Today we’d like to introduce you to Micaela Green.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was born and raised in Houston, Texas. I moved to Nashville, TN to attend Vanderbilt University where I got my Bachelor of Arts degree. Upon graduating, I moved back home to Houston to teach for two years. Somewhere along the way, I realized I had a passion for being around students and watching them grow, but not necessarily being in the classroom. During my second year of teaching, I was accepted into an accelerated program at The University of Texas at Austin. I moved to Austin to get my Master of Science degree where I spent a lot of time in class, but my favorite past time was eating seafood at a local spot in North Austin on Fridays.
I didn’t expect to start Kae’s Kitchen last year, but when I jokingly posted a picture of a seafood plate I made one night for dinner and said “I should start selling seafood if this school thing doesn’t work out”, there were so many people who responded that I thought “hmm I may have something”. I went to the store the next day to create “tester” plates to see if people would actually buy them and sure enough all of those plates sold out. I spent the next few days asking friends for feedback on names and logos, creating a website, and taking pictures for the social media platforms. Then, one early morning, I pressed launch on the site and Kae’s Kitchen was born.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Lol, no. In the beginning, I was taking orders around the clock, cooking all the orders, delivering all the orders, and everything else under the sun, by myself. I’m still doing everything by myself, but I have a better handle on scheduling. I’m on a 24-hour pre-order system and when I have food leftover, I usually announce it on my Kae’s Kitchen social media platforms and those plates will get sold too. There’s a lot that I’m still learning and if I have questions, there are definitely people from whom I seek advice. However, every day is a learning process.
I would say my advice to other women starting out is to be okay with imperfection, at first. I learn so much about myself and my business with each passing day. There’s still so much that I want to accomplish with this business and I know that I’ve only scratched the surface. Starting this business has made me 100x more resilient and for that, I’m grateful. There were times when I had to slow down on taking orders because trying to figure out how to manage it all was a lot for me. Then, I announced the pre-order system and things got better. Sometimes, it’s okay to step back and reflect, so you can revise your game plan. Pauses are okay but don’t stop.
What should we know about Kae’s Kitchen? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I’m a former educator and a future management consultant. Over the years, I have hosted game nights, movie nights, etc. at my college dorm and my apartment where I’d cook for my friends. I loved cooking and trying out new recipes for my friends and family, but I never dreamed of turning my hobby into a business. Kae’s Kitchen primarily makes seafood dishes, but it is my hope to eventually grow my team and expand into other types of cuisines (tacos have been highly requested).
I’m most proud of having built a loyal customer base so early on. There have been a few times where some customers ordered food for lunch and then ordered again for dinner. Things like that warm my heart. I hate the sound of people eating, but the sound of people eating food that I’ve prepared for them has become one of my favorite sounds. Kae’s Kitchen, seafood wise, is different from other seafood places because our food comes with drizzled in a house made sauce with a spicy dipping sauce on the side. Each of our plates come with the traditional seafood sides and delivery options were available from the business’ inception. I created Kae’s Kitchen with my ideal meal experience in mind and the feedback, thus far, has been amazing!
Do you have any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general? What has worked well for you?
I am constantly seeking mentors and would love one in the food industry space. However, on a networking level, I use social media to reach out to people all the time. Furthermore, it is on social media and general word of mouth that I’ve started to build a network around me. I’m looking to continue to grow this network in 2020.
Pricing:
- Kae’s Kitchen seafood plates range from $15-$30
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kaeskitchen.com
- Email: kaeskitchenhtx@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaeskitchenhtx/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shopkaeskitchenhtx/
Image Credit:
Micaela Green, owner of Kae’s Kitchen
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