STACK’D KITCHEN

Ben Meek and Shatika Woolman have always been foodies, but a sudden redundancy in the midst of a pandemic gave them the push they needed. The duo decided to take the plunge into a life long dream of starting a food business.  

STACK’D KITCHEN is a catering business that specialises in seasonal, gourmet, bite-sized bruschetta. Ben and Shatika thoughtfully craft each canape and are putting their twist on the classic Italian dish.

What year did you or will you complete NEIS?

We completed training in September 2020 and are officially off the program in December 2021.  

What motivated you to start your own business?

To follow a childhood passion for cooking and food to create our very first food business. Had often dreamt of one day opening a food business, but COVID gave us the push to make it a reality (was made redundant from corporate job).  

How did you find out about the NEIS program?

A friend had spoken about it a couple of years ago, then was reminded by another friend when talking about starting the business.

What was the most valuable information you learned in the NEIS training?

The importance of WHY. It’s so critical to the creation of your brand and product/service. 

What services and/or products do you provide?

Our business is called STACK’D KITCHEN. We are a catering business that specialise in bite-size, gourmet bruschetta in a range of seasonal flavours. Not only do we love cooking food, but we also love growing it too! We have a range of organic herbs, fruit, vegetables and native edibles that we grow with love to provide you with the freshest seasonal produce. 

What challenges have you had to face since starting your business? How have you overcome these challenges?

Finding the motivation and courage to put yourself out there and promote your business (yourself!) when at times it can feel like it’s having little impact. Setting weekly to-do-lists and sharing them with a group of accountability friends, along with being consistent and celebrating the little wins along the way. Over time you see the momentum picking up which is very encouraging. 

What have been some of the highlights of operating your own business?

There have been so many. Little things such as the notification on our phone from our first website visitor to our first order from someone that wasn’t a family member or friend. It’s been such a rewarding journey and hearing everyone’s wonderful feedback and seeing repeat orders come in gives you real confidence moving forward. 

What is the one piece of advice you can give to others thinking about starting their own business?

There have been so many. Little things such as the notification on our phone from our first website visitor to our first order from someone that wasn’t a family member or friend. It’s been such a rewarding journey and hearing everyone’s wonderful feedback and seeing repeat orders come in gives you real confidence moving forward. 

“The guidance, reassurance and support from the NEIS program has been invaluable whilst navigating the scary, yet exciting world of small business. Would definitely recommend it to anyone thinking of starting their own business.”

If you are looking for the perfect finger food for your next party, event or special occasion… a box of bruschetta may be exactly what you are looking for. STACK’D KITCHEN’S delicious little morsels are sure to create a conversation and a memorable experience that your guests will love. 

You can learn more about STACK’D KITCHEN through their Website, Facebook and Instagram.  

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