Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rachel Peterson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Rachel, thank you for joining us today and sharing your experiences and acquired wisdom with us. Burnout is a huge topic these days and so we’d love to kick things off by discussing your thoughts on overcoming or avoiding burnout
*I edited the question a bit, hope that’s ok!
****How did you overcome being sidelined by an unexpected life crisis?
When I started Salt & Prepped in February 2022, I never imagined how a personal crisis would reshape my life and business down the line. I launched Salt & Prepped as a side project, driven by my background in dietetics and a passion for meal prepping. I quickly became fully booked after a single Facebook post, and within weeks I was cooking full-time in private kitchens. I loved it, but I was burning out.
My New Year’s resolution for 2024 was to find balance. But on January 5th, I took my 7-year-old son to urgent care for what I thought were simple stomach/digestive issues. What began as a routine visit turned into an emergency: he was rushed to the hospital for surgery and diagnosed with aggressive cancer. That moment changed everything, personally, emotionally, and professionally. His treatment was intense, and we spent five months living in the hospital. I was exactly where I needed to be, by his side, but it completely sidelined me from the business.
By the time he was healed, and I had the capacity to return to the business, a full year later, there wasn’t much left to come back to. We had dwindled down to just two clients. It felt like another devastating blow. In therapy, as I processed the whirlwind of the past year, I realized I had a choice: try to go back to how things were or rebuild differently. My entire perspective had shifted, and I didn’t want to repeat the burnout cycle. So I chose differently. My new goal was to work on the business, not in the business. I restructured, built systems, and created a team that could thrive without me being in every kitchen.
That crisis not only reshaped me as a person but also forced me to become the kind of leader and business owner I had always intended to be. What once felt like a devastating setback ultimately gave me the clarity and drive to rebuild in a stronger, more sustainable way. I’ve been failing forward at just about every step.
Sometimes what knocks you down is exactly what clears the path forward. Being sidelined taught me that setbacks don’t define you; how you respond does. As painful as that season was, I’m grateful for the resilience, perspective, and strength it gave me. It pushed me to build a business that now grows, thrives, and serves more families than I ever could have on my own.
Most importantly, it gave me balance, more time at home to truly cherish with my kids, and the opportunity to create a family-friendly workplace for other parents in the food industry who are also seeking that balance. It also allows me to support my clients by giving them the gift of time and balance, knowing they don’t have to worry about meal prep. At Salt & Prepped, we believe that everyone deserves to enjoy mealtime with their families.
Because at the end of the day, success isn’t just about what you build; it’s about building it in a way that allows you and the people around you to actually live.
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?
I’m Rachel, an incredibly busy mom to four active and involved kiddos, and I have a passion for travel that includes hiking and immersing myself in different cultures. I also enjoy working out, trying new restaurants, and dabbling in fashion, but you can usually find me at the little league baseball fields or the ballet studio.
The most exciting part of my work at Salt & Prepped is the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on people’s lives. I love hearing how our service has helped families eat healthier, save time, and reduce stress. I’m also proud to create a family-friendly workplace for other parents in the food industry who are also seeking that balance. I not only get to impact our clients, but also our chefs, fostering a supportive environment for everyone involved.
We are currently expanding our team to meet our ever-growing waitlist, ensuring we can serve even more families in need of stress-free meal prep. At Salt & Prepped, we believe that everyone deserves to enjoy mealtime with their families, without the stress of cooking.
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?
Focus and Clarity: One of the most important lessons I learned was to focus on one thing that works and stick with it. In the beginning, I tuned out all the “you shoulds” and distractions. We don’t deliver, we don’t do events, and we don’t need a commercial kitchen. We specialize in in-home meal prep for busy families, and that clarity has been key to our success. My advice for those early in their journey is to identify what you do best and commit to it wholeheartedly.
Developing a Backbone and Setting Boundaries: Establishing clear policies and service agreements has allowed us to create a fair and respectful business environment for all parties involved. If potential clients are rude or ghost us, we’re no longer interested in their business. Creating a positive work environment is a mutual activity; we expect our clients to treat us the way we treat them—with solid communication, feedback, and honesty. My advice is to set clear boundaries and stick to them; it’s essential for maintaining a healthy work culture.
Embracing Failure as a Learning Opportunity: I’ve learned to be willing to fail. Every rejection or piece of negative feedback is just another opportunity to learn and grow. Instead of viewing setbacks as failures, I see them as stepping stones toward improvement. My advice is to embrace failure as part of the journey; it’s often where the most valuable lessons are found.
By focusing on these three areas: clarity, boundaries, and resilience, you can build a strong foundation for your business and navigate the challenges that come your way.
Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?
At Salt & Prepped, our ideal client is someone who truly needs our services and appreciates the value we bring to their lives. All of our client’s live very active and fulfilling lives, and truly need our support in the kitchen so they can focus on being present.
We thrive on strong communication, so our clients should be open and willing to provide honest and constructive feedback. We also appreciate warm and welcoming homes, as our clients often become like family to us. We love getting to know them and creating a personal connection as we work together to provide stress-free meal prep. We enjoy letting their kids join in on meal prep or contribute to menu ideas, and we take pride in celebrating and mourning with families as life happens.
Additionally, we love when clients give us creative freedom, allowing our chefs to truly flaunt their food as art. This not only enhances the dining experience but also fosters a deeper connection between our chefs and the families we serve.
Contact Info:
- Website: saltandprepped.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/saltandprepped.atl
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rachelmade.atl/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-p-11b861383/
Image Credits
Christy Hyde Photography, Lance Thomas Photography
