When I joined my mom’s catering company over 25 years ago, I never imagined we would be where we are today! Truthfully, from the beginning I used to joke that if we didn’t fight and kill each other, we’d potentially have something pretty special.
Fast forward to today, and you’ll not only find that my brother joined in, but that we have team members who have worked for us longer than I have and who knew me and Jeffrey when we were young kids. How special is that?! These people are as much family to us as our own blood relatives as we spend more time with them than we do our own families. Running a family business that was started over 40 years ago by my mother (who is still very involved) is a delicate dance between preserving tradition and embracing innovation. For our legacy clients, and for my mom, it’s crucial to balance time-honored recipes and practices that they have grown accustomed to and giving a nod to what today’s foodies are craving so that we remain current and on the cutting edge of creative culinary experience. It’s important that we embrace the evolving tastes and expectations of modern consumers and the next generation of our clients. I’m going to delve into some strategies that Jeffrey, Marcia, and I are working through that have infused Marcia Selden Catering & Events with freshness, excitement, and contemporary appeal while also keeping the “name on the door” (in this case our mother, Marcia) happy and comfortable with the direction we are taking with her third child—the business itself.
I’ll start by sharing our successful recipe for success, which is what we follow daily:
- Communicate
- Appreciate
- Trust
- Embrace strengths
- Respect
Communicate
Effective communication is the cornerstone of any successful family business. Clear and open communication is crucial among family members and the entire team. Regular meetings, both formal and informal, provide a platform for discussing ideas, challenges, and goals. Encourage active listening and constructive feedback to resolve issues and ensure everyone is on the same page. Trust me, this is not always the easiest thing, as the lines are blurred when working with family members and often feelings are hurt when someone takes things personally. We always must remember that this is business and not personal. Effective communication also extends to your customers—be responsive to their needs and feedback to build strong relationships.
Appreciate
Show appreciation for your family members and employees. Recognize and acknowledge their hard work, dedication, and contributions to the business. Celebrate milestones and successes together, whether it’s a long-term employee’s anniversary or a well-executed catering event. We also celebrate birthdays and employee of the month, and when clients shout out an employee, we celebrate that too. These acts of appreciation go a long way when done in a genuine way. The family dynamic in our company stretches throughout our team.
A culture of appreciation boosts morale, motivates your team, and fosters a positive work environment. Who wouldn’t want that?
Trust
Trust is the secret sauce and truly the foundation of what makes our family business run smoothly. You’ve got to trust in each other’s skills, dedication, and choices. Skip the micromanaging—let your family and team own their tasks. Each person, whether they are family or not, needs to stay in their lanes and do what they do best. As we always say, it takes a village to accomplish what we do, and each person is integral in making the magic happen. Trusting each other’s decisions builds confidence and gives everyone the power to rock their roles. Plus, it sets a great example for building trust with your customers, and that’s a big deal in the catering world.
Embrace strengths
Speaking of staying in your lane; let’s talk about playing to your strengths here. Every family member and team member brings unique strengths to the table. Identify and leverage these strengths to enhance the overall business. If one family member is excellent at culinary creativity (that would be me), while another excels in business management (and that would be Jeffrey), allocate roles accordingly. Encourage professional development to further enhance individual strengths. Education is huge and that is why we invest in learning from the best in the business at conferences like Catersource + The Special Event. We are uber-focused on everyone’s growth—help each other and your team to get even better at what they’re already great at. By embracing and making the most of each person’s talents, you’ll create a well-rounded and capable team.
Respect
Respect is non-negotiable in a family business. Treat each family member, employee, and customer with respect and courtesy. Cultivate a culture of respect by valuing diverse perspectives and opinions and listening to them all. Ensure that disputes are resolved respectfully and professionally.
By following these “CATER” principles—communicate effectively, appreciate your team, trust each other, embrace individual strengths, and always show respect—you can nurture a thriving family business that combines tradition with innovation, remains adaptable to changing customer preferences, and fosters a supportive and harmonious work environment.
Where tradition meets innovation
With Marcia at the helm, it’s important that we focus on preserving tradition. Our business is deeply rooted in traditions that contribute to our uniqueness and charm. Recipes handed down through generations of our family as well as signature dishes that my mom has been making for decades have become the hallmark of the business. Having said that, we take those special heirloom recipes and turn them upside down, adding a more modern approach to each item while holding onto the integrity of each dish. Maintaining these elements helps to create a consistent experience and cultivates a loyal customer base that values nostalgia and familiarity, but also appreciates how we are changing with the times.
While tradition is important, our company has been growing fast, and we’ve embraced and adapted innovation into our business. As I’ve said before, we must adapt to the changing preferences of today’s consumers to stay current and grow. This involves infusing innovative ideas into every aspect of the business. This goes from menu design to customer engagement: integrating new technologies, experimenting with cool new ingredients and equipment, and offering creative presentation styles that have elevated our brand in so many ways and captured the attention of a broader audience.
As younger family members step into leadership roles, their unique perspectives can reshape the business. When I began working with my mom, she was still handwriting all her client proposals, which were gorgeous to receive, but the time involved in that customization was insane. Our compromise is now to send handwritten notes to all clients after their events, which really is a special touch. The next generation expects a business that is not only financially successful but also socially and environmentally responsible. They bring fresh ideas, tech-savviness, and a keen awareness of current trends which we embrace. Concepts such as sustainable sourcing, reduced food waste, and ethical practices resonate deeply with modern consumers and can be key drivers of success. Thankfully that has always been a focus of ours since the business began, as Marcia always says: “We need to take care of the earth for the future generations.” Essentially, she’s always thinking of her grandchildren and their kids.
Some of the strategies that are dear to my heart are making sure to keep the essence of our family recipes but constantly experimenting and doing research and development to create new items both on the culinary side as well as in our liquid kitchen and for our vegan brand, Naked Fig Catering. Our end goal is to come up with offerings that are creative, beautiful to look at, and obviously delicious, as well as interactive and experiential. This keeps us current and modern.
It’s also very important to me that we continue to establish a strong online presence through our social media platforms. We need to have a user-friendly website and put out engaging content to help attract younger clients. Sharing behind-the-scenes glimpses, cooking tutorials, and client testimonials can build a sense of community as well as show that we are growing with the times.
Running a family catering business in today’s ever-changing market is all about finding that sweet spot between sticking to tradition and embracing innovation. The next generation brings their own ideas and expectations into the mix, and it’s a big part of moving your company forward while keeping things fresh. By mixing our family’s time-honored values with some modern strategies, your catering company can keep team members and customers happy, attract new ones, and chart a successful course into the future, building a legacy.
