Luciana Gencarelli, our NJMOMpreneur of the Week, had at all times been an entrepreneur at coronary heart, and as she began up the company ladder, it was clear a desk job wasn’t her calling. However Luciana was obsessed with meals and its energy to stop illness and lead a more healthy life-style. So after six months, Luciana stop her company job and drew up plans to start out her personal enterprise—Zest started on-line as Luciana labored from a business kitchen and spent numerous hours perfecting recipes and meal plans. It turned successful, and three years later, she opened a storefront in her hometown of Fairfield, serving up gluten-and-dairy-free meals, smoothies, and bakery treats. In the present day, her husband TJ (he brings the baking experience) works alongside her, making meals for everybody to take pleasure in and be ok with consuming it. We caught up with this mama of a toddler to find why she opened her storefront in her hometown, the key to efficiently working together with your partner, and the Morris County park trails she will be able to’t wait to hike subsequent spring along with her household.
Luciana Gencarelli, our NJMOMpreneur of the Week and the founder and co-owner of Zest.
Inform us a little bit bit about your background. My husband, TJ, and I grew up in Fairfield, met in highschool, and have been married for about 4 years. Our daughter, Serafina, is 10 months previous now. Fairfield is a kind of nice, close-knit cities with plenty of household round, and now that we’ve Zest right here, I can’t think about us ever leaving.
You left your first full-time job after simply 6 months of working there to turn out to be an entrepreneur. Why did you determine to go and do your personal factor? I’d at all times been an entrepreneur at coronary heart. Once I was younger, I’d promote stuff I not needed to my sister and make bracelets at dwelling to promote in class. I studied enterprise in faculty, graduated a semester early, and did some job hopping whereas working in company catering and as a neighborhood meals dealer. I knew I cherished working within the meals trade, however being strapped behind a desk wasn’t for me—I needed to be by myself. I’ve at all times been obsessed with meals and cooking wholesome, holistic meals for myself and others. The idea for zest roots from all of the holistic powers meals has in producing vitality and stopping illness. With a enterprise background, I knew I might do one thing cooking up scrumptious, nutritious meals, snacks, and desserts. It appeared like the proper match.
Zest’s colourful and good-for-you smoothies and bowls.
What have been the primary few steps you took to launch your online business? I began Zest as an internet enterprise based mostly out of a business kitchen, and after a couple of years, I made a decision to open a brick-and-mortar storefront. I researched by calling firms within the space to assist me mission the prices and income of the enterprise and created a spreadsheet. And although I’d been wanting in bigger cities like Morristown and Montclair, my dad (who works in actual property) really helpful Fairfield as a result of it has many companies and good entry to highways. It was resolution to open right here.
You and your husband now work collectively. How has the enterprise modified since he got here on board, and the way do you divide the tasks? When my husband and I have been relationship, he labored at his father’s bakery and would come and assist me after working the evening shift there. Although we have been solely relationship when his dad offered the bakery enterprise, he determined to come back on board and work with me, and his bakery expertise has helped us with that facet of Zest. We joke that it really works as a result of he’s within the again kitchen whereas I’m within the entrance, and there’s a wall separating us, however the reality is we do assist one another out a lot, and it simply works for us.
Luciana and her husband, TJ, are fulfilling Zest Meal prep orders through the loopy COVID days.
Has turning into a mother modified the way you strategy and execute your online business? Once I was pregnant with my daughter, I switched to working 6 days every week as an alternative of seven, which was a tough change to the method. After Serafina arrived, my mindset modified—it was vital to me to have a greater work-life steadiness. I had been scheduled to have a c-section, which I’d hoped could be after November 6th as a result of that’s once I had my largest catering order. Nonetheless, the physician switched my scheduled c-section to that date, and I scrambled to make it work—fortunately, I had some previous workers that stepped up and helped make it occur. Sudden issues will at all times come up, and in the event you assume it by way of, you may make it work.
What’s one of the best factor about being an NJMOMpreneur? Greater than something, it’s seeing my daughter at Zest. She has a lot enjoyable interacting with the shoppers, and you may see how snug she is and the way a lot she enjoys it. She’s additionally impressed us to do a child meal prep—she loves maintaining a healthy diet, and our meal prep makes it simple for different little ones to do the identical.
Candy Serafina feels proper at dwelling at Zest, and due to her, the enterprise has not too long ago added a Youngsters’ Meal Prep service to its roster.
What are a few of your favourite NJ companies? The Little Phrases Challenge has been a favourite of mine for a very long time, and their distinctive bracelets have at all times been my go-to for gift-giving. I like them a lot that we now carry them at Zest. I even have to provide Le Papillon Hair Studio a shoutout. They’re an all-natural, native salon the place I get my hair minimize and blown out, and I additionally get my make-up achieved there for particular events. I went to highschool with the proprietor, and it’s only a enjoyable, nice salon.
Please share some locations in NJ that you simply and your loved ones take pleasure in. We take pleasure in taking Serafina to all of the completely different native parks. Verona Park is our favourite, and Pyramid Mountain is one we sit up for doing as a household when the climate turns heat once more—it has such lovely trails.
What’s your finest piece of recommendation for an NJMOMpreneur simply beginning? Proudly owning your personal enterprise is plenty of arduous work however value it while you like it. Make your online business one thing you’ll be able to think about spending as a lot time as you’ll spend in your youngsters as a result of a enterprise is like having one other youngster with out having the ability to rent a babysitter.
For extra data on Luciana Gencarelli and Zest, please see their web site, Fb, and Instagram pages.
