Aviatra Spotlight: Mavis Linnemann-Clark

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The pandemic has brought many unprecedented challenges for entrepreneurs and small business owners. We asked Aviatra alum, Mavis Linnemann-Clark, owner of The Delish Dish, Made by Mavis Artisan Jams, and Kickstart Kitchen, how she has managed and pivoted amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

  1. How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted your business?

COVID-19 has been devastating to the catering and events industry, just like the restaurant industry. We lost all of our corporate business overnight (33% of our business) when folks moved to working from home. No one hosted an event in their home for months. Many of our weddings were moved to 2021or cancelled, but thankfully some did simply reschedule to the fall, and we’ve been catering weddings since July. However, November and December are some of our busiest months of the year, and with the increase in COVID cases, we are not sure what to expect. We had expected 2020 to be our best year ever, and instead, our sales are down 50%.

  1. How have you pivoted or adapted?

In March, we created a carryout menu and moved to a curbside carryout and delivery model. While this did not offset our losses completely, it helped us keep our kitchen cooking and our full-time employees working. When restaurants opened in June, our carryout business faded, but weddings were permitted, so we pivoted back to full-service catering. With the fall and more folks moving indoors, we just launched a new permanent branch of our company called The Delish Dish To Go. At our new food shop, we have pre-made dinners for two, take-and-bake appetizers, soups, breakfast items, as well cookie dough and desserts available for folks to order online and stop by and pick up.

  1. How are you staying motivated?

When the pandemic first hit, I definitely wallowed at home for a few days. Then I remembered that this is not how I do things and that I needed to make a plan and take action, rather than closing my company for an undetermined amount of time. So I put on my big girl panties, and I got to work.

The drive to keep my employees working so that we can all feed our families and pay our bills is certainly motivation to figure out new and creative ways to keep my business open. 

  1. How have you managed your staff during this time? (maintain, layoff, furlough, etc.)  

Our salaried staff has continued to be paid their full-time wage. Some of our hourly workers chose to basically furlough themselves until there was enough work to be had, while we did our best to keep the rest of our staff cooking with carryout and catering orders.

  1. What have you learned from the pandemic?

That no matter how many years you’ve been in business, there will come a time when you are forced to adapt and change and to create something new where there wasn’t before. You can cry for a day or two, but after that, put your feet to the floor and make things happen.

  1. Do you have any advice for small business owners and entrepreneurs right now?   

Don’t panic. Take deep breaths. Be creative. Be resourceful. Use your contacts and your staff to help you shape and create new ideas and facets of your business. Put in the work. This too shall pass.

LAUNCH® 2020 COHORT SPOTLIGHT: Megan M. McClendon

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What exactly is your business?

One Sweet Box delivers a carefully-curated and Instagram-worthy party experience. We are currently focused on bachelorette parties with the intention to grow into other types of parties.

How did you come up with your business idea?

Between a long daily commute listening to the “How I Built This” podcast and planning bachelorette parties for friends, I came to the realization that there was some real opportunity to provide a better experience for both the party planner and the guest of honor!

How did you find out about Aviatra?

I moved to Cincinnati in 2017 and came across Aviatra during my late night Googles. I had been working on this nugget of an idea and was searching for support in the area. I attended an “Open House” about their Explore class and fell in love. It was destiny!

What is your inspiration?

Ahhh, I am inspired by so many things! I truly believe that everyone should be celebrated. Unfortunately, that is not a possibility for everyone. There’s nothing more special than a birthday celebration when you are young. In developing One Sweet Box, my goal has always been to give back and celebrate more. I came across The Birthday Party Project last year and was able to volunteer for the first time by helping to throw a birthday party for children at a homeless shelter in St.Louis. It was absolutely magical. We currently support them through Amazon Smile and plan to donate a portion of our proceeds and time to them once we get up and running.

What has been your biggest accomplishment with your business so far?

Navigating my financials! Math has never been my favorite subject. I went to art & design school where math wasn’t offered, a key decision factor in choosing which college and major to pursue. Aviatra has given me the tools, support and mentors I needed to break past this barrier. I am now finding the financial aspect of building a business as fun!

What was the most valuable thing you gained from your experience with Aviatra?

Support. And from so many directions! I originally participated in Explore where I met some amazing mentors & connections who stuck with me beyond the class. Shout out to Rebecca Volpe and Carlin Stamm! I also met some amazing women in class who have become friends and great supporters. Lastly, having the support and accountability of Aviatra classes catapulted me from an idea to a business.

What was the biggest challenge you faced when starting your business?

What do I do next? What are the things that I don’t know that I don’t know? Aviatra has so many amazing resources that support from all aspects of business from branding, marketing, advertising to financials, legal and accounting. They helped me ensure that I was thinking holistically about what I needed to consider.

Where do you hope to be in 5 years?

