Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jessica Cameron, owner of The Keto Farmhouse Kitchen, located in Casselman, ON, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Our business is a keto and low carb home-based bakery & we specialize in sugar-free treats. We use erythritol, a natural plant-based alternative sweetener in all of our baked goods, and almond or coconut flour as our flours of choice.

We chose erythritol as our main sweetener as it has no after-taste or cooling effect, which a lot of other artificial sweeteners do. Our customers are a wide variety of people. People with type I or II diabetes are a large part of our customer base as the sugar we use will not spike their own blood sugar levels. It’s low on the glycemic index, which makes it possible for them to enjoy the occasional sweet treat without worrying.

Another large part of our customer base is those who follow a low-carb or keto lifestyle. All of our treats on our menu are low carb, so they fit perfectly into those lifestyle plans :) Lastly, I would say our customers are a mix of those who are gluten-free and those who are simply sugared sensitive or choosing not to consume sugar. As our entire menu is sugar and gluten-free, it makes it easy for them to order ;)

Tell us about yourself

We are a husband and wife team living on a dairy farm in the countryside & we love the opportunity to be able to spend time together while helping others in our own small way. We are high school sweethearts who have been together for over 20 years & always dealt with infertility issues. We decided to address our infertility by slowly switching over to all-natural products. As we slowly switched our entire house over (deodorant, shampoos, cleaners, etc.), we noticed we were feeling so much better. That encouraged us to make more changes in our life.

We decided it was time to pull the plug and change the way we were eating too. In the fall of 2019, we went Keto. By the time Christmas was rolling around, we were craving sweets, something terrible, but everything we tried was either too dry or just gross with a weird aftertaste. We bought some keto ingredients and decided to try some of our own baking! It couldn’t be that hard, right?! We didn’t know it, but it was at that very moment that The Keto Farmhouse Kitchen came to life!!!

We were impressed with our treats and kept baking, trying new things. We started sharing with friends and family and with pics online… and people started asking us if we could sell some of our keto treats to them. We were shocked and so happy, so the next time someone asked, we said “yes!” From there, word of mouth slowly began to take off. It only went up from there.

We are so very grateful to all of our amazing customers for keeping us going. They are what motivates us every day to keep going. We love the opportunity we have to help others make a healthier choice for a sweet treat! Not just a sweet treat, but a sweet treat that is actually delicious and full of flavour.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

We have only been around since 2020. But I would say our biggest accomplishment to date would be starting our business at the very beginning of the pandemic and actually keeping it going for the last two years. Not just keeping it going during this time but watching it grow and flourish. This is an amazing accomplishment to me, one I am very proud of. There have been so many other businesses that have been forced to close, and I am very aware of this. I’m so grateful to our clients and so proud of the hard work we have put in to keep our doors open during an extremely difficult time for every business!

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

I would say that the most difficult thing that comes with being a business owner would be the necessity to be a “Jack of all trades.” When you’re the owner and just starting, you have to wear many hats from day to day. From budgeting, ordering, inventory, customer service, baking, cleaning, marketing, communications, planning and scheduling routes, communication, and contact with customers, responding to requests, social media, photography. The list goes on and on, and sometimes this can be overwhelming. For this reason, I find it important to be organized, and my number one way of doing that is to list. Lists for everything!

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Never stop! Never stop dreaming, never stop trying, never stop working for what you want. Things can get hard sometimes and sometimes even seem impossible, but if you want something bad enough, you can make it happen with your dedication.
  2. Consistency is key. It’s so important to remain consistent in your business. It’s important to show up, be consistent, and be seen in your work. People respect that from a business.
  3. Share share share….with everyone!! Be loud and be proud of your business. Don’t be afraid to share. Shout it from the rooftops. Print up business cards you can hand out and give them to everyone you have interactions with. Share with friends, family, neighbours, go online and join local groups, and share!!! Every customer counts, and getting the word out there about your business will help grow it. Social media can be an excellent vehicle to allow you to share, never underestimate it.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

We may be rurally based out by Casselman, but we make it a point to have weekly deliveries at community drop-off locations in and around Ottawa (East, West, South, rural) every Saturday.

Where can people find you and your business?

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theketofarmhousekitchen
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_keto_farmhouse_kitchen/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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