Meet Katie Helams

We recently connected with Katie Helams and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Katie, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

From a young age I have always been driven to work hard and be independent. I am the daughter of a farming family, so growing up we weren’t exactly rich. My parents had 3 children, and although we were always provided for, it was made clear to us that if there were things that we wanted, we had to earn our own money and save for those things.
Early on I found part time jobs and learnt the joy and satisfaction of earning something through hard work and it gave me some independence (even if that just meant buying a cool pair of jeans or my fav bands CD)
I think I was 12 or 13 when I got my first job. It was at a country farm that was open to the public, and also had a small tearoom and gift shop. I loved working there and was always happy to do whatever task was asked of me. I have never shied away from hard work.
Once I started my first career as a chef, I approached that the same way. As a chef the hours are long and very demanding, but I loved the energy in the kitchens and got so much pleasure out of feeding people. When you are part of a team that are all working towards the same goal (producing the best dishes and making customers happy) it truly motivates you to strive for more and be your best self. I have always been ambitious and driven, so no matter what field I work in I will try to do my absolute best. If something isn’t working I will problem solve to find a solution and make it better.
Before launching Grow NWA (microgreen farm) I have always had ann entrepreneur’s spirit. I have started a few other small businesses which included teaching cooking classes, selling clothing and skin care products. There is something so satisfying about creating something from scratch and watching it grow. When you share your passion for something it will shine.
As for as where I get this work ethic from, I’m not 100% sure. My mom was a stay-at-home mom, however she also approaches everything she does with the same level of intent and hard work. My dad was a farmer, working on our family farm. I saw him working long hours and working hard to provide for our family. He did so without complaint.
We were taught that if you want something in life you have to work hard and you can achieve it.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I was born and raised in the UK and grew up in rural Worcestershire. My dad is a farmer, and my mum is a dog trainer. Growing up I always loved food and cooking so when I left high school culinary college seemed like a natural next step. Once I graduated from culinary school I spent the next 20 years working in high end restaurants. I started my culinary career in the US, then headed back to the UK to further my career. I was fortunate enough to work at some of the UK’s top restaurants and for some esteemed chefs.
Then my path took me to China. Originally it was for travel and a short career break, but after falling in love with the country and our life there I found a job back in the culinary world. During those years I worked at some exclusive restaurants, did consultancy work and even started my own business teaching cooking classes.
Our life bought us back to the US (and a few different cities within the US) but now we call Bentonville AR home.
When we first moved to Bentonville I was struck by how incredible and diverse the community is here. We bought our first home with a little bit of land and were trying to find a business that we could do and would be a fit for us. We looked at so many different options until we discovered microgreen farming.
It seemed like such a great fit for me with my culinary background and love of growing food. There was also a real opportunity as the restaurant scene in the area was burgeoning.
Since I launched in 2021, I have built a strong relationship within the culinary community. I have established our brand and the high-quality microgreens that we provide. Microgreen farming is such a unique way to farm and has been such a process of learning. I love to educate our community as to what make microgreens so nutritious and tasty. As the microgreens are grown indoors it gives me the ability to farm year-round. The microgreens are grown vertically so I am able to farm in a very small foot print compared to “traditional” farming.
This year we are expanding our farming operation and have installed a high tunnel to allow us to produce vegetables as well that we plan to sell through our new farm stand. As the community around us continues to grow we have seen the opportunity to expand and grow with it beyond just growing microgreens.

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 most impactful part of building my business has been building strong relationships and connections within the local community. By taking to time to get to know people, creating new connections and understanding their needs I have been able to continue growing, and strengthening my business.
Customer service has also played a big part. Coming from the hospitality world, customer service is something that I completely understand, and I believe is very important. It allows you to build trust with your customers so that they continue to come back and also recommend you to others.
I have also learnt a lot about branding over the past 5 years (and would say that I am still learning about this) but it really is key. Being recognisable from your branding is of the upmost importance.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

My parents have always given me the freedom to choose my own path without any judgement. Yet I’ve always known that if I need them they are there for me. They have supported me and guided me when I’ve needed it but mostly, they have allowed me the freedom to make my own mistakes and learn from them. I think this is so important.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.grow-nwa.com
• Instagram: grow.nwa