Carolina Gomez | Talented Chef, Business Counselor and Strategist
The Chief
Carolina Gomez is a talented chef, business counselor and strategist in Washington DC. Having worked at some of the top restaurants in the city, she has made a name for herself in the culinary world. She owns Foodbizmentor.com and helps food entrepreneurs start and grow their food businesses. She’s also a business counselor and strategist, helping entrepreneurs and small business owners achieve their goals. Her passion for cooking started at a young age when she was 15 years old and since then, she never stopped working in the restaurant industry. Carolina grew up in Washington DC and her parents are Colombian so while growing up, she frequently traveled back and forth between Colombia and DC. She worked in many restaurants and completed her bachelor’s degree at the Culinary Institute of America. Carolina understands the challenges that entrepreneurs face and has a proven track record of helping them overcome obstacles and achieve their goals. Her unique combination of culinary and business skills has made her a sought-after consultant in the Washington DC area. She works with a wide range of clients, from established restaurants looking to expand their business to first-time entrepreneurs just starting out. Her passion for food and business is evident in everything she does, and she is sure to continue making a positive impact in both industries for years to come.
About Foodbizmentor
Foodbizmentor.com has been in business since 2017 (6 years and counting). Carolina opened her last business “Straw Stick & Brick Delicatessen” in 2010 and began consulting in 2013. Foodbizmentor.com helps its clients by providing professional consulting services. As a leading Consultant based in the D.M.V. (Washington D.C., Maryland, Virginia area), they’ve guided clients through important decisions and changes. At Food Biz Mentor, they transformed the lives of their clients that are entrepreneurs, new to the food industry, as well as those business owners that have been in the scene for a long time. It is a valuable online resource for food entrepreneurs looking to start or grow their businesses. The website provides a wide range of tools, resources, and information to help food business owners succeed in a competitive industry. From business planning and financial management to marketing and branding, Foodbizmentor.com offers practical advice and guidance at every stage of its client’s journey. They also offer a range of courses and workshops designed specifically for emerging entrepreneurs. These programs cover everything from recipe development and menu planning to financial management and legal compliance.
Mission, Motto and Tagline
Carolina Gomez knows that small business ownership is difficult to navigate and many chefs who want to open their restaurants are in constant need of support. That’s why she started Foodbizmentor.com with the motto of “Build the life you want to live”. As we know, the food industry is cutthroat and very busy. One needs to build a business that will allow the quality of life they are seeking. This is why writing a business plan and having the correct and experienced business strategist is so essential. Foodbizmentor.com not only helps in building the client’s businesses but also mentors food entrepreneurs through the toughest challenges.
Roots of Motivation
Talking about how she entered into this profession Carolina Gomez says, “I am a first-generation Colombian American. My father was a small business owner and my mother helped him in that business. I grew up helping them in their business and I fell in love with the opportunity that being an entrepreneur brings.”The turmoil situations and urge to do something about the problems she observed throughout her career led Carolina to the embarking and life-changing journey. When asked about how the idea of entrepreneurship came into her mind she says, “I felt so alone when I had the deli. I was in a bad personal situation and felt very lonely. I wished there was someone I could call and talk to about my challenges as an ambitious young entrepreneur. I wanted to speak to someone I could learn from, that could give me genuine authentic and good-hearted advice. I was facing many challenges at that time. Primarily personal problems, family problems, and maybe some team management issues. That’s when she thought of starting Foodbizmentor.com for industry professionals who need a mentor or human “ride or die” support, throughout their ambitious business endeavours. She also works to help business owners in understanding food production so they can strategize business growth with something that can be scaled.
There’s no such thing as Free Lunch
As we know, one can’t get something for nothing. Likewise, in this journey, Carolina went through personal challenges, tough periods and became what she is today. Like any emerging entrepreneur, she also faced challenging times throughout her journey.
Honestly, my biggest challenge was starting my business during a very difficult divorce. I don’t like to talk about it but I also think it’s important for entrepreneurs to know that the present is always the best time to start your business. There is no “right” time. There will always be many different kinds of challenges: Financial, Emotional, Family, Spiritual, Laboral, Mechanical, Etcetera. My biggest challenge was sticking to my plan and working as many jobs as necessary to make my business work. I was working multiple jobs until I could dedicate myself to Foodbizmentor.com full-time. I went from owning a popular deli in Washington DC with 18 employees to being a bartender and a waitress again. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I definitely bootstrapped this business and I am so proud of that.
-Carolina Gomez
Work-Life Balance
Carolina Gomez has many personal and family responsibilities so, she makes sure to communicate her availability and how much time she can give. She doesn’t compromise her work for her family, and vice versa. She admits it takes a lot of clear communication to work it out. She makes sure her clients should know they can depend on her but should also keep in mind that she has a personal life. Depending on the immediate demands of her clients, she keeps a regular 9-5 schedule and works from Monday to Friday.
Achievements
After the difficult divorce and lowered credits, she faced financial breakdowns during that period. The fact that she was able to refinance her home during the COVID-19 pandemic, as a chef, was absolutely difficult and almost felt impossible. Especially factoring in the difficulties she faced within her family with her grandmother and her father who was on immune system suppressants due to a heart transplant. She dealt with that stress and was still able to keep her home base. Even after going through such hardships, she didn’t abjure. Carolina’s biggest accomplishment was to purchase a house based on her business income. Her home is the place where she feels the most comfortable. It’s her happy place and it’s incredibly important for her to maintain happiness and her peak mental health.
Words of wisdom for aspiring women entrepreneurs
I would encourage them to believe in themselves. Sometimes women are encouraged to be “ladylike” and quiet. Being politely assertive is an incredibly important skill that must be practised and honed. Believe in yourself, your talent, intelligence, and beauty. I believe that women are amazing entrepreneurs because of their natural inclination to nurture. I encourage every woman to channel that power.
– Carolina Gomez
Reflections
Reflecting on her path Carolina opines, “I think about what would become of myself if I were to fail. I don’t want to be anything less than the person that I have the potential to be. I don’t know who that is yet, but I will always be on the journey of finding out.”
Web of Network
Carolina Gomez believes that networking and building relationships is the most important thing one can do in the business. If we don’t build relationships, we won’t have repeat clients. Repeat clients will help in growing the business. It’s really that simple. So, in her opinion, networking plays a major role to run a successful business in today’s world.
Footprints
Carolina Gomez has been on the board of directors of Fields 4 Valor Farm for 5 years. She’s also an active supporter of the MK Catering Foundation. Fields 4 Valor Farms provides food for military veterans and their families by farming healthy farm shares in Brandywine Maryland. The MK Catering Foundation helps distribute prepared food meals to anyone in need. She works hard to help in growing both organizations. She believes; everyone on earth deserves a healthy meal as there are a lot of hunger problems in the world. Carolina really hopes that she can help in solving the problem of one meal at a time. She also believes that food business entrepreneurs need support in every way and she really enjoys helping them to achieve their goals. Seeing their dreams come true gives a sort of satisfaction for her as she understands their hard work and patience behind it.