Victor Kiam, CEO of Remington, once said "Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage." I came across this quotation at a very necessary point in my processing this weekend and it is fueling my fire!
I have been filled with excitement and anxiety as I prepared a menu proposal for an upcoming possible perpetual catering event. The excitement is the opporunity to take the Nutrisha concept and of course the business to another level. The anxiety? Well, the initial consultation with the client produced a certain concern of what you may consider an Ethical Dilemna. The consumers have wanted healthy, natural, local but had that and now want Americana meat and three, maybe not so much the healthy anymore...
I stewed and simmered on whether I should even send a proposal, should I even offer my services if I am going to be shot down because Nutrisha provides nutrient dense meal service. And should I modify my presentation to simply fit the client's request? And then, as the process progressed it brought me back to the foundation of Nutrisha. When an organization has its' founder, it's genesis, it's primal development there is a mission. One or a group of persons have a vision and the mission is a compass by which all decisions are based. As a sole proprietor my soundboards are friends and family but no one that knows the picture of Nutrisha as it grows organically as I do.
The emotional component of presenting yourself, your art your work for others to reject had to be set aside. Nutrisha is not an "In your face healthy" food service, it is as a friend said- "that middle of the road food, not the unhealthy extreme but not the radical healthy extreme either". So, after completing my menu draft and could picture the flavor combinations and ways to hide healthy in every day American food I found great contentment.
In Restore, a counseling ministry of the YMCA, they have a theory about small group therapy organizations such as theirs. It may not be for the people who already know the endpoint of their journey and maybe it isn't for the people who have not entered the precontemplation phase of balance but it's for those that are looking to put their toe in the sand.
Try the shallow end of the beach before jumping into the ocean instead of standing in the sand and believing it just won't be that fun. That is Nutrisha, sure I make energy efficient snacks for my marathon training friends but what I strive for is to provide a nutrient dense product that you didn't even know you wanted. For those not ready for the deep sea swimming, I hide the healthy. For those who already own scuba gear, I provide that fuel as well.
Who knew you could hide just about any vegetable in a grilled cheese sandwich? :)
This proposal, and if given the commission, this perpetual meal service is a great opportunity to integrate nutrient dense food into everyday American homes. So, the challenge is to look at this as an opportunity or an obstacle, I choose OPPORTUNITY! Maybe the successful entrepreneurship will follow...