I hope to have supported a wide variety of parties, built great relationships with my customers and made a difference by celebrating with those who aren’t able to.

Any advice for future Aviatras?

Be Bold! Get out of your own way and get into it! You won’t know unless you try. And keep celebrating! Cheers!

LAUNCH® 2020 Cohort Spotlight: Keri Kilroy

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What is your business?

Donna’s Gourmet Cookies

How did you come up with your business idea?

Donna is the name of the original owner and the creative genius behind the majority of the recipes that we use today. Donna retired and I didn’t want her cookies to go away. Her name is known and associated with our cookies in Cincinnati, so I felt it was vital to keep the name.

How did you find out about Aviatra?

Internet search for women and business support

What is your inspiration?

Great culinary experiences that can be shared and celebrated amongst friends, family and strangers!

What has been your biggest accomplishment with your business so far?

I purchased the business from another person who was very successful. Learning to replicate the recipes so they were consistent was super challenging.

What was the most valuable thing you gained from your experience with Aviatra?

The network of other business women that are willing to help answer questions.

Where do you hope to be in 5 years?

Although I have big dreams and aspirations for this cookie shop, my focus right now is to just make it through another day with a team that is healthy. So with that being said, still being in business 5 years from now would be a huge win given the COVID-19 world we are living in.

Any advice for future Aviatras?

You will get a lot of valuable information from this class. Make a big list of all the things you learn and tackle them one at a time instead of doing everything all at once. Take the time to do it right one thing at a time!

LAUNCH® 2020 Cohort Spotlight: Celeste Maksim

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Get to know LAUNCH® participant, Celeste Maksim!

What exactly is your business?

Software to automate content mapping and updates. The platform facilitates the flow of information in the manufacturing process chain. It streamlines data from supply chain through manufacturing to regulatory review at government agencies and then to improving post-market reporting. The platform offers distinct advantages for currently available products- it provides administrative efficiency, reduces errors, is scalable, and is transferable to any regulated industry.

How did you come up with your business idea?

This idea organically developed from encountering pain points in multiple industries. I started my career in teaching and science research and then moved to regulatory affairs. In regulated industries, I learned that so much content is repetitive; machine learning could be applied to drive efficiency, reduce errors, and allow experts to put more focus on content and much less on pulling in correct information or formatting.

How did you find out about Aviatra?

I met Nancy through LinkedIn by searching local people that could help me develop a business plan. We’ve been friends since!

What is your inspiration?

I am inspired by a lot of things, and have been blessed with many supportive mentors and friends. I try to read/listen to a book a week which keeps me motivated and helps me continue thinking of new ideas. More specifically, I am inspired by creating products that will have lasting impact and improve people’s lives!

What has been your biggest accomplishment with your business so far?

Honestly, sticking with it! It would be easy to develop this idea but be satisfied with the status quo. The pursuit of creating a useful product is exciting!

What was the biggest challenge you faced when starting your business?

Refining the idea, it took 2 years to formulate how the software should and could work and we are still learning. Every conversation with a potential user has given me insight. Learning that the product has to serve the customer needs (and identifying who that is) has been essential. For example, I started developing a database that worked very differently than the current software, but through talking to potential customers, database designers, and through working with software developers, the idea was refined to the current platform. And it continues to be refined as we recognize need to adjust to account for unique aspects of each industry sector! Developing that mind-set was not natural for me at the beginning. Learning to think with the “Build-Measure-Learn” feedback loop has been transformative and is an area where I continue to grow!

Where do you hope to be in 5 years?

Versions of the software used in across many industry sectors, valued at multi-billion.

Any advice for future Aviatras?

Join when the time is right. I considered joining in 2019 but the time was not right. Then I got caught up on feeling like I was too late or should be “further along” in my business. Now, being a member of the class in 2020, I can see that waiting a year provided many advantages such as having a valuable perspective from refining the idea for another year and being in a better financial situation to fund the software development.

LAUNCH® 2020 Cohort Spotlight: Margo Moskin

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Get to know LAUNCH® participant, Margo Moskin of SoMi!

What exactly is your business?

SoMi is an adventurous product development company revolutionizing solutions for active and working parents.

How did you come up with your business idea?

With the birth of my second child, I noticed that being a full-time parent and a full-time employee/business owner/active member of the community required a lot of juggling. Tools available on the market are limiting to satisfy today’s modern parent needs. Because I could not find the solutions I needed, I decided to create them!

How did you find out about Aviatra?

Through Cincinnati’s amazing entrepreneurship network.

What is your inspiration?

Every active mom and/or dad obsessed with the well-being of their children and pursuing their passions at the same time; my children.

What has been your biggest accomplishment with your business so far?

Successful Kickstarter that raised 30k and having our amazing early adopters actually using the second version of our first product MOX.

What was the most valuable thing you gained from your experience with Aviatra?

