Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Williams.
Hi Amanda, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started KC Snack Co. in the fall of 2024 right before the Holiday season. A few months prior to the start of the business we lost my mother in law, Christie, to cancer. I wanted to do something special for the celebration of life so I worked with other family members and we put together a 20 foot graze table for the guests to enjoy. Those who attended thoroughly enjoyed the spread. When I realized how much I enjoyed putting it together and saw how much everyone enjoyed it I thought there something more to be done. I started researching and getting ideas and decided if I was going to try the holiday season would be the best time to go for it. Thanksgiving was my first holiday and I was pleased to put together 3 Charcuterie boards! Christmas came next and I received 6 orders. After Christmas I imagined I would not be busy unless there was another holiday but that wasn’t the case at all! Orders steadily continued to come in after the New Year and in the spring I decided to pursue getting my business license.
I was told I could not get a license unless I worked out of a commercial kitchen. The problem was I did not want to do something that took me away from my family. I am a stay at home mom of four kids and they are my top priority ! The beauty of the Charcuterie board business was that I could prep while the kids were busy with other things or when they were asleep. If I worked out of a commercial kitchen it would have made things way more complicated. I realized we had a storage space in our basement that we could convert into a very basic commercial space. My husband worked with one of our friends and my brother in law to make the necessary changes and before I knew it I was approved by the city to work out of my home. It was a dream come true!
After the commercial space was done business seemed to pick up and I received opportunities to do larger events. Each time I get an opportunity to put together a board or graze table for someone I feel deeply honored to be part of their special occasion!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The biggest struggle, besides converting our storage room to a kitchen space, has been learning how to price my boards and services so I am covering all my costs and make a profit. The first holiday season was a huge learning curve and though I wasn’t profitable I was determined to see the business succeed. I found apps to help me track my ingredients and it would help me break down every board so I knew exactly how much I was spending and what I would need to charge for it. I would even weigh every portion so I would keep things consistent. Once I got more of a feel for portion sizes and what things costs I was able to update my prices and start seeing a profit. This allowed me to pay for all the kitchen renovations and get equipment and supplies I needed to be ready for more orders to come in!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I specialize in Charcuterie Boards, graze tables & sugared pecans. I am most proud of my ability to create beautiful boards and graze tables with the highest quality ingredients. I believe the thing that sets me apart is my aesthetic. I have been very intentional about not being a copy cat of what I have seen and learned from. I am inspired by others but put my own signature touches on each order. I am also very proud of the feedback I have received from the customers I have served! It brings me so much joy when I receive a text or email sharing how much of a hit their order was with their guests!
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
My best advice is to just start and keep learning along the way! My beginning boards don’t look much like what I offer now but I wouldn’t be where I am if I never offered those beginner boards. I was so nervous to put those out there and very worried about what people would think. I have tried many different things over the years and thought people would think ” What is Amanda doing now?” with a judgmental tone. What I found is that the people that loved me were incredibly supportive and excited to see me doing something new! Those first few orders just snow balled and have turned into a thriving business.
I think the thing that has helped me truly succeed is that I have continued to study my craft and I get better each month by trying new things and making sure I am not settling for a product that is anything less than the highest quality my customers deserve.
I also want to say I believe that being prayerful and thoughtful about an idea is extremely important. I felt a peace about moving forward and am constantly praying that God would lead the way in the journey. It was worked so far!
Pricing:
- Small Box $60 Feeds 3-4
- Medium Tray $150 Feeds up to 10
- Large Board $300 Feeds up to 20
- XL Board $395 Feeds up to 25
- Graze Tables from $20 per person
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kcsnackco?igsh=d3Ezd2J3azE3Y3R3&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1ANpJJbZdc/?mibextid=wwXIfr
