Sara Hurst, CEO of Bella's Kitchen

Patricia O'Connell interviews Sara Hurst, CEO of Bella's Kitchen, on the origin of Bella's Kitchen, how Sara runs it, and Sara's plans for it. Sara shares more about her family background of successful entrepreneurs in El Salvador. Sara is grateful for her family, friends, and professional resources that help her to succeed in this new venture.

Listen in to this encouraging account of growing a business by meeting a real food need for busy mothers.

Key Takeaways:

[:29] Patricia O'Connell welcomes Sara Hurst to CEO Stories with This is Capitalism and asks about Bella's Kitchen.

[:53] Bella's Kitchen offers convenient, healthy meals for kids and families. It is based on baby-led feeding. Babies try different foods with this method. This also avoids overfeeding babies when they don't want to eat anymore.

[1:35] Sara started the business in April 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic. Sara came up with the idea when she started feeding solid foods to her daughter, Isabella. She started researching how to introduce new foods to her baby and she found the concept of baby-led feeding. She decided to feed Isabella with that method.

[2:35] Sara found out that baby-led feeding takes a lot of cooking and meal preparation for one baby.

[3:18] Sara found canned or frozen choices, mostly pureed foods in the grocery store but she wanted fresh foods for Isabella. She also wanted Isabella to have a variety of foods to develop her palate and not become a picky eater.

[3:57] As she was introducing Isabella to solid foods, Sara was going to the office daily, and Isabella was spending the day in daycare. Sara explains how the business idea of a meal service for busy mothers came out of her food preparation experiences for her baby and her experience serving healthy foods at parties.

[6:16] Sara had seven children, from babies up to age 11, at her first photoshoot for Bella's Kitchen. It was a scary moment for her; Sara knew that if the children didn't like the food, it would show on their faces. They all liked it and the photoshoot went well.

[6:55] Sara had her friends and their children try different recipes for taste and serving size. Sara also used her background in marketing to conduct surveys to make sure she was serving the needs of other parents, not just her own needs.

[7:44] The more Sara thought about bringing her recipes into a business, the more ideas came to her for new recipes and products. She was determined to make a business out of her concepts. Her husband and friends also encouraged her.

[8:45] Sara worked the numbers to see what she could afford to lose if the business didn't work out.

[9:10] Sara decided three months would be the appropriate trial period to test the business model to see if she would start making a profit. She knew the worst that could happen would be losing her startup money and having her pride hurt.

[9:27] Over the last year, Sara worked on branding, the marketing plan, recipes, packaging, and permits. One big step was finding a commercial kitchen. She set a launch date in March, and then COVID-19 hit.

[10:00] Sara explains how she went from hesitation over starting a business during a pandemic to moving ahead with her launch in April.

[10:52] Sara works full-time outside of her role at Bella's Kitchen. She explains how she fits everything into her schedule. Sara's mother had raised three children as a single mother, working full-time while running a side business; she was a great role-model for Sara. Sara's husband takes care of their children while Sara runs meal production.

[13:17] Sara always wanted to be an entrepreneur like her mother. She loved cooking, but having worked in the food industry, she noticed that there's not a lot of margin in a restaurant, so she knew she didn't want to have a restaurant.

[13:45] When Sara thought of Bella's Kitchen, she knew that was the business she wanted.

[14:09] Sara has noticed that sometimes both men and women think the idea of Sara running her business is "cute." They underestimate her business vision and drive because she is a woman. They think it's a hobby.

[15:38] Not just for Bella's Kitchen, but also for different caterers, people think the business is a little thing, run out of a kitchen. Sara works out of a commercial, licensed kitchen. Sara prices her meals just as any business prices their products and services.

[16:29] Sara took business classes to learn about a business plan. She reads a lot and listens to a lot of podcasts. Sara worked with the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center; they helped her with local market research, what license she needed, and how to get licensed.

[17:52] Sara's advice to people looking to make a business: you need to have more than an idea. There needs to be a problem and your idea needs to solve that problem. Some great ideas don't necessarily serve a market purpose; you might not be able to find the customers you need. Don't just think of your idea, but your clientele.

[19:09] Sometimes people with good ideas don't give enough time for the idea to flourish.

[19:57] This is Sara's first business. She doesn't know if it will be her last.

[20:21] Sara is doing the recipes and the cooking, in a commercial kitchen.

[20:34] Sara wants Bella's Kitchen to get as big as it can get. Sara credits the CEO of First Orion, where she works full-time, with understanding that people have their own passions. If Bella's Kitchen gets so big she has to devote her attention to it full-time, then so be it. Sara talks about giving her full attention to each career.

[21:52] Sara organizes her vacation schedule on a spreadsheet! Sara took the Birkman personality assessment at work and she is completely a "doer."

[23:06] Sara's mom is proud of all her children's success. She set a great example for them. Sara's maternal grandfather is also a successful entrepreneur who now owns a coffee plantation. Sara shares his story.

[24:34] Bella is 21 months old, so she has time to develop her entrepreneurial streak. She is already a photo model for Bella's Kitchen.

[25:10] Sara says you can't have it all. Each decision is a deliberate choice. WIll she workout or will she work on her friendships? Each day she devotes time to what matters for that moment. You have to make time for yourself. Sara takes at least an hour every week to think just for herself, not for her family and business roles.

[26:55] Sara reviews the support she has received from family and the Arkansas Small Business Center. Sara's sister and nephew are the best trial customers for Sara. Sara thanks her friends, and her monthly book club where Sara shares ideas for honest feedback.

[28:04] Sara hopes one day to have Bella's Cookbook.

[26:23] Sara shares Bella's Kitchen website (bellaskitchenus.com), Facebook (@bellaskitchenus), and Instagram (@bellaskitchenus) links (links below).

[28:31] Patricia thanks Sara Hurst for being on the podcast — This is Capitalism.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Stephens.com

Bella's Kitchen

Bella's Kitchen on Facebook

Bella's Kitchen on Instagram

Sara Hurst on LinkedIn

Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center

Arkansas Department of Health

First Orion

Birkman Personality Assessment