Turning $500 into a Restaurant Empire: Episode #11 w/True

Episode 11: True Daniels Providing client-friendly services is one of the most important aspects of any service business. Not only does it help with your overall client experience, but it also helps you stand out from the competition and can provide a reason for your clients to return to you instead of the other options out there. What's more, you gain the chances of meeting potential new customers through your existing clients – which is why a little flexibility can go a long way to fostering healthy client relationships. True Daniels, my guest for today's episode, is a living example of how quality combined with hard work and flexibility can take your business up by manifold times. True is a chef and caterer who started her journey as a solopreneur and later expanded to her own business driven by the values of culture and community. True and I dig into many topics, including her humble journey to entrepreneurship, the importance of collaboration and growth mindset in business, and how to pour back into the community. Sometimes, all you need to do is give your dreams a go – who knows, maybe, it's incredibly worth it? Shoutout to our Sponsor, Morgan and Co.: https://www.morganandcorealty.com About True! True Daniels is the owner of the restaurant True's Cultural kitchen and is a personal chef and caterer. She studied culinary science, started her journey selling foods to local business owners, and gradually grew her business. True aspires to hold healthy conversations on food and food interests with the community to raise awareness about it. Connect With True! Instagram: https://instagram.com/trues_cultural_kitchen Connect with Me! Instagram: https://instagram.com/drkwashingtonHost: Dr. K Time Stamps [00:00] Sneak peek[00:59] About our sponsor, Morgan and Co Realty[01:47] Meet True Daniels, a restaurant owner, personal chef, and caterer[02:13] True shares how her idea of a restaurant was influenced by her mother[03:48] True talks about her educational background, culinary interest, how she started selling cooked food, and her first customers who've helped her tremendously in her business[05:36] True shares how her restaurant started picking up pace over the years and how the process was gradual – "It was not overnight, I was selling my dinners out of my car for like, probably a year. And then I branched off into like, catering, and people started to get my menu. And then I moved from going to barber shops to corporate buildings I used to service Virginia Dominion Power."[06:37] From solopreneur to business owner: True explains the pivot[08:38] True explains her understanding of the importance and power of the community [11:08] The diverse cuisines offered at True's restaurant and her selection of the recipes[13:44] Why it helps to be flexible with your services to help your clientele and why it's difficult to be successful if you're very rigid in your offerings[14:14] True's mother is her greatest role model[15:09] True talks about their family recipes and how it's influenced her restaurant menu [17:50] The obstacles that True's business dealt with during COVID[18:40] On collaboration, competitiveness, and business expansion[22:08] How Google reviews help a business and how True encourages customers to leave a review if they have the time to[23:22] Life before starting the restaurant and why True in having healthy conversations with people about food and nutrition[26:20] About The Morning Meetup[27:21] True explains how it's the tough times that encourage us to do better in life – "Normally, we're just comfortable in the place that we are until a situation makes us uncomfortable."[30:47] The hardest lesson True had to learn in business, including collaborating and asking for help when necessary[38:35] What you can do to support True in her journey[39:18] Success clues from today's episode!  How about you start your day with a powerful dose of encouragement and motivation to fuel your entrepreneurial spirit? Connect with me and my mentor, David Shands, and hundreds of inspiring entrepreneurs like yourself on The Morning Meetup -- every Monday to Friday at 8 am! Join The Morning Meetup: https://www.themorningmeetup.com/1dollartrial#successleavescluespodcast KW Used: importance of collaboration       Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy