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

Melissa, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Often outsiders look at a successful business and think it became a success overnight. Even media and especially movies love to gloss over nitty, gritty details that went into that middle phase of your business – after you started but before you got to where you are today. In our experience, overnight success is usually the result of years of hard work laying the foundation for success, but unfortunately, it’s exactly this part of the story that most of the media ignores. Can you talk to us about your scaling up story – what are some of the nitty, gritty details folks should know about?

Scaling up is such a fun topic because it reminds me of all I’ve done in the past—what I became good at and what I was able to let go of.
I am owner and co-owner of a few businesses but the scale up has been the same for all of them.
I learn how to do every part of the job that needs to be done and then I see what I love doing, what I’m good at doing, what I don’t love doing and what I’m not good at doing. Everything in the “what I’m not good at” gets immediately outsourced. Or is at least top of the list for when I can afford to outsource.
From there “what I don’t love doing” gets outsourced.
The goal is to only be doing what I love and what I’m good at.
Sometimes I end up doing all 4–good at, love, not good at, don’t love. Because I don’t have help or it’s a new concept I’m working through.

But the ultimate goal is for me to be doing what I love and what I’m good at. And other people to be doing what they love and are good at, which is what I don’t love and am not good at!

It’s a win win and a total scale up! We make more money, less stress, happier, calmer. It’s just all around a better deal.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I have loved cooking since I was a little girl and have been writing about food for almost 20 years. These two things are my passion. They are what I want people to know me for.
But, there are a lot more pieces to my puzzle… or pie!
My husband and I own a working cattle farm in Texas, Tate Farms, and produce grass fed, grass finished beef. We sell at our local farmers market and host a farmers co-op to provide fresh, local food to our community. We host large and small events at our farm including, the annual Texas Pie Fest every spring.
Through the event production and hospitality side of our business we began to be invited to curate artist lounges at outdoor music festivals.
All of these things are fun and fulfilling and have lead to me meeting some amazing people.

But again, my passion is the cooking and food writing. This translates in my weekly articles with Static Media, for The Takeout, my recipes that I share on social media, collaborating with brands and working closely with my literary agent, Sally Ekus, to author my first cookbook.

They all intertwine and at times it’s hard to separate in order to put the right amount of energy in the right direction.

Sometimes I have to recalibrate. Actually, lots of times I have to recalibrate!

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

I think the most effective strategy for growing clientele is the biweekly newsletter I send out to our email list and the social media check ins.
The newsletter is truly a personal way to reach out to your customers/community. I always share recipe in the newsletter, tell about upcoming events and just remind people who we are, what we do and how they can find us.
It is said that people have to hear something 7 times to remember it.
So I really try to be consistent with our newsletter which talk about our beef (the cattle business), any upcoming events (the event business) and it includes one of my recipes (my personal brand—writing and recipes).

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

I had to unlearn the old saying if “If you want to do it right, you gotta do it yourself.”
I’m not saying it isn’t true! I’m just saying I had to unlearn it because
1. That will kill you
2. You will get so burned out
3. You won’t trust anyone to do the job
4. No one will want to work with you

I’d rather be happy than right. And as long as my clients and community are satisfied and taken care of, I am happy.
There are several ways to do one job. It doesn’t always have to be my way!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.melissatatetx.com
• Instagram: @melissatatetx
• Facebook: @melissatatetx

Image Credits

Meggie Taylor
Lucy Krodell