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

Hi Jenny, thanks for joining us today. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

I started my business, Gingerbeet, because I wanted to provide an elevated experience that included, health-conscious and flavorful, plant-based cuisine. I launched my business in 2020 and had been plant-based for about 7 years at that time. Prior to starting my business, I did my due diligence by conducting research on factors that could affect my business. I researched if there were similar businesses in my geographic region. If so, what were they doing to be successful and how could I refine it in my business model. Conversely, what were these businesses not doing that I may be able to incorporate in my business model. I also needed to determine if there was a demand for my products and services so I utilized various research tools such as consumer behavior analysis, market research & industry reports, government initiatives, sales data, and trends. I realized not only was there a demand for my business, products and services but also a void that needed to be filled.

I then had to decide on a name and logo which can be one of the most daunting tasks of the entire process. Once I created my LLC and submitted the appropriate documentation to the local government, I had to wait for final approval. During that time, I had to submit for licenses, permits, business insurance, etc. I needed to ensure that I was in compliance by industry standards in order to began operating. Given that I started my business during the pandemic, it took about a year to finalize the administrative and legal processes.

In the meantime, I worked on my business plan, elevator pitch and how to attain potential customers and clients. I also delved into research and development by creating and testing recipes, fine-tuning timing and techniques, brainstorming business concepts, etc. I also created and designed my own website, opened a social media account for my business, generated business email accounts, designed business cards, logo stickers, bottle labels, etc. I also had to decide on what containers I wanted to use for meal prep and bottles for fresh pressed juices. In addition, I had to be strategic about organization partnerships and create a system to attract and retain customers. I also researched funding opportunities for small businesses and specifically black owned, woman-led small businesses. Needless to say, this was a very extensive process.

When I began fully operating in 2022, I prepared meal prep and fresh pressed juices for my consumers. I then realized this division of my business was seasonal due to consumer demand increase in the winter and spring months and decline in the summer and fall months. I pivoted and focused more on festivals in the summer and fall months. Towards the end of 2022, I began receiving more requests for catering and private chef services.

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.

My name is Jenny Lawrence, MBA and I am a plant-based vegan chef, founder and CEO of Gingerbeet, a vegan catering company located in Washington, DC that focuses on health-conscious meals, free from animal cruelty. I entered the vegan catering industry because I had been plant-based vegan for a while and wanted others to experience the creations I prepared that could ultimately lead to a healthier lifestyle. In addition, to being a vegan chef, I have 15+ years in the financial services industry, with a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Master’s degree in Business Administration. I’ve been able to combine my financial expertise with my passion for vegan cooking to demonstrate a unique blend of culinary artistry and economic acumen to bring awareness to the economics and veganism intersection. My journey from the finance sector to the culinary world is marked by my commitment to health, ethical food choices, and professional excellence.

I began my personal transition into a plant-based vegan lifestyle 20 years ago. I’m originally from Louisiana and noticed there were many people in my family and community suffering from illnesses such as hypertension, heart-disease, and type 2 diabetes. Quite naturally, I became concerned about my own health and started to research the cause of these illnesses. I found that a plant-based diet would lower and/or eliminate the risk of these diseases. I also discovered there was a link between these chronic illnesses and heavy consumption of animal based foods. I didn’t want to be another statistic, so I made the decision to start eliminating animal-based foods from my diet. I initially eliminated pork and beef, then, poultry, dairy, and eggs, lastly fish and shellfish. It took about 9 years to fully transition these foods out of my diet. I’ve been plant-based vegan now for over a decade.

After making the decision to live this lifestyle, I would get many questions about my diet which was often accompanied by misconceptions about plant-based vegan food. I’d often educated friends and family on these topics. I prepared various vegan meals for them to show that they wouldn’t be missing out on flavor, sustenance, or heartiness. I received great feedback from non-vegans which ignited the idea to launch my business, Gingerbeet.

Gingerbeet is a vegan catering company that specializes in catering, meal prep, and private chef services. I began by offering meal prep and fresh pressed juices. I soon realized that the majority of my customers were not vegan but wanted to eat healthier and were interested in incorporating more plant-based foods into their diet. Then, I commenced to doing various festivals in the DMV area to get the word out about Gingerbeet. As the business continued to evolve, we expanded to provide catering and private chef services. Given that I am originally from Louisiana, some of our dishes are inspired by the cajun and creole foods that I grew up eating. One thing that sets us apart is that we are the only vegan catering businesses in the area that offers cajun and creole food curated by a Louisiana native chef. All of our menu items are also gluten-free and soy-free to appeal to consumers with food intolerances.

Another aspect of my work is educating the public on plant-based food and its benefits. I’ve partnered with organizations like FITDC and held plant based mini nutrition sessions to educate the community. I have also done speaking engagements at the Gathering Spot and HQ DC House. Most recently, I appeared on Fox 5 DC to share some of our meals, demo recipes, and discuss plant-based nutrition. After being in business for a mere 2 years, and only fully operational for 1 year, I had the privilege of hosting my first celebrity client, Omarion. He was on a sound bath meditation tour and DC was one of his stops. Omarion needed a vegan chef to cater the event and his team reached out to me. It was a great opportunity and experience. I’ve also had the chance to speak with high school students about entrepreneurship and plant-based nutrition. It was an honor to impart wisdom on today’s youth. Lastly, but certainly not least, I hosted my first vegan tasting this past Fall. It was curated exactly how I visualized it. I plan to host bi-annual vegan tastings in the near future.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

One lesson that I learned is that I’ll have to make mistakes along the way to become better. I used to be a perfectionist, thinking that every rollout had to be perfect to the point I would get analysis paralysis due to be being so focused on everything being perfect and also trying to do everything myself, which eventually lead to burnout. I ultimately learned 2 lessons in one as it relates to this topic. The first being, everything doesn’t have to be perfect, mistakes are going to be made. As long as I learn from those mistakes and pivot when necessary, things will work out as they should. The second being, allow others to help. I felt as if I needed to be physically involved in each project step from inception to completion and do it all on my own. Burnout is inevitable with this approach and I learned the hard way. This is where investing in quality talent comes into play. Another bonus for me was learning how to take breaks and time away from the business to recharge and allow space for fresh ideas.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I think being consistent and filling a void that didn’t exist in my market is what helped build my reputation.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.gingerbeetdc.com
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/gingerbeetdc/
• Facebook: http://facebook.com/gingerbeetdc
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gingerbeet/