by 
Misty Sommers, Clementine Boutique Services
Misty Sommers of Clementine Boutique Chef Services knows what it takes to make people feel cared for – fresh, all natural food that tastes delicious and is delivered to your doorstep. Offering weekly meal deliveries, party and event catering, and everything in between, Clementine’s owners don’t shy away from taking on new challenges. From running restaurants to starting a business to accommodating almost any special request, Misty, her husband Brian/Clementine chef Brian and their 8-year-old CIO (son, Franklin – aka Chief Inspiration Officer) know what it takes to be successful entrepreneurs. As they celebrate Clementine’s one year anniversary, Misty talks about how they transformed a life long career into a dream job working for themselves.
1. What is the most interesting thing about you or your business?
I think the most interesting thing about our business is our customers. Feeding people is such a personal thing and we feel a tremendous connection to our customers through their individual needs, wants, likes and dislikes. No two are alike and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
2. What makes business ownership worth it to you?
Brian and I have, collectively, worked in the hospitality industry (mainly high-end restaurants) for nearly 50 years and have made quite a few people quite a bit of money along the way. We love what we do, are fanatical about quality and have always been willing to do whatever it takes to put the best food and service in front of each guest. This type of dedication is much easier to fuel (we’ve found) when working for ourselves.
3. Describe your typical day.
“Typical”? Ha! Ha! I don’t believe we’ve had a typical day yet! In reality, for the most part, the day-to-day operations of Clementine include menu planning, social media posting, phone call fielding from current customers about orders and special needs, email fielding from prospective customers about our services, food deliveries and the occasional cocktail party or dinner party.
4. Would you ever trade running your own business for a 9 to 5 job?
Absolutely not. While small business ownership can be demanding, we would never trade what we have built for a job working for someone else… ever again.
5. What advice would you give to someone considering business ownership or entrepreneurism? Are there certain skills or traits they need to be successful?
I think anyone considering business ownership should really consider whether they are absolutely passionate about their idea. More than talent, skill and hard work, I think passion is, far and away, the most valuable asset a successful business owner possesses. Passion is what will make the long hours seem shorter, passion is what will get you through the rough times, passion is what will put the smile on your face and passion is what will come across to the customer through your service.
6. Why do you think you’re successful? What does success mean to you?
Although still very small in scale, we consider ourselves phenomenally successful. We took a huge leap of faith, built a business out of nothing (literally nothing) and now have something that is ours and is thriving. We did this. We do this everyday. It’s ours and we are proud of every bite of food that leaves our kitchen. That, in a nutshell, is how we measure our success.
