Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food services but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Alexis Sicklick, founder of Syncopated, located in New York, NY, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
My business is Syncopated, a pop-up based in New York City. I host dinners with a seven-course, vegetable-forward tasting menu surrounding a specific seasonal theme in an intimate, communal setting. Every dish is inspired by a personal story or memory, providing you an inside look into special moments in my life through a delectable, playful epicurean adventure. With delightful drink pairings, witty names, a cleverly curated playlist, and engaging company, you are in for a one-of-a-kind evening that will fulfill your heart, appetite, and mind in the most wonderfully satisfying way!
My direct customers typically include foodies in New Jersey and New York City, as my dinners happen in NYC, but any foodie who loves vegetables and is eager to experience them through approachable, playful fine dining in an intimate, communal setting will want to experience Syncopated.
Tell us about yourself
As an up-and-coming chef, it is often challenging to showcase your own cooking style while working for someone else. Therefore, I founded Syncopated, a vegetable-forward pop-up, to hone my unique culinary approach, get my name out there, and create some amazing epicurean memories for myself and others.
Syncopated not only stems from my love of cooking, dancing, and playing the drums but also represents how I build my dishes. For me, recipes are the starting point - while they provide great inspiration and structure, I never follow them strictly, letting the food lead the way to the end result. When I vibe with choreography or a song, it is because there is a bold combination of offbeats and accents formulating a captivating pattern to which my body connects and instantly wants to groove.
With my food, each component is vibrant, intriguing, and out there, and on its own might not make sense, but everything is always meant to be eaten together, for the items are conducted to contribute just the right amount of texture or flavor to form that perfectly balanced bite that fills your body with delight.
Every day, I am motivated to cook because of the endless possibilities that exist with food and the joy that comes from being able to bring others together. Cooking is so personal, and whether I am sharing my story or using the dishes to tell someone else's, the kitchen is such a wonderful platform to express my creativity and mark a special moment for others. I also truly love how food is such an individual yet collective experience - there is nothing quite like being able to connect with others over sharing a unique piece of you in such a literal and figurative way!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment is continuing to build this business while working a full-time job. It is challenging to stay motivated when you have to dedicate the little free time you have to more work, but nothing beats the feeling of seeing a dish come together so perfectly and then getting to share that with people I love.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
For me, because I do not have a specific team or location, one of the hardest things about being a business owner is not having a guaranteed foundation for every event. Because of this scenario, I often have to start from scratch and cannot finalize simple but important details as quickly as possible, and have to put the more demanding tasks on hold longer than I would like. But at the same time, it does make it more fun because I get to work with different people and different environments, forming new connections and learning more about myself with every opportunity.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Have a clear, small vision of what you want to accomplish initially. The bigger and more confusing your goals get, the harder it is to make them happen when you are just starting out. Don't be afraid to eliminate ideas or put them on hold. You want to actually get something done and have it done well, so if that means simplifying, then that is totally fine. It is not selling yourself short - it is working smart, not hard.
- Don't be afraid to look at what your competitors are doing - their actions will provide inspiration and valuable lessons for what not to do.
- Find yourself a few strong teammates - you will not be able to do everything yourself, so find core people who you not only can trust to carry out your vision but whose ideas you are willing to hear and who have skills that you don't already have - the more abilities you have in one place, the more you will be able to eventually accomplish, and of course, at a faster rate too.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.syncopatednyc.com/
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/syncopatednyc
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/syncopatednyc/
https://www.instagram.com/chefleci/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexis-sicklick/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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