We recently connected with Monique Burns and have shared our conversation below.

Monique , appreciate you joining us today. Almost all entrepreneurs have had to decide whether to start now or later? There are always pros and cons for waiting and so we’d love to hear what you think about your decision in retrospect. If you could go back in time, would you have started your business sooner, later or at the exact time you started?

If I can return in time, I genuinely wish to start my business sooner. I have always known that I wanted to have my own business and be a personal/private chef, but fear has always stayed in the way. I started my business, and during most of the pandemic, my business was slowly growing while everything was shutting down. I have always wanted to start, and finally, it became a reality. But the pandemic pushed me into the unknown, and I was terrified. Once I started with my first client when things were moving in the right direction, and that’s when my business began to grow beyond my wildest imagination. If I could go back in time, I would’ve started my business a long time ago, roughly about five years ago. The only person standing in the way with me was letting myself out and getting away. Fear had me in a chokehold that I allowed to happen, and the hardest thing for you to do when we were in running your own business is to just start, just like working out. It’s going to hurt in the beginning, but you will get used to a routine and see results.

Monique , 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?

I started my career in Hollywood, California, working under two incredible chefs cooking for high-performing athletes and A-list celebrities. At the time, I could not afford culinary school, so I connected with some of the best chefs in the industry and worked as an intern.

I am proud to say that my company provides a luxury experience of in-home personalized meal prep, intimate dining experience, and private celebration.

One of my most popular services is our in-home personalized meal prep service. We create custom menus to fit the lifestyle of each of our clients, creating unique menus that will keep their pallets intrigued, all while preparing meals in their homes. We also organize and clean the fridge, taking the stress off your plate and allowing them to return to the essential things in life.

My company, The Positive Chef, focuses on the things in life to make you feel like sunshine. We know how the world can get so hectic and crazy and how we become more overworked, exhausted, and drained during this time. The Positive Chef takes the stress off your plate, allowing you to reclaim your time and get back to the important thing, whether it’s yourself or your family/ friends. We focus more on the human experience. We are here to nourish the soul and inspire wellness.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

The lesson I had to unlearn when I started my business was that you couldn’t do everything. You may think you can. You may write it down 1000 times, but you cannot do everything. I had to sit back and get a bump on the head because I thought I could do it all. When I started my business, I had my hand in everything bookkeeping, website development, social media, and marketing, and I controlled all the emails. I have my hands on it. I was going strong for a good couple of weeks, I think almost like a couple of months, and then I hit a wall, and when I hit the wall, it was a hard hit. I stopped everything because I was just so burnt out. It was at a point where I didn’t even walk into my office. I didn’t sit in my office. I didn’t touch anything in my office. I just needed to get away because I was so engulfed in everything, and that’s when I told myself that I couldn’t keep doing this. My well-being is more important, and it’s time to ask for help. I’m still running strong, but now I have a team. I’ve learned that some people can, and I’m just not one of them, so don’t be afraid to ask for help, and don’t be scared to say no. Sometimes, you have to say yes to everything, but magic will follow you. You don’t need to chase it. It will come to you.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

The best source for getting new clients for me has been social media and word-of-mouth. I hate to say it on social media has been great because people can look me up on my Instagram or my TikTok, and they can see my work and see what I bring to the table, so that has been a beautiful platform to get new clients and also just word of mouth has been great. I’m like the little hidden secret in Phoenix, Arizona,

Contact Info:

• Website: Thepositivechef.com
• Instagram: @chefmonique_
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/The-Positive-Chef/100084474537503/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-positive-chef-phoenix
• Other: TikTok : @Chefmonique_

Image Credits
Photo Credit: ajsmphoto.com