Career Roadmap
Jennifer's work combines: Entrepreneurship, Food, and Learning / Being Challenged
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Teacher Education, Multiple Levels
Marshall University
Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Chefs and Head Cooks:
Bachelor's Degree: Business Administration and Management, General
Learn more about different paths to this career
Life & Career Milestones
I've taken a lot of twists and turns
1.
My first job was at Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream. The food service industry was always my back-up job.
2.
I majored in education in college, because I didn't see food service as a serious career.
3.
After college, I got married & became a stay-at-home mom for 6 years.
4.
During that time I worked part-time for a couple of catering companies & started in direct sales.
5.
I liked owning my own business, but my success caused stress on my marriage, so I quit.
6.
When I went back to work full-time I worked in radio sales. One of my clients owned a restaurant.
7.
That client hired me to do their marketing and start a catering division. The restaurant closed.
8.
I had catering business booked for the restaurant when it closed, so I started Ms. Groovy's Kitchen.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Parents:
You should get a safe job working 9 to 5 in an office or something. Maybe I could get a job teaching. I hear regularly that I work way too hard and she doesn't know how or why I do it.
How I responded:
I just decided to leap. When I worked for the radio station as a sales rep I got the opportunity to meet a lot of business owners. That's when I knew I really wanted to own my own business. Food service was always fun and easy to me. When I went to work for the restaurant, I found my passion for cooking. When I had the opportunity to combine my two passions of business ownership and cooking it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up. I decided to leap and failure wasn't an option.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I am a single mother of four children. When my husband (who is a CPA) & I split I had very little money and zero credit. Working hard to change things is how I deal with it.
I am ADHD. I have lots of tricks that help me focus and I surround myself with great people who have strengths where I have weaknesses.