Businesses: Carolyn’s Raw Foods; Carolyn’s Meals by Design, LLC; Carolyn’s Cakes & Cupcakes; Agape Nutrition Bars; Carolyn’s Weight Loss System

Type of Business: Raw Food & Weight Loss; Personal Chef Service; Gluten-free and non-gluten-free cakes/cupcakes; raw, organic and gluten-free nutrition bars; Lose weight naturally—no dieting. www.carolynsrawfoods.com

Location: Cumming, GA

How Long In Business: 2.5 Years-Carolyn’s Raw Foods, 8 years-Carolyn’s Meals; 2 years-Carolyn’s Cakes; 4 years-Agape Nutrition Bars

Carolyn Akens is an accomplished entrepreneur, successful chef, and a dynamic educator. Her culinary career began in 2001, as a personal chef preparing delicious and healthy meals for clients.

Due to the devastating loss of her younger brother to obesity, she understood she had to make a lifestyle change, and in her research discovered raw foods. Carolyn trained to become a certified master raw food chef/instructor and a raw food lifestyle coach. She has always been passionate about healthy and nutritious foods, so transitioning to eating raw and living foods was a natural progression for Carolyn.

Since going raw, Carolyn has lost 60 pounds (she originally weighed 185 pounds) and is now a size 4 instead of a 12/14. Having dealt with high cholesterol, migraines, arthritis, and weight fluctuation, she made raw foods a standard of living and went through an amazing transformation. Her body and spirit are now healthy, revitalized, and energized.

As a Raw Food Lifestyle Coach, Carolyn coaches clients dealing with weight problems and offers various solutions to lose weight naturally. She is the creator of the 30-Day Raw Food Weight Loss System™, Losing Weight the Natural Way & Keeping It Off!

Carolyn also certifies and trains raw food chefs and instructors to prepare delicious raw and living foods that not only satisfy the palate, but nourish the body.

OFM: What were you doing before you launched your business?

CA: My background includes working as a Business System Analyst, Claims Operations Manager, and Executive Assistant. My culinary career began in 2001.

OFM: Why did you decide to transition out of working for others?

CA: I became bored and wasn’t fulfilled.

OFM: What was the first step you took in taking your idea to a reality?

CA: I thought about the thing(s) I was truly passionate about and it always came back to food. And, in 2001, I opened Carolyn’s Meals by Design, LLC (personal chef service).

OFM: Were you afraid to step out on your own?  If so, how did you overcome your fear?

CA: I was not fearful, because for me, fear is not optional.

OFM: Once you left your job, what did you do first?

CA: I took care of me and took an overdue vacation that lasted for about a year.

OFM: Who were your first customers/clients?

CA: My first clients were professionals, DINKS (double income no kids), and entrepreneurs.

OFM: What was your marketing strategy initially?  How has it changed?

CA: My marketing strategy was and continues to be to know my target market and who my ideal client(s) are, and it hasn’t changed. You must always know your market and who your ideal client(s) are in order to provide a service or product.

OFM: What advice would you give to others who are interested in launching a business similar to yours?

CA: Do your due diligence and do something different that makes you stand out from the rest.

OFM: What are the future goals for your business?

CA: Add a coaching component to my business and create products that tie-in with my business model.

OFM: How do you juggle your business responsibilities with those of being a mother?

CA: My children are all grown and my focus is more on my grandchildren. I make it a point to always make time for my grandchildren and if that means rescheduling, I will.

OFM: What is an average day like for you?

CA: I begin my day with prayer and meditation. Review emails; make any phone calls that I didn’t make the day before; look at my to-do list; and work on projects according to priority. If I’m training raw food chefs and instructors, I make sure that everything I need is already in place for the rigorous days ahead.

OFM: How do you motivate yourself and stay motivated?

CA: I love what I do and it keeps me motivated to always be the best that I can be in my chosen profession.

OFM: If you had to start over from scratch, knowing what you know now, what would you differently?

CA: I would be more technologically savvy.

OFM: What’s the most important business or financial discovery you’ve made in the past year?

CA: Hire an assistant!

OFM: What do you do to promote your business, to beat the competition, and to dominate the market?

CA: I do a lot of online marketing and I also participate in various health seminars at local schools. I have established myself as an expert in losing weight the natural way.

OFM: What are the three threats to your business, your success, and how are you handling them?

CA: There are no threats to my business or success. Those are negatives and I don’t deal with negatives. There are others that are doing what I do, but I am different and that keeps me ahead.

OFM: What has been your biggest disappointment in your life – and what are you doing to prevent its reoccurrence?

CA: I truly haven’t had any disappointments. I’m doing what I am supposed to do and I love what I do.

OFM: What do you observe most people in your field doing badly that you think you do well?

CA: Customer Service! I do customer service extremely well. People often forget that once you get the client that you must keep the client and customer service is the key component.

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