Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jose Martinez. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Jose thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

The biggest risk I’ve taken is becoming my own boss. I was in a very comfortable serving job with one of the biggest theme parks which provided and allowed me to live very comfortably. When I took the leap of faith to work for myself I found myself in a very unfamiliar position where I was no longer able to show up, work a few days, and pay my bills for the month. I had to build a pretty thorough budget, and maintain it. I knew I had to grow the business and live in the unknown.

Jose, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I have always wanted to be a cook. When I was much younger, I would go to my grandma’s house pull out all of her pots and pans and pretend to cook on her kitchen floor. As a grew older I interned with a family friend at her bakery and cake shop. At a young age I learned how to crumb coat cakes, create basic decorations, make various cake batters and cookie doughs, and even boxed and prepared orders for their clients. While I was in high school I was part of the Culinary Arts career path in which I reinforced basic skills and techniques, and I passed the ServSafe exam scoring the highest grade in my class of 140 students with a 96%. During this time I was also active in the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) where I competed in one of the national STAR events in the entrepenurship competition. Through this competition I learned about business plans, what lenders sought in buisiness plans, and created my own to create a bakery. I was one of thousands of students who competed on a national level, and I placed third in the country. I graduated and attended Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte, North Carolina. At JWU I earned my Associates in Culinary Arts and Bachelors in Food Service Management.

Through my studies I interned with the Walt Disney World Company. This internship brought me to a full time position at then number one rated restaurant on property – Narcoossee’s. During my time at the resturant I was the youngest and only line cook to get items on the menu that were developed and curated specifically for the menu. Through my career with the company I learned I wanted to be challenged in ways I was not being challenged in my line cook position. After changing positions and eventually hosting, serving, and bartending I left the company to embark on a journey that would allow me to showcase my passion and creativity.

I distinctly remember sitting on a friend’s sofa a week or so after leaving Disney and watching the first cases of what would be COVID-19 emerging in China and days later it was spreading at rapid rates and spreading quick, all I could think was “this was a terrible time to jump head first into a new journey,” As the pandemic spread there was a need for parents who were pulling triple duty as teacher, parent, and employee to get help in the kitchen. The challenge of finding groceries, planning, preparing, and cleaning up after multiple meals a day was daunting, and our meal service “Dinners Delivered” was born.

We have spent the last three years building a following for our meal service. We’ve become a staple in many homes over this time and our clients have come to love the ease and convenience of receiving made from scratch meals to their door.

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

I think consistency is our driving force. Consistent communication, customer service, quality, and our employees make our business what it is. We strive to respond to our clients and inquiries in a timely manner. We go above and beyond to make sure our clients are satisfied, and work quickly to resolve any opportunities that are brought to our attention. Consistency in quality is probably the most important for our clients. They have come to know our product (both meal service and catering) for being fresh, made from scratch, and chef inspired. It is vital we continue to be true to ourselves and our attributes. Finally having a consistent pool of employees who are the face of our business has been instrumental to building relationships with our clients. Our meal service drivers have seen families and fur-children grow our clients and drivers alike are excited to see one another, and when I have a driver out for any reason, I often receive messages to be sure they are ok.

With catering – it’s vital we provide a consistent product, consistent service, and a consistent experience. Our catering division has grown by leaps and bounds on word of mouth. Basing our growth on word of mouth it’s imperative we have a consistent product for our clients so the cycle continues.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

I manage my team they way I would like to be managed. Each employee needs to have a tailored approach to how they are developed. Some employees are independent thinkers and a clear outline of expectations gives them plenty of direction to self-govern. Other employees need much more direction and management to keep them developing into the best version of themselves. Being able to understand what each of my employees need is vital to keeping them happy. It’s often times easier to use a blanket approach to leading a team, but, it often leads to burnout as employees feel like they are not heard or not being led.

Contact Info:

• Website: c2dinnersdelivered.com
• Instagram: @confectionatelyconfections
• Facebook: facebook.com/confectionatelyconfections

Image Credits
Lazatta Photography for Headshot