We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Tara Gesy. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Tara below.
Tara, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
My work ethic comes from my incredible mother, Terry. My mom believed in empathetic leadership; she encouraged her staff by using their strengths to make them feel seen and valued, while teaching them new skills. Customers received nothing less either, she had a way of bringing a smile to everyone who approached her counter. On top of this, I watched her face challenges head on with grace and she was always willing to go the extra mile when needed. She was never shy to working hard and doing what it takes to get the job done. It is because of her I knew the type of business owner, leader, and mentor I wanted to be and the reason I have the work ethic that’s gotten me here today. My mom taught me that the only way to guarantee the life we want is to do the work we have to, to make it possible.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am the Founder and CEO of Adventure Bowls, acai bowl food trucks. I launched my entirely woman owned and operated company in March of 2022 with one truck and added a second truck in June of 2023. I started this business after spending 10 years in the fitness and wellness industry. There was a lack of healthy choices in the fast casual space and I saw a great opportunity. It has been the greatest adventure of my life, pun intended. Adventure Bowls encapsulates all the things that mean the most to me; health, the outdoors, family, friends, community, and giving back. Adventure Bowls proudly gives back a portion of every bowl to Big City Mountaineers supporting outdoor adventures for local youth.
I have big dreams and goals for my company, but the most important of all, is be to be boss I never had and provide the work environment I always desired. I believe the value and work ethic I instill in my staff is amongst the most important role I have in Adventure Bowls. As Adventure Bowls continues to grow in team members, trucks, and whatever else God has in store, I plan to continue paving the way in health and business. I know that encouraging personal excellence through a healthy
lifestyle and sound leadership will inspire change.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
First, never be afraid to ask for help. I found mentors in the early stages of starting Adventure Bowls and they have helped me the entire way through. We still talk monthly about areas I feel I could improve on.
Second, consistency will always trump motivation. Starting and running a business is not a straight line. There are days you’re going to feel like you’re behind, failing, or not getting enough done and you won’t feel like showing up, you have to show up anyways.
Third, have confidence in your vision. Your purpose and passion are what will build the brand you desire. It’s about a great product AND a great mission, without both, you can’t succeed long term.
We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?
As a sole owner to a fast growing company, I have quickly learned my strengths and weaknesses. There is only so much time in a day and learning to delegate has been critical to my growth. While I believe there is immense value in handing off the things that you don’t enjoy (accounting for me), I have also recognized the value of being able to understand the key parts of your business even if you’re not the one doing them day to day. I’ve spent the last two seasons sharpening my skills and choosing a few I’d like to learn in addition. This has made me feel like a better, more involved business owner overall but taken the stress of tasks that consume too much of my time, that I don’t enjoy away. This has kept me sane and focused on the tasks that I really need to be addressing. It’s the happy medium that works for me while allowing me to grow!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.adventurebowls.com
- Instagram: @adventurebowlsofficial
- Facebook: @adventurebowlsofficial
Image Credits
Maggie Pool Photography
