We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Meagan Shockley a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Meagan, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
Creativity in the food industry is just as essential as tools are for a mechanic. We pride ourselves on providing unique, fun, and interesting food options for our patrons. When we first began our business, we had no clear idea of what our menu would look like. So, our home kitchen became a test kitchen of sorts. Playing with flavor profiles, innovating traditional food into unique dishes, it all started at home. When we found a solid set of menu items, we launched into action. Perfecting the menu took time and resilience, and a lot of patience. Once our food and our brand began catching fire in our valley, we began testing new ideas again. We are known for having a rotating menu, so that is always fuel to the creativity fire for us. I would say that none of us get bored of trying new flavors, or trying to maintain and grow the quality of what we put out. We have a deep connection with food and provide it as such.
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?
My husband and I own a food truck business in the Roaring Fork Valley called The Rolling Fork. We specialize in catering weddings, private events, and festivals. My husband, Aaron, is the head chef and chief innovator and I take on the front of house and sweet side of things. When we opened the food truck, I began messing around with cakes. Soon enough I found a passion for not only cake decorating, but all things sweet. Since then, I am doing wedding cakes, custom cakes, dessert boards, you name it. This adds a unique twist to your classic idea of what a food truck is.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Starting a business is no simple task. I would say the too three qualities one must have to do so are resilience, passion, and drive. Cliche as they might sound, you really do need these to be successful. You will endure push back, doubters, and moments where you want to throw in the towel. As frustrating as that all is, pushing forward is what will bring your idea/business to life and help it thrive.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
Our business is all hustle. There are weeks during our peak season where our team works 60-70 hours. Overwhelmed is a feeling we all get, but we help each other work through it. When I am getting overwhelmed with having three wedding cakes to make and four events to cater in one week, my brain feels like it will implode. Remembering to take a step back, tend to myself, and delegate my time is how I manage those hectic times. I remind myself of the results as well. At the end of the week, I’ll have made three brides happy as can be with beautiful cakes, and fed hundreds of people amazing food.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.therollingfork.com
- Instagram: @RollingForkTruck
- Facebook: Rolling Fork Truck
