We were lucky to catch up with Ray Sheehan recently and have shared our conversation below.
Ray, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
Being an entrepreneur can be fun and rewarding, but it is also full of challenges. With every risk that you take you are putting yourself or your business on the line. Fortunately, the smallest taste of success, helps to build a sense of confidence within you. No matter how many times you get knocked down you keep thinking “I can do this.” I believe that resilience comes from within. It is the force that keeps driving you forward even when you want to quit. Keeping that mindset hasn’t always been easy. I have had to work on myself, spend time meditating, reflecting, and learning. Strategies that have helped me get through difficult times are: Make every day have meaning. Learn from the past. Stay hopeful. Take care of yourself and take action.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
After spending 25 plus years running various food business, what I love most about my chosen career path is the fact that I get to be creative. I enjoy bringing new food products to market that utilize ingredients you would feel good giving to your family. With my new company Chef Rays LLC, I am in the process of rebranding my line of award-winning, all natural sauces and seasonings. Thus, I have been spending long hours in the test kitchen working on creating new flavors. It’s so exciting to me it doesn’t even feel like work. To market the products, I participate in cooking competitions, teach cooking classes, provide tastings, and vend at farmers markets. My love for developing recipes coupled with winning awards has helped me establish myself as an expert in my field. I have written two cookbooks, contributed to two others, have a column in Barbecue News Magazine, and have been featured in many other periodicals including Taligater Magazine and the Smoke Sheet BBQ Newsletter. I have appeared on tv, radio, and podcasts to promote my brand but I must say, being a frequent guest cohost on the Baseball and BBQ podcast on the Bleav Network has been great. Finally, I am able to combine my love for two great American pastimes.
I am excited to say that I will be launching my new line of sauces and seasonings along with a new website www.raysheehan.com in the Spring of 2024.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Understand that everyone’s journey through life is different. There is no one particular way to achieve your goals. However, I believe that the mantras that helped guide me to where I am today will help others navigate fearlessly. Those life lessons are 1. Stay focused on what you want to achieve and have fun doing it. 2. Be in service to others. Ask how may I help? 3. Always work for and with the best in your industry. 4. Be a lifelong learner 5. Don’t be afraid to be great. 6 You will fall. Dust yourself off, get back up and keep moving forward. 7. If it were easy, then everyone would be doing it. 8. It’s never too late to be successful.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
It is important to have a good support system. A spouse, family member or friend that will be there to listen or give advice. is invaluable. I also like to surround myself with people whose qualities I admire. At some point we all learn from each other’s experience, whether it be from friends, colleagues, or business associates.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.raysheehan.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chef.raysheehan
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chefraysheehan
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/chefraysheehan
