Hi there!

Do you ever just STOP and take the time to reflect on your journey thus far, your career choices, business, lifestyle, decisions made and challenges overcome to arrive at your current point of time?  Are you living out your purpose?

I thought I would share a bit of my story …. I have been taking a trip down memory lane over the past few weeks, as I was in the final stages of rolling out collateral for my sub-brand ‘Queen of Foodiness’. 

In searching through archive files on my computer for graphic design specs on labels printed for my previous restaurant/ gourmet store ‘Panache Gourmet Food & Wine’, I came across images of the site.  A friend from WA had also recently sent me a current pic of the location in Subiaco.  Wow what an amazing feeling to be transported back in time, the floodgates opened! 

Have you ever experienced that just by looking at a photo?

If you have developed a hospitality business from scratch you would relate to the effort in the research undertaken, sourcing an ideal location, designing and developing a site from ground up, staffing, set-up to opening day.  The customers who were regulars, producers & suppliers, the staff who became like family, the catering, events & special occasions celebrated, running a separate catering site for an outdoor cinema season as part of an arts festival, to final days of trading, these are all treasured memories. 

Not so treasured are the long 18+ hour days on site managing the biz, eventually getting down to 3 hours sleep/ night, to the final decision to close and move back across East.

Fast-track moving to Melbourne, plans to open a mini version of Panache shelved with the unexpected death of my father and taking time out to settle affairs led to my decision to get back into corporate life and help develop a business to the next level of growth. 

After four years, finalising projects and doing 12 hour days, plus the realisation I was not wanting to be the day-to-day ‘go to fixer’, it was time to get back to working for myself utilising all the skills & knowledge gained from 20+ years in banking and tourism & hospitality to starting my consulting biz, initially in the tourism sector.  Life has a way of throwing curve balls, 6 months in my partner Edwin was diagnosed with brain cancer…

With every adversity we encounter in life, the flip-side is the opportunity to get back-to-basics, to dig deep and focus on what serves you and what you need to let go of.   In determining where your true purpose lies in making a difference to not only your life it quite often leads you to light bulb moments on how you may best serve others through their challenges. 

Have you found this to be the case? 

I love supporting small business owners/ entrepreneurs, I understand the challenges of building a business, the overwhelm in taking too much on as opportunity arises.  I so wish when I was running Panache that I was surrounded by the right mentors, having a sounding board to run strategies by, to learn to say no, to get clear on vision & goals.  Imagine not having social media to facilitate the roll out of marketing, the time + cost spent on non-digital marketing campaigns alone!  

Two years ago I realised I was denying my passion for everything foodie, I am a teacher at heart, I love inspiring others to source local fresh produce for optimum health & wellness.  It has taken years of research, appropriate diet choices, natural therapies and mindset not only for Edwin’s ongoing health & wellness journey, but to boost our energy levels to pack in every experience & opportunity that resonates.   

I had no plans given the time and effort to open another restaurant/ gourmet store, however given my observation that small business owners & busy corporates alike do not give themselves enough self-care to give focus and energy to their biz, the idea evolved in developing the ‘Queen of Foodiness’ brand as an adjunct and complimentary to my consulting biz.

I would love to hear your story.  How did you start out in business, what were the common threads that showed up in your working life over the years, are you still in the same industry?  Comment below…