Erin Bause, Chef and Owner of Bause Catered Events, joins ChedHer to discuss catering major life events and how her team pivoted their business during the pandemic.

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How This Chef Pivoted Her Catering Business During the Pandemic

Joining us now is Aaron Bows Chef and owner of bows, catered events. Aaron, Glad to have you on this morning, you have been in business for more than 30 years. Tell us a little bit more about, you know, your catering and meals to go business. Sure, thanks for having me. We started as a farmer's market business 30 years ago and our catering business grew out of that and through that we've gotten to know our clients both personally and professionally personally through their milestone events, their weddings and graduations and professionally through their corporate work with corporate rebranding large picnics, that kind of thing. And we're so grateful for that connection because those folks are loyal meals to go customers, they're ordering every week now and we're just so grateful. The event space obviously took a major impact during the pandemic and unfortunately so many people just had to shutter their doors and go out of business. You managed to navigate that. How did you find you know ways to pivot your business during what wasn't historic and unprecedented time when the pandemic began, the events that we were catering just weren't happening. And so just like everybody else, we had to be creative and pivot and our pivot was from an event based company to a curbside meals to go program with an online store and a weekly changing menu. Um our business model changed but we maintained our core values of local products and seasonal menus and but only this time with our online store, so we offer uh different entrees and desserts and high quality comfort foods and celebration meals each week. Um and we wanted to help our clients celebrate what mattered most. So we developed packages for Mother's Day and Father's Day valentine's Day, New Year's Eve and it's grown quite a bit. Um we wanted to support also our local hospital staff who are doing amazing job taking care of our community. And so in April of 2020 we began donating meals and our clients joined with us. They're just so generous. And um to date we've donated over 3000 meals and with each delivery, we sent along a handwritten thank you note with messages from our clients to the hospital staff and they posted on the hospital bulletin board um and our gifts of food programs started when clients started purchasing meals to go for friends and family who had a new baby who were sick at home. And that developed a whole nother shoot of income if you will, we're just so grateful for the support of our clients and our community. We know that you are participating in Chase's security coaching for entrepreneurs program. Can you talk to us a little bit about, you know what you've learned from this experience and importantly how can other women entrepreneurs access? What is a free resource to them? Yeah, the security coaching experience was invaluable. I worked with bright seasoned women in business and I learned about brand strategy and customer insights, website marketing and they really opened my eyes to new ways of thinking and operating and the coaching gave us directions and tools to move forward on our new path. I'd highly recommend it. Um It's free and it's available at chase dot com slash coaching. What advice do you have? You know, for small business owners out there, those who are coming out of this pandemic or even starting up their small business as as we come out of this pandemic. Sure, the advice I'd give is to do what you love and always continue learning and sharpening your skills. Lastly, before I have to let you go, what are your plans for continuing to grow this business again 30 years? No easy feat there by a long shot and of course continuing to expand that business. Sure, we're growing the business by expanding our delivery area. We're offering more gluten free and dairy free items. Were offering large size menu items for entertaining at home. We're collaborating with a local winery, developing wine tasting picnics to go for this summer and we're just continually adapting and changing. Well, congratulations again on all your success and the continued success to come, really appreciate your time. Aaron bows chef and owner of balls, catered events