We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sandra Ortiz. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sandra below.

Sandra, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. The first dollar your business earns is always special and we’d love to hear how your brand made its first dollar of revenue.

It was a truly special moment that marked the beginning of Rosemary and Brie. Having run my own cleaning business for nine years, I had built a wonderful, loyal community of about 250 clients. When I decided to transition into the world of charcuterie, I reached out to them to share my new passion.

One client took a leap of faith and asked me to create a board for a gathering of ten people. At the time, my designs were much simpler than the elegant arrangements I create today, but I poured my heart into it. When I delivered the board, he was absolutely thrilled—the feedback was so positive that I knew right then I was ready to fully commit.

That first payment gave me the confidence to move forward professionally. I immediately started developing a formal menu with names that truly represent my brand’s personality—like the “Bring Some Extra Brie” board for cheese lovers, and the “Let’s Get Together” board for small gatherings. It was the perfect bridge from my years of service in one industry to my new creative journey!

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 background and context?

My journey is one defined by transition, discipline, and a deep-rooted entrepreneurial spirit. Originally from Peru, I graduated with a degree in Economics and Finance and spent several years building a career in that field. That academic and professional background gave me a strong foundation in management, numbers, and the “why” behind a successful business.

When I moved to this country, I knew I wanted the flexibility of being my own boss that way I could also spend time with my kids and my husband and me launched a cleaning business that we proudly ran for nine years, growing it to a loyal community.

After years of building that foundation, I felt it was finally time to pursue my second passion: the culinary arts. I have always loved to cook and create, and Rosemary and Brie is the result of merging my professional discipline with my creative heart.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

The transition from a high-demand service business to a creative culinary brand was one of the greatest tests of my resilience. When I finally launched Rosemary and Brie, I expected my existing client base from my previous business to transition with me. However, reality was different. That first year was incredibly difficult; orders were sparse, and there were moments when I felt I was doing something wrong or that perhaps this dream simply wasn’t meant for me. It would have been easy to retreat into the comfort of my established business, but I chose to lean in instead.

I realized that in this new era, social media and digital presence are the heartbeat of a brand. I refused to let my business fall behind, so I committed to a period of intense “becoming.” I completely renewed my website to reflect the premium quality of my work and invested heavily in marketing and content creation. To stay ahead of trends, I innovated by creating a custom Charcuterie Cart, which became a signature piece that set me apart at events.

I began proactively reaching out to venues and building a strategic network of vendor contacts. My discipline shifted from just “managing” to “building.” Today, that persistence has paid off. I have moved from those quiet early days to becoming a recognized name among major vendors, and I am incredibly proud to share that Rosemary and Brie is now featured in Baltimore Weddings magazine. This journey taught me that success isn’t just about having a passion, it’s about having the resilience to innovate when the world is quiet.

Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?

One of my favorite sales stories and perhaps the most defining moment for Rosemary and Brie, happened about a year ago. After grinding to build my brand and digital presence, I received a reach-out that felt like a dream: Baltimore legend Ed Reed wanted me to be part of his “Party of the Year.”  

This wasn’t just any celebration; it was a major event to benefit the Ed Reed’s Foundation, which does incredible work for the youth in our community. The odds felt high because an event of this caliber usually looks for established, decades-old catering giants. I remember the mix of nerves and pure excitement, feeling that all those hours spent refining my website and perfecting my aesthetic on social media had finally led to this “seat at the table.”  

I decided to go all in. I didn’t just want to provide food; I wanted to provide an experience that matched the prestige of a Hall of Famer’s foundation. To make it truly personal, I custom-carved his iconic player number, 20, out of cheese letters as a centerpiece for the display. Seeing my brand, something I had built from the ground up with my own hands being enjoyed by Ed Reed and Baltimore’s most influential figures was a full-circle moment. That sale wasn’t just about the revenue; it was the moment “Rosemary and Brie” officially arrived on the map as a premier name in the city

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.rosemaryandbrie.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosemarynbrie?igsh=YWh1eDR3NDh0dDFv
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/RosemaryNBrie