Today we’d like to introduce you to Crystal Olmos
Hi Crystal , can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My career began with graduating with my degree in business & finance. I worked in insurance and financial services for several years before following another passion I had to become a teacher! I taught English & Language Arts for several years and while I enjoyed many aspects of it, I wanted the next season of my life to be focused on motherhood and raising my own babies! I “retired” from teaching and began pursuing my catering company more full-time at that point as I could schedule weddings and catering events for weekends, while still raising my children.
I had grown up with my mother owning restaurants and a catering company; I worked alongside her as a young teenager until I left for college. I learned so much at the restaurant and from catering events with my mother for years. When I started to pursue a catering company on my own, I loved that I could blend knowledge from the past with my own new techniques and culinary creations featuring high quality ingredients. Quality sourced food is important to my family and something I want for my clients as well.
Travel is another passion that’s important to my family! I love exploring new cuisine and recreating inspiring dishes I come across while traveling. Several years after beginning Elmbrook Catering Co., I began my travel advisor business as well, Olmos There Travel. I book trips and cruises all over the world for clients, with a special emphasis on all things Disney! (Yes, I’m a Disney adult! haha!) I always joke I can cater your wedding and book your honeymoon! I’m so grateful for the support of our community and them allowing me to serve them all of these years with both of my businesses!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
We are ALWAYS learning, right? And that’s what I love about entrepreneurship. I feel like if you are challenging yourself, things aren’t always going to be smooth… but that’s where growth happens. I remember once catering a gala for a non-profit with over 500 guests in attendance. It was at a venue with three different floors, with an elevator that hardly worked, and the tiniest prep space I’d ever seen at a venue. Figuring it out logistically was probably the biggest challenge I’d faced before or since… but the confidence and lessons learned from that event alone showed me that my team and I could do it! And if I could pull it off for this event and do a great job, I could basically do anything!
A struggle I sometimes face with my travel advisor business is balancing that fine line of overwhelming my clients by giving them too much information and not giving enough! I want to be a good travel advisor and share all the tips always but at the same time want clients to feel peaceful and not overwhelmed!
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Elmbrook Catering Co. and Olmos There Travel?
My more day to day job is booking travel for people and families, while catering events on weekends and special events during the week! I love that I am able to help families create amazing memories on vacations I plan for them! What most people don’t know is that you don’t pay any extra to use a travel agent so please use me! I love being a peace of mind for my clients and helping them with anything they need before, during and after travel! I travel all over and also book anything from Europe to Hawaii, to cruises and all-inclusive resorts, to all things Disney! My family is definitely known for our love of Disney; we are annual passholders to Disney World and go about every other month! I enjoy staying up to date on all of the latest and greatest for my clients and document our travels on Instagram: @crystalolmostheretravel
I equally love helping my catering clients with making their events delicious and special! I tend to book weddings and company events more than anything but also offer catering for private events as well such as baby showers and birthday parties! I also enjoy catering for my neighborhood and their favorites are my fancy chicken salad, pimento cheese, and garlic herb pecan cheese! For weddings, most of my clients choose our Italiano menu or Tex- Mex fajitas!
How do you think about happiness?
My wonderful husband Jason and our three children mean everything to me. Our faith in Jesus being the center of my family’s home and our businesses makes me the happiest! At the end of this life, the love we were able to pour out on people is what will last and matter… if I can do that for others using my God given gifts and talents, and teach my children to do that too… then that’s everything.
I love when my clients are happy and feel cared for, and if I know that I delivered that- I’m happy!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.elmbrookcatering.com
- Instagram: @crystalolmostheretravel @elmbrookcatering
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/elmbrookcatering/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@olmostheretravel?feature=shared
Image Credits
Kaylie Owens
