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Mary Weary considers herself one of the “lucky ones” who gets to do what she loves for her job. Weary has been involved in sales, marketing and the preparation of food of food since 1975. Today she is owner of Menu Maker
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| Mary Weary, owner |
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Company Profile: Menu Maker
Owner: Mary Weary
Company Address: 1000 Deep Woods Trail, Brentwood, TN 37027
Phone: 615-791-9779
Year Founded: 1992
Number of Employees: 20
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Catering, a company she founded in 1992. She refers to her business as "custom menus for you!"
Menu Maker Catering provides not only food but professional service and prides itself on its presentation for all occasions -- from boxed lunches to self-service buffets to formal dinners. Menu Maker can customize to customer specifications.
Teresa Miller interviewed Weary for this story.
How did your business initially position itself in the marketplace?
Menu Maker’s initial positioning was to provide traditional meals for all types of events. We began with a special emphasis in wedding receptions, corporate lunches and non-profit meals.
Was there a key change in positioning that led to your current success?
We completely revamped our menus and created special packaging for a new division of drop-off meals, which is currently 40 percent of our business. We also spent more time creating an online presence and learned how to use social marketing both online and in person, for our benefit.
What was the insight that led you to change direction?
There has been a tremendous growth in Brentwood and Cool Springs. It created a higher demand for a variety of food and menu options. We decided to create more of a brand for our business, both online and in other advertising venues.
What is the best piece of business advice you ever received?
Surround yourself with good people that are better than you. You can’t succeed in business by doing everything yourself.
What would you do now if you had to start over in your business career?
I would not be afraid of change. My menus have been totally revamped to reflect custom menus suited to your taste. We even have a vegan/vegetarian menu. Also, I would have a growth plan. Growth is not just getting bigger, it’s getting better and spending more time following trends of a changing market.
What is the greatest business challenge you have faced? How did you handle it?
From 2001-2007, I was the in-house caterer for a wedding venue. During that time, over half of my business came from this wedding venue. In 2006, this venue was bought by a church that did not allow an outside caterer. I panicked, but in reality, it was the best thing that ever happened to me. It forced me to change and diversify as well as create a marketing and sales plan. I realized I could not just rely on word-of-mouth referrals and limited advertising anymore.
What one business tip would you give to a Brentwood business entrepreneur?
Brentwood is a great city. There are a lot of opportunities to grow, here. Work to build relationships with your customers. It is much cheaper and easier to keep a customer than it is to find a new one.
About the columnists:
David Green is owner of David Green Communications in Brentwood (www.dgreencommunications.com), a marketing and PR firm. He is former managing editor of The Tennessean. Contact him at 615-517-5653 or dgreen@dgreencommunications.com
Teresa N. Miller, owner of Miller Marketing ( www.teresamiller.com), is a 25+ year veteran in the public relations and marketing industries serving clients in Tennessee and Alabama. Contact her at 615-482-4182 or teresa@teresamiller.com.
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