We recently connected with Carissa Gould and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Carissa, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
My resilience came from my own personal will power to not give up even when life gets hard. You have to believe that eventually things will get better. Nothing ever stays the same. Life will always ebb and flow. We go through challenges, good times, and bad times. They key is to never give up, forgive yourself, give yourself some grace, and keep moving forward. Just making baby steps every day is progress. You don’t always have to be making the big money moves. Learn to rest, care for yourself, and take and break when you need it. You can have a bad day(s), but pick yourself up and do things that make you happy! Eat the damn taco or cake or whatever. I have had a multitude of setbacks and trauma him my life. It only made me stronger and more humble, There will always be challenges ahead….do you want to face it head on with strength or back down?! Face it, deal with it, and keep moving forward. I could write a novel about the challenges in my life, but I always had a belief that things would get better. Somehow the challenging things in life resolve themselves. Just keep trusting in your abilities and know your worth.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I started my boutique hot dog cart in May of 2012 out of necessity. I had wanted a hot dog cart for about 10 years before I actually bought one. I was a single mom of 1 year old twins and a toddler when I decided to fulfill my dream. At that time in my life, I needed to be in control of my time and schedule. Being a present and available mom to my children was important to me. The only way that I could balance my time as a mother and provider was to be my own boss. At that time in my life, I lived in central Phoenix with my sons. I would take my kids on daily walks in the stroller. I kept passing a business that manufactured hot dog carts. I walked in there one day to see the different styles they offered. The following day I bought my hot dog cart and created Mama’s Dogs. Once I had my cart I thought to myself, ok, now what?? Oh boy, I had a vision, but really wasn’t sure what to do or where to go! I’ll tell you this, I hit the pavement. I looked for the perfect spot, I talked to a few other hot dog vendors, and then, I approached a store that had a cult like monthly following, and I proposed setting my hot dog cart up there. Well, it was a win win for both of us. After that. opportunities kept manifesting. I also started to offer more than just hot dogs. I added my delicious homemade cookies, freshly squeezed lemonade, and gourmet cocoa with edible toppings. The following year, I received a call asking if I would like to be a vendor at Barrett Jackson. I almost said no!! Thank goodness I gave them a yes a few days later! What a blessing and so much fun that show has been over the last 10 years. One again, I’m grateful for the opportunities that have come my way. During Covid when things got slow and my 4 sons were at home online learning, I decided to create the perfect taco. I love to cook and we love tacos in my house. I came up with the perfect recipe for a crunchy green chili shredded pork taco. All of my sauces and shells are homemade. In addition to the best sloppy taco you’ll ever eat, I also added my amazing loaded nachos with homemade tortilla chips. Seriously, this food is so good!!! I even have vegan clients that will eat my tacos!!! Throughout the years, I’ve learned many lessons, had a few set backs, added to my menu, and met the most amazing clients, friends, and fans. I’ve also learned to value myself and my company. Mama’s Dogs isn’t just about the weenie, it’s the whole package! I present an inviting welcoming atmosphere along with a winning personality and a positive environment. Your party is sure to be rockin when you hire Mama’s Dogs. This is so much more than just a hot dog cart. I put love into it! I create the perfect ambiance and serve food in style added with a little sass and a whole lotta love. I enjoy making memorable experiences for my customers whether it’s adding some special details and signs to my decor or making a new apron to fit into the theme of their party. Mostly, it’s showing up to entertain their guests with a positive fun attitude and serving the best plump n juicy Vienna Beef hot dogs/polish dogs served with delicious fresh condiments and/or sloppy tacos, homemade cookies, chips, drinks, gourmet cocoa, and fresh squeezed lemonade. The best part about my job is creating a unique fun experience for each client. Primarily, I run my business as a catering company. I am available occasionally for public events. If you have an upcoming event, call Mama’s Dogs at 602.321 1265 for your catering needs. Guaranteed your party will be a hit and people will talk about it for years to come!! Mama’s Dogs is one of a kind and can’t be replicated. If you want a unique experience where someone brings the party to your party, I’m your girl!!! Unintentionally, I branded myself into my business. I didn’t have much of a plan when I bought my hot dog cart, but things quickly came to fruition because I have an impeccable work ethic and no way was I going to give up on myself! I look forward to what the future brings and more importantly, I look forward to keeping everyone thoroughly entertained!! Full bellies and full hearts here at Mama’s Dogs.
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?
A strong work ethic, positive attitude, and good communication skills along with authenticity, resiliency, kindness, confidence, and personal drive have been impactful in my journey. Life experiences shape you as a person. We all have good and bad experiences. You can choose to be bitter or better because of them. I had to work at a very young age. Nothing in life has ever been handed to me. Oftentimes, people think otherwise because I keep a positive attitude and I never let myself fall completely apart when things got rough. Somewhere in the ashes, a beautiful angel always rose out of nowhere. A stranger or friend would show up out of the blue and be exactly what I needed at the time. Sometimes, I didn’t even know what I needed, but suddenly it was there. I’m grateful for the trying times that made me more humble and allowed me to show myself some grace. I’m also so grateful for the good times. Those memories and “uplifts” in life keep you going. The best advice I could give someone is to NEVER GIVE UP on yourself, and your dreams. If you want something bad enough, you will find a way. Don’t be afraid to take risks and chances, always trust your gut! Your instincts know the way. Believe in yourself, let toxic people go, follow your heart, and ignore the haters. Do you! Be yourself and be kind to yourself! Don’t be afraid of setbacks and failures those experiences will lead to your growth. Learn from your mistakes and keep moving in a forward motion. Things will fall into place. If you have a dream, chase it.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
I can’t say that it’s been any 1 particular person. There has been many people that have impacted me throughout the years. A good friend, a family member, or a perfect stranger. I believe we gain wisdom and knowledge from every person we encounter. Throughout my life experiences and travels, I have developed impeccable people skills. Any encounter I have with someone, I can relate to them whether it’s about children, parenting, work, careers, or the different parts of the country I’ve lived in or traveled. We gain life experience by living. Going out and doing things and trying new things will make you more well rounded. Seeing all the diversity in our world will stimulate your creativity. I love exploring and seeing new things. I enjoy researching small businesses, learning about who they are, and how they got started. Everyone has a story and a dream. Living through a pandemic with my children just reinforced how important “life skills” are. They best thing you can do for yourself is live your best life. Honor your own personal needs. The more authentic you are, the more successful you will be.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mamasdogs.com
- Instagram: mamasdogs
- Facebook: Mama’s Dogs LLC
