66: Carrie Gabrielson Shares Her Recipe For Success

Send us Fan MailA restaurant dream doesn’t always start with a business plan. Sometimes it starts with a side hustle, a community connection, and a door that opens a little too easily to ignore. We sit down with Carrie Gabrielson, who went from the coaching world and a clever micro catering concept to co-owning Soul on Main in Nicholasville with her husband CJ, a classically trained chef with a lifelong passion for food.We talk through the real timeline of becoming first-time restaurant owners: the surprise opportunity, the heartbreak of a location that fell through at the signing table, and the way one introduction led to a downtown Main Street space that needed a major historic renovation. Carrie gets honest about the build-out process, contractor learning curves, and the stress of watching money go out before a single dollar comes in. If you’re a small business owner thinking about brick and mortar, this part is the reality check you actually want.Then we get practical about restaurant marketing and customer experience. Soul on Main didn’t rely on paid ads or billboards. They focused on word of mouth, clear online info, and social media that feels human, creative, and unmistakably on brand. We also dig into what makes the restaurant stand out: from-scratch cooking, original recipes, local produce and farm partnerships, a full bar, and a hospitality philosophy that treats one tops like the highest compliment.If you love small business stories, local restaurants, and honest entrepreneurship, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a quick rating or review so more besties can find the support and friendship we’re building.Follow CarrieFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ccgabrielsonInstagram: @carriegcoachingFollow Soul On MainWebsite: https://soulonmain.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563659532381 Instagram: @soulonmainCheck out the Small Business Bestie WebsiteFollow along on the Facebook or InstagramJoin the growing community on Facebook