We were lucky to catch up with Jerek Blevins recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jerek, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Getting that first client is always an exciting milestone. Can you talk to us about how you got your first customer who wasn’t a friend, family, or acquaintance?
I got my first client as a fill in for my sister. She was an experienced and established chef who had just undergone major surgery and needed me to prepare a brunch for her. I had very little experience, with only close family and friends helping me. This was a full brunch that had over 100 attendees and it went tremendously well. I have been in business and growing by serious leaps and bounds ever since.
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.
First things first, I’m a proud #girldad I’ve been cooking since I was eye level with the stove. My Dad is my inspiration in cooking. Till this day he still fixes my plate for me. My approach to cooking is more entertaining than cooking. I love to entertain and make my guests feel like family. I strive to make sure that I don’t compromise on attention to detail. Furthermore, I aim to make every dish like I know it’s the first time a client has tasted my food and I want to make a lasting impression to keep them coming back.
What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?
I started selling plates out of my apartment. In a very short time, I received so much support and more and more people kept coming back for my food and I knew I was on to something special.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
Letters to a Young Brother by: Hill Harper is my favorite book. Encourages investing resources and pouring into our youth. With a focus on young men and their ideas. There is also a space for the reader to take notes. I was inspired to encourage other business owners to write a letter to your business to get a better perspective of the trajectory and forecast of your business. You learn to appreciate your business more with all of its strengths and weaknesses.
Contact Info:
- Website: midwesteatsbyjb.com
- Instagram: midwesteatsbyjb
- Facebook: Midwest Eats