We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Karla Prince. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Karla below.
Karla , so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
This is definitely something that I did not learn overnight, in fact, I do not think I have figured it out yet. But I try to pretend like I do. That’s it, that’s my strategy. As a first generation immigrant in LA, I learned at a young age that I had to have thick skin, and lots of confidence. That fake it ’til you make it type of confidence. As I got older and started building my career in mental health, I remember going to job interviews and telling myself “just walk in there like the job is yours”. Did I really believe that? No. Did most employers believe it and hired me 99% of the time? Yes! So then I figured if strangers can believe in myself, then I can believe in myself too!
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 almost 10 years in the mental health field and after battling depression after my Dad passed away, I decided to open a side business. Initially, the intention was to begin something to help keep me occupied. I could’ve never imagined what began as a side hustle would soon become my full time job! I own Cheese and Grace in Las Vegas, a full grazing style catering service. I have been in business for almost 5 years and I never imagined the joy and success being a business owner can bring. I love to meet clients and hear their ideas and watch them come to life on the day of the event, this is truly an experience. But that confidence has allowed me to walk through doors most people would not even knock on. From being a Super Bowl supplier, to celebrity clients, and the opportunity to be a part of hundreds of weddings and birthday parties. Entrepreneurship will definitely have you second guessing yourself, every day and with every project. But I have learned to believe in myself, believe in my work, believe my worth and my business.
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?
The 3 main skills I have learned from and would definitely recommend for any other upcoming business owners are discipline, education and planning.
The discipline will come in hand when you are wanting to hang out with your friends or family and have fun, but you know you have work to do! Your word and your commitment will show in every timely email, every timely invoice and contract. Fun times can wait, your clients will not. Discipline will set you apart from the rest.
Educate yourself about your trade, your business, constantly! Things are often changing, you have to see what is relevant, what is trending, what is the next cool thing and how can you incorporate them and make them your own. Study marketing trends, social media ideas, learn how you can anticipate your clients’ needs before they do. Always stay one step ahead.
Plan every single thing. Being organized will help with the stress, sometimes. Planning ahead, having calendars and planners will help you as your business grows as well. This will make it easier to delegate tasks to your staff so that they can also stay organized. Some people thrive in chaos, owning a chaotic business is not a good look!
What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
As my business is expanding and growing, I have been working on finding the right team. It has been a challenge to do so because I was trying to find people with the same passion and creativity as myself, and that may not happen. So I had to learn to be open to other’s ideas and suggestions. It is almost like watching your baby take off the training wheels. Having to trust that you hired the right team to take care of your baby, your business, is definitely a hard but good challenge. I have also tried to take notes from employers I had in the past and cultivate a good employer-employee relationship.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cheesengrace.square.site/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheeseandgrace/?hl=en
Image Credits
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