My Journey to Now
My Journey to Now, celebrating three years in business
After a lifetime of collecting recipes, earmarking dozens of entertaining and culinary magazines, collecting hundreds of cookbooks, reading entertaining and culinary magazines, watching endless hours of cooking shows, and studying documentary series featuring chefs and restaurants, MK Hennigan found herself at a crossroads in her life and decided to take the ‘curious’ path. Following a stumbling block in her corporate sales job, where she was a constant top producer, MK decided to take charge of her life and her future
Three years ago, this month, MK launched her business In the Curious Kitchen, an idea that she had been tossing around in her head for years but always thought it might happen “someday.” However, during the early months of COVID, she began turning her ideas into a pretty elaborate business plan. Who knows if she would have actually left the security (debatable) of her sales career on her own and launched this adventure? But that’s something that was decided for her. Her career path suddenly…abruptly changed for her. After dedicating more than three decades of her life to sales, she found herself without a job…and thanks to a worldwide pandemic, without the prospect of finding another one anytime soon.
It actually started online, on social media, months before she launched her product line. She started sharing recipes for her favorite nibbles and cocktails, then she branched out to explore the products and brands she had trusted for years–and some new products, too. Then she began storytelling. For years, she felt the need to share her “food memories” with a larger audience than her family and friends. MK grew up surrounded by strong women who loved to cook and entertain. She was fueled by the memories of hours spent side-by-side with her North Carolina grandmother mixing up sweet tea and making pimento cheese, hours spent curled up on the sofa with her mother pouