Hello! I’m Julie and this is my salsa.
Have you ever thought about setting up your own business doing something you love?
As a (former?) artist this was ostensibly what I did – but it wasn’t always what it was cracked up to be; I was at the whim of funders and other cultural gatekeepers and my practice had to be supported through other paid work – which of course took up all of the time that I could have been making art. Add a young family into the mix and it just didn’t add up.
Hats off to anyone making this work! For me I knew there had to be a better way. So after 15 years, I decided to step into the unknown, quit my jobs and go for a career change - but I still wanted to do something I loved.
When the idea first popped into my head to turn my passion for salsa into a business during lockdown I dismissed it because I knew nothing about the food industry.
But once that seed was planted it was pretty hard to ignore. I parked it for several months without taking any action, but it was never far from my thoughts because - as a batch cooking aficionado - I always have huge vats of Coriander & Lime Salsa in my home (which I eat in some form almost every day). And it was always whispering to me ‘you could do this!’
This salsa has a special place in my heart as a distinctive, fresh flavour that takes me back to my childhood. I firmly believe that exceptional flavours create unforgettable experiences – and this is one them.
When I taste it, I am transported back in time to my teens in the mid 90’s and the carefree summer’s I would spend there visiting my Dad, sitting in a lively Tex-Mex restaurant with my family – the colours, sounds and flavours all come flooding back.
Taste is inextricably linked to memory, isn’t it?
At the start I pictured myself making salsa from my home and selling it to friends and family.
Several months later - after a steep learning curve - I am armed with a killer business plan, a Virgin Start-Up Loan, a food grade kitchen unit at Food Works South West and a bucket load of drive and determination.
And I’m going to need it! I feel like I’ve run a marathon already, but I am under no illusions that I am just about approaching the starting line.
I’m aiming to finally, finally, finally launch in 2-3 weeks’ time. (I’ve been saying that for months!).