Framework for long-term planning and many wonderful connections in general–and specifically with amazing female entrepreneurs.

What was the biggest challenge you faced when starting your business?

Finding the right people with the correct set of skills to fill in the gaps between your own abilities and successful execution of company’s goals.

Where do you hope to be in 5 years?

Selling online and in stores everywhere!

Any advice for future Aviatras?

Take advantage and spend some time with every task the program suggests. Stay connected with the individuals you’ve met on your entrepreneurship journey by sending out regular company update emails (business update, product update, highlights/lowlights, help wanted, thank yous) – you never know who may have another connection, valuable information, or advice for something you are going through.

 

LAUNCH® 2020 Cohort Spotlight: Heather Couch

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Get to know LAUNCH® participant, Heather Couch of Couch Family Cuisine!

What exactly is your business?

Couch Family Cuisine is a Cincinnati-based, family-owned catering and mobile food business operated out of Findlay Kitchen. Founded in 2018, this father-daughter duo provides timeless recipes that have been passed down for generations.

How did you come up with your business idea?

Rick Couch, my dad and co-owner, has always dreamed of having a restaurant and loves to cook. He initially started out with the idea as a food truck and I helped with getting the getting the business set. The food truck idea evolved into catering and we hope to provide carry out. My dad wanted to be in a small business that he could share with the family. Cooking has always been a family initiative. He used to cook with my great grandma growing up and I used to sit on her lap to knead dough as a toddler. My grandma, aunts, and dad always let me help in the kitchen and I loved to bake.

How did you find out about Aviatra?

I found out about Aviatra through Nancy Aichholz when I was running for Cincinnati School Board in 2019.

What is your inspiration?

My great grandma and grandma. Their recipes have been loved by all in the family and we like to put our own twist on them.

What has been your biggest accomplishment with your business so far?

I believe our biggest accomplishment has been to get accepted into Aviatra. We have been able survive the past two years by doing small events and being at Findlay Market. We’ve been able to get our product to people and the positive responses we’ve received.

What was the biggest challenge you faced when starting your business?

The biggest challenge has been understanding how to run a business and getting it off the ground.

Where do you hope to be in 5 years?

We hope to have our own brick and mortar to work out of.

 

LAUNCH® 2020 Cohort Spotlight: Bailey Bryant

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Get to know LAUNCH® participant, Bailey Bryant of Health Match 360!

What exactly is your business?

Health Match 360 is a therapist matching platform that connects clients with mental health therapists using a proprietary matching algorithm. We streamline access to quality mental healthcare.

How did you come up with your business idea?

Finding a therapist is absurdly difficult and time-consuming. I had my own difficulty finding a therapist even though I’m in the field and understand the system. I believe in the value of therapy and know from personal experience that the quality of the fit between client and therapist is crucial. I’ve had some wonderful therapists who helped me through pivotal moments in my life, and I had a not-so-great therapist that made my life more difficult. As a psychologist myself, I hear these sentiments echoed by patients, friends, and colleagues. The problem was well known in my field, yet the solution was nonexistent. The idea to create a matching platform hit me like a bolt of lightning while I was on a walk one day, and within the week, I got to work. The rest is history!

How did you find out about Aviatra?

I first heard of Aviatra at StartupCincy in 2019, and the idea of joining an accelerator stayed rolling around in my mind. Recently a colleague recommended I apply for LAUNCH, which was the final push I needed, and I’m so glad I followed her advice.

What is your inspiration?

Helping people become the best versions of themselves. Trauma, toxic messages, unsupportive relationships and systems keep far too many people from reaching close to their potential. My personal mission is to help as many people as possible shed the layers that bog us down and replace them with that which builds us up. Psychotherapy is an effective vehicle to achieve just that.

What has been your biggest accomplishment with your business so far?

Getting our MVP up and running! The full version of our matching platform launched on March 3, 2020, and that day will forever stick in my mind.

What was the most valuable thing you gained from your experience with Aviatra?

Structure, guidance, and support. Being an entrepreneur can feel lonely, and figuring out where to focus my time and energy can be a struggle. There are never-ending things to do and learn, so to have a community in my corner and facing similar problems puts wind in my sails.

What was the biggest challenge you faced when starting your business?

Finding a technical team that could help me turn my vision into a reality. My first shot at hiring a software developer was a bust in a big way; but it was also an important learning experience for me. I have since brought on board a technical co-founder, Jeremiah Harlan, who is fantastic at what he does, and together we have been able to turn my concept into a functioning product.

Where do you hope to be in 5 years?

Making my exit from Health Match 360 and creating my next business that will help people become their best selves.

Any advice for future Aviatras?

Seek community! The entrepreneurial ride will be one heck of a roller coaster, and it’s more fun to ride it with others.

You can learn more about Health Match 360 by visiting https://www.healthmatch360.com/.