Meet Laura Imhoff

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Laura Imhoff. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Laura below.

Laura, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

My initial response is, “Do we ever really overcome imposter syndrome?” For me, that’s a hard no. But with anything I feel like it comes in waves or cycles. When it does rear its ugly head, it’s important to realize that it’s coming from a place of insecurity or anxiety. For me, I always take a step back and evaluate where the anxiety is coming from. Is it that I didn’t put enough effort into one part of my business that month? Am I taking care of myself, mainly, am I getting enough sleep? Am I spending too much time on social media? Have I compared myself to someone else?
Then, I take a moment to realize I have run other people’s businesses that are far less capable than I am. There are people out there who are far less qualified than me doing their own thing. I have been doing what I do for decades. I think it’s important to keep in mind you can be an expert in your field, but be humble enough to recognize there is always room to continue learn and grow. If that doesn’t work, I put on some Lizzo and remember that I’m a bad a** babe and keep moving.

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

I am the founder, owner, and maker at Roots & Spoon. What is Roots & Spoon you ask? Roots & Spoon provides fresh and flavorful small-batch jams, jellies, pickles, and relishes handcrafted from seasonal and locally grown produce. The name of the farm is on the back of every jar!
I love what I do, everything about it. As someone that used to farm and grow produce, I love being able to work with and support local farmers. I love creating and cooking up batches of unique flavor pairings of jams, pickles, etc. I don’t make your grandma’s average pickles. While I selectively make some of the classics, I batch up flavors such as Orange and Thyme Pickled Golden Beets, Blueberry Basil Jam, Malaysian Squash Relish, or Jalapeño Mint Cucumber Pickles. I even enjoy website updates, social media, marketing, working with my accountant… you name it. But the element I love the most is feeding people, sharing what I do, and creating community through food.

While the first couple years of business have certainly been a roller coaster and learning experience, I’m excited to announce that I will be teaming up with Pizzelle Bakery to open a storefront! Pizzelle Bakery makes European-style pastries and amazing bread. Along with bringing in locally made cheeses, charcuterie, and other accouterments, we’re looking forward to creating a unique and local artisan food shop.

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?

1. There are no failures
2. Consistency
3. Always be willing to learn

I think the most important thing to know is that you will make mistakes along the way, without a doubt. But you cannot think of them as failures. They are steps in the right direction, they are tools, and they are something to learn from. No matter what happens, your mistakes and failures are still progress. They are still growth. You almost have to train yourself to believe that there is no failure. It’s like having blind faith in order to keep going.

Starting a business is hard. No one tells you that. You will feel rundown, exhausted, and like it will never pay off… It can be difficult to keep pushing through the sleepless nights, the stress, the lack of money, etc. Staying consistent is key. Consistent with what you put in, your communication, your work, your product, etc.

Another thing to keep in mind is that no matter how much of an expert you are in your field, you have to be willing to keep learning. To learn is to grow, to learn means you have an open mind, which means you are always open to new things, new ideas, and for the most part, that can only lead to good things.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

First thing first, take a step back and take a deep breath. It is hard to do when you feel inundated, and smothered by whatever it is that is doing the overwhelming. After a deep breath or five, I take a few minutes, or even an hour, and get to the root of what is making me feel overwhelmed. For me, sometimes it’s just too much on my plate. Sometimes it’s that sales are down and money is a little tight. After I identify the real root of the problem, I brainstorm the ultimate solution, and from there I break it down into a manageable to-do list. I’m all about list-making.

No matter what strategy is I find it best to have a small goal to work towards. It’s like having a giant watermelon. You can’t eat it in one bite, you can’t even eat half of it in one bite. You’ve got to cut it into sections and work on one slice, one bite at a time, and remember that it might not even be finished in one sitting. Deep breathes and small bites.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.rootsandspoon.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rootsandspoon
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rootsandspoonofficial
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-imhoff-a7113a35/