It was very important for me to become an entrepreneur because I like being my own boss!
CEO of CookinWithMima
We got cozy on the couch with CookWithMima’s CEO, Mariam Ezzeddine. She shared with us openly how running a business was really the best option in life. We couldn’t agree with her more!
Why was becoming a business owner entrepreneur so important to you?With a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice, I always felt limited to few career paths. I couldn't see myself working these risky jobs for the rest of my life. These limitations allowed me to push harder towards building a successful business. It has always been a big interest establishing my own business. Most especially pursuing my passion in the food industry! I’ve had such a deep love for cooking specialty health foods, desserts and nutrient dense foods. These are all of which are foods people really enjoy because they come from very diverse cultures.
"Being a business owner affords me to direct my abilities and skills in a unique manner towards my ultimate success without the clouding of others opinions or layered decision making approval all of which would have drawbacks and limitations."
Is that why you developed a business around food? Due to your passion towards it? Yes, absolutely! When I became pregnant with my first child, I had cravings from dirt to sweets. My cravings were so widely ranged from opposing sides of the spectrum. What one person may deem a deplorable sickness all the way to overdosing excessively on sugar! Upon learning that what I was experiencing were very common cravings among pregnancies which varied from one individual to the next; I began structuring my ideas with healthy cooking concepts the way I perceived health (low calorie, but nutrient dense.) By applying my cooking skills to specialty dishes and desserts which I craved, this began my daily cooking creation. With each dish or dessert, I came up with a passionate new idea and concept.
What's one of the biggest lessons learned as far as a start up? You learn a lot from your audience! What unfolded after the idea was the incredible amount of feedback I received from followers all around the world on my social media channels. My goal was to make more people happy by expanding on the suggestions my followers provided. Overall, the biggest lesson learned was keeping an open mind and listened to the feedback. They have been my greatest teachers in the process.
What's the most unique thing about @cookinwithmima and why?
“Cookin With ME!” That became a common household phrase since all I did was cook and perfect my recipes. I think that the uniqueness of my recipes gives people from different cultures the comfort of being able to cook that one recipe they really liked their parents or grandparents prepared for them back home.
Not all of us were taught by our parents how to cook. Therefore, people such as myself, who had no experience before marriage, always craved those few recipes my mom and grandma or aunt cooked for us at home. This really motivated me to get up and learn how to do it as I lived far away from my family.
If someone wanted to start a global brand like yours what are three best motivational advice you can give them?
Dedication. That’s my absolute first tip! I learned that nothing can be accomplished unless you dedicate your heart and soul to the project. For me, it was a balance of family and career. I dedicated myself 100% to my brand and 100% to making my followers happy.
Secondly, application is a vital component. Without full application of my skills, thoughts, and ideas to allow my goals to materialize; I would have never been able to get where I am today.
Lastly, perseverance plays such a critical role in building. No matter what goal you strive for in life, you have to believe in yourself! You must believe in the cause in order for you to accomplish your end point. Never give up. Failure is inevitable. However, it makes your business stronger. Maintain a positive outlook no matter what drawbacks or negative feedback surfaces. They will propel you further to accomplishing your end point and overarching goals.
For more on CookinWithMima, follow her on Instagram here.