We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Monece Starling a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Monece, so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?
I grew up around some strong willed and independent people. It was even passed down from both sides of my family. My late Grand daddy and Grandma was the first black business owners in their town. Their funeral home is still in business to this day. They had 13 children and were Pastors at a church. My paternal Granddad was a chef and was so good he started catering. My paternal Grandma wrote for a newspaper column. They didn’t have a lot to work with, but each one used whatever they had and created something. It’s safe to my optimism to believe in things beyond what I could see is inherited. But it’s still up to me to tap into it. My dad once told me, Monece, your mom and I can’t take credit for how you turned out. We’ve instilled a lot in you, but ultimately who you are and where you are is due to the choices you’ve made. And he’s right. It doesn’t matter where we are in life, we all have the power to choose what we do with our life. I’m hopeful to believe the things I’ve set out to do will happen no matter what. I’ll never give up or stop trying.
This persistence comes from undergoing many unsuccessful attempts.Once you’ve been at the bottom you kinda already know what that’s like. So it makes me want to keep trying. Worse case scenario would be going back to where I started. I truly believe God has what’s best for my life. Everyday I wake up hopeful that today will be the day my life could change. Or today something good will happen. As long as you are looking for it you’ll find it. It’s all about perspective.
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?
I’m the owner of a pie baking business called Mo Pies. I bake pecan pie, sweet potato pie, and a graham cracker crust sweet potato pie. I offer 3 different sizes. Mo Pies are the original 9 inch size pies. Mo Cups are cupcake size pies which are for sharing. My Mo Bites are a vegan bite size candy pecan pie. There’s none other like it. Last year I added Rice Krispy treats called Mo Treats to the menu. I offer pickup and shipping.
Coming soon I’ll be offering catering packages and job opportunities for people to be a Mo Pies caterer in their city. I’ll send the pies and as a caterer they will set up for the event. I also will be selling out of a farmers market. Be sure to follow Mo Pies on instagram or check the website to stay up to date.
Outside of making pies I have other businesses as well. I have a hair braiding business called Mo Braids. I have a food Vlog and website called Mo Eats LA where I talk about restaurants and their food. On my site I also highlight small businesses and some of my favorite things on Amazon. I sell printable baby shower games on Etsy under NeceCreates. I’ll be adding more variety beside baby shower games. I’m an Actress, Producer and Director. My new film called “The Writer’s Room” will be playing at film festivals this year. You can catch me across social media platforms creating comedic content. The next thing I’m working on is a book detailing my journey of how I holistically lowered my blood pressure and tips to help anyone else to do it.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Three things that have been impactful in my journey are being adaptable, having tenacity, and educating myself in my field.
Being adaptable is crucial, because you have to keep up with the times. Everything is pretty much electronic now, so having a website, social media page, and swipe to pay are beneficial. I started my business when having business cards was essential. Although I had a vision for how I wanted my business to look. I still had to be practical to do what works. I’ve reconstructed my website about 5 times now. I’ve had to add and take away certain products. The world is moving and growing so should you.
Having tenacity is another major trait to have. Tenacity is the bridge that links to success. A lot of people turn away when faced with adversity, not knowing that the other side of adversity is the prize. Being successful is an accumulation of small victories that you didn’t give up on. You are going to face many highs and many lows. The key is to not let it deter you from the goal. There have been times I had to pause to regroup, but I never stopped trying. I’ve went months without making any sales, but I kept going. I believe with anything that you are starting new you should brace yourself for impact and expect anything to happen, good and bad. Don’t let it stop you from reaching your dream.
A third trait that has been impactful is educating myself to become an expert in my craft. I read books, listen to podcasts, and experiment on my own. I went through a lot of trials and errors to get my candy bites just right. I had to learn how it could have a long shelf life among other things. I wouldn’t be where I am today without obtaining the necessary knowledge.
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?
The obstacle I’m currently facing is marketing my pies to be more accessible to customers so I can generate a consistent flow of sales. Right now I have peaks when orders come in. I believe it’s due to marketing and it being looked at as a necessity vs a want. To counteract that I am now offering a shipping service. I’m putting together catering packages that will expand to any area through ambassadors. I’ll also be selling at farmers markets and different vendor events. I’m looking forward to trying these new avenues!
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.mopies4u.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mo.eats.la/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/monece.starling/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MoEatsLA
- Other: www.moeatsla.com
Image Credits
Anointedru
