and carried those same professional standards into their kitchens. At the same time, I researched the business side — things like licensing, insurance, and food handler requirements — so I could do things the right way from the very beginning.

From there, I started building systems — intake forms (like our Food Preference Form), menu planning tools, grocery templates — and eventually brought on other chefs who shared my passion. It grew client by client, through referrals and word of mouth, and I kept refining the experience along the way.

Even now, with a growing team, the heart of Nutrition Thyme is still the same: creating fresh, customized meals that help people eat well and feel good — all made right in the comfort of their own 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?

Hi, I’m Courtney — founder of Nutrition Thyme, a personal chef service that helps busy individuals and families enjoy healthy, custom meals without the stress of planning, shopping, or cooking.

My background is in both culinary and nutrition, and I’ve built Nutrition Thyme to reflect that. We’re based here in Arizona and specialize in in-home meal prep — our chefs cook everything fresh, right in the client’s kitchen, using a menu that’s completely tailored to their lifestyle and dietary needs.

What we do is different from traditional meal delivery or subscription services. We don’t drop off boxed meals or hand clients a pre-set plan. Instead, we provide fully customized, made-from-scratch meals prepared in the safety and comfort of their own home — meals that truly support their goals, their schedule, and how they like to eat.

Our clients range from professionals with packed schedules, to families with food allergies, to people recovering from surgery or illness. Some want to eat healthier, some want to stop relying on takeout, and others just want dinner handled so they can enjoy their evenings again. We help with all of it.

What sets Nutrition Thyme apart is the level of care we bring to the process. We take time to get to know each client — what foods they love, how they eat, what they need help with — and we match them with a chef who’s thoughtful, skilled, and consistent. Our menus are flexible, creative, and designed week by week, not copied from a template.

What I’m most proud of is that this service truly makes a difference in people’s daily lives. I’ve had clients tell me they feel more energy, more ease, and more freedom. One client said it best: “The meals are amazing — but the best part is the time I’ve gotten back with my family.”

If you’re just discovering us, what I’d want you to know is this: We’re not a mass-produced brand or a meal kit company. We’re a trusted, local team of professional chefs who deliver fresh, customized meals — made right in your kitchen, with care.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

For us, it’s all about relationships. Nutrition Thyme isn’t a drop-and-go service — we’re in people’s homes, preparing their meals, getting to know their families and routines. So naturally, staying connected is part of what we do.

We keep in touch with clients through regular check-ins, personalized texts and emails, and quick follow-ups to see how things are going or if their needs have shifted. Many of our clients work with the same chef week after week, so there’s a strong level of trust and consistency built in. We also make it easy for them to give feedback or request changes anytime.

Communication is always warm, personal, and easy. Clients know they can reach out at any time — whether it’s to tweak a menu, ask a question, or share how things are going. We respond quickly, adapt when needed, and always make sure they feel supported.

Loyalty comes from that consistent care. We’re not just showing up to cook — we’re helping make someone’s week easier, healthier, and more enjoyable. That kind of service sticks with people.

Over time, a lot of our clients refer us to friends and family, which has been a huge part of our growth. We take that trust seriously, and we work hard to continue earning it every week.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

Yes — Nutrition Thyme started as a side hustle in 2019 and has since grown into my full-time business and passion.

At the time, I was working several culinary-related jobs — including roles at Taylor Farms in R&D and as a healthcare menu specialist at Shamrock Foods. I was gaining experience, but I kept coming back to the same desire: I wanted to work with clients one-on-one, combining my love for cooking with my background in nutrition to truly help people feel better through food.

So I started cooking for a few clients on the side. I created personalized menus, cooked in their homes, and tailored everything to their goals and dietary needs. Word spread quickly — people loved the idea of having fresh, healthy meals made just for them. As demand grew, I brought on other personal chefs to help serve more families.

For several years, I ran Nutrition Thyme part-time while continuing to work other jobs — but we were fully operating with regular clients and a small chef team. In 2024, I officially stepped into the business full-time. By that point, Nutrition Thyme had a strong foundation, steady referrals, and a growing presence in the Phoenix and Scottsdale area.

One of my proudest moments was hiring my first chef. That shifted the business from “just me” into something bigger — something I could grow. Today, we have a talented team of chefs, each bringing their own skills and care to the clients they serve.

I’m incredibly proud of how far it’s come — from just me cooking in a client’s kitchen to a team of chefs helping people eat well, feel better, and enjoy more freedom in their week.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://nutritionthymerd.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nutritionthymerd
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nutritionthymerd/
• Other: https://g.co/kgs/eb1fcGE

Image Credits

Joanie Simon