Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Henry.
Katie, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Over the last 15 years, life has not stopped for me. I worked as an elementary school teacher, married my best friend, graduated with a MA in School Counseling, worked as an elementary school counselor, got my MA in Professional Counseling, obtained my License in Professional Counseling, and began working as a counselor in a private practice, all while having and raising my three children. Needless to say, although life was fun and fulfilling, it was hectic!
In March of 2017, I lost my mom suddenly. At that time, I was working as a School Counselor in Frisco. It happened right in the middle of my craziest week of the year… STAAR testing. As you can imagine, it was devastating. It not only helped me see a new perspective on life as a mom to my own three children, but I knew that my days spent working around the clock had to stop. About that time, my family moved from Frisco to Prosper and I decided to leave behind my job as a school counselor and venture into a part-time, less demanding job, seeing clients in a private practice setting. This allowed me to have more time for family, more time to be a mom, and more time to entertain.
Enter the cheese board.
It was MY therapy.
I would come home to my kitchen (a.k.a. my happy place), pour myself a cocktail, ask Alexa to play Michael Buble. and the magic would happen. My friends and family would come over and we would all sit around this delicious and beautiful centerpiece… the board. We talked and grazed and tried different combinations of cheese, meat, olives, jams, nuts and whatever fun addition I tested out that night. Over time, friends began asking me to make them aboard for a party or an event. “You mean, you can’t do this?” I would ask. “Wait… you’d pay me to do this?!” The thought literally floored me! So, after dragging my feet and telling myself that I wasn’t good enough to start a business making boards for other people… my neighbor called and said, “Katie, I’m your first client. I need a board and it’s time for you to do this.” And that was the beginning of a scary but beautiful adventure called Board and Bread in Texas.
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?
It has definitely not been a smooth or easy road. My schooling was all in education and counseling. I am NOT at all knowledgeable in the world of business. I have struggled with fear, lack of confidence, and not even knowing who to ask or what to ask. When it came to creating a logo, marketing strategies, budgeting, and finance, I was clueless.
Luckily, I have an incredible husband, a sister that’s always there for me and an amazing group of friends that are always willing to give me their input. I am sure they got sick of me asking them for feedback, but they definitely didn’t ever show it. I am so grateful for that! Without my support system cheering me on, I would not be where I am today.
Please tell us about Board and Bread in Texas.
Board and Bread is a custom charcuterie service. We create beautiful, creative and delicious platters consisting of cheeses, meats, olives, pickles, jams, nuts, fruit, etc. to accompany any setting where a gathering is encouraged. The boards range in size and can be customized to your budget, taste or special requests. Our smallest board is perfect for date night or an intimate night in, From there, they get progressively bigger, and can be all the way up to 6 ft grazing tables. If you are looking to impress your guests, our Motherboard is the way to go. This board ranges from 4ft to 6ft and includes a large variety of delicious food to gather around. No other food is needed!
People tell me all the time that their board was “the talk of the party.” Not only are they beautiful to look at, but the variety of foodie combinations and exciting bites keep your guests wanting more. Some of the crowd favorites are: brie and honeycomb, peppadew peppers stuffed with manchego, honey goat cheese with fig jam and the hot pepper bacon jam add a kick to any combination you can think of. Every board is unique, in season and guaranteed to light up the party and your taste buds.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma. My brother and sister were 11 years and 13 years older than me. (Yes, I was the best surprise ever.) I always wanted to go everywhere with them and their friends. When I was five, my brother was 18. He’d agree to let me ride around with him, only because it helped him get the girls. They thought it was cute that he was “so sweet” to take me around with him. I thought it was amazing to hang out with teenage girls. It was a win-win.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.boardandbreadintexas.com
- Phone: 214-923-9147
- Email: info@boardandbreadintexas.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/board_and_bread/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BoardandBreadinTexas/
- Twitter: Board and Bread in Texas
- Yelp: Board and Bread in Texas
- Other: Board and Bread in Texas
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