We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Trent Pheifer. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Trent below.
Trent, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
I spent much of my life lacking confidence and riddled with low self-esteem. My fear of failure, not being good enough, and overall risk aversion kept me on the sidelines where it was safe, albeit a little dull.
In my early 30s, I embarked on a journey that transformed my beliefs about myself and my abilities. I set out to teach myself how to cook by working my way through all of Ina Garten’s 1,300+ recipes – my own little Julie & Julia project. Over the course of seven years, I slowly gained a treasure-trove of knowledge and skills in the kitchen, moving from microwaved dinners to homemade croissants and lemon meringue pies.
Tracking my progress over those years, I could slowly see not only my cooking skills improve but also progress with my photography and writing. I gradually grew into myself, letting my odd sense of humor shine and day-by-day growing a following on Instagram. These followers cheered me on, consoled me in my failures, and recognized something in me that I didn’t always see in myself. All of this together, gave me the confidence to ask Ina to cook the last recipe with me, which she graciously did – something I could not have fathomed when I began.
Seeing my growth block by block gave me perspective. As my competency in the kitchen grew, so did my confidence and self-esteem. I learned that confidence and self-esteem are not fixed traits but can be developed through competence. Surprisingly, gaining confidence in one aspect of my life improved my overall self-esteem and gave me confidence in other areas, taking me to places I didn’t think were 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?
Nearly nine years ago, I started my Instagram account, @storeboughtisfine, to document my journey of making every one of Ina Garten’s 1,300+ recipes from her cookbooks and shows. It took almost six and a half years to complete the project but the icing on the proverbial cake was making the final recipe, Boston Cream Pie, with the Barefoot Contessa herself!
Throughout this journey, there were highs and lows, moments of frustration, and days when I wanted to quit. However, my passion for cooking kept me going, and I continue to wake up every day loving what I do.
Since finishing the project, I’ve continued to cook and share my latest kitchen adventures, along with discoveries about my new hometown, Portland, ME. I’ve also started developing my own recipes and testing recipes for several upcoming cookbooks. My long-term dream is to write my own cookbook, and I am working towards that goal one day at a time.
I hope my journey, from a novice in the kitchen to developing my own recipes, serves as an inspiration. As the movie “Ratatouille” puts it: “Anyone can cook.” It’s not that hard—you just need the desire and the time to do it.
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?
Openness to Failure – If you haven’t experienced failure a few times while trying to build something, you may not be challenging yourself enough. While failing is often not fun, it’s a crucial part of the learning process. Hopefully each setback will teach you a valuable lesson and helpful insight to make both you and your project stronger.
Curiosity and a learning mindset – Believing you know everything is, in my opinion, a huge barrier to personal and professional growth. Adopt a learning mindset so you’re continuously exposed to new knowledge, skills, and perspectives. That curiosity with keep you relevant and adaptable.
Being true to you – Authenticity may be an overused term but people can see right through someone who isn’t genuine or who id doing things for the wrong reason. Throughout your journey, you’ll receive plenty of unsolicited advice from well-meaning people who may not fully understand your reality, industry, or vision. While it’s important to listen with an open mind, it’s equally important to filter this advice through the lens of your own values and goals. Having a clear ‘north star’ or guiding principle helps in making decisions that align with your true self and ultimate goals.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
I don’t think I could name just one person who has helped me along the way. It’s a cliché, but “it takes a village” is very apt when building something. No one does it completely on their own. You need sounding boards, people who have walked the path before you, and, in my case, someone to taste and provide feedback on your recipes. Building something in a vacuum is impossible.
My biggest lesson has been the importance of reaching out and asking for help, advice, or just to connect with someone working in the same space. The worst anyone can do is not respond or say no, but I’ve found that people are generally generous with their time and advice. I’ve made so many friends in the industry simply by reaching out. These friends have connected me with others, advised me on pricing for brand deals, and commiserated with me about the ups and downs of being on social media.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.storeboughtisfine.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storeboughtisfine
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storeboughtisfine
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8q0xchjUFO4KlPCs0arKLQ
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/storeboughtisfine/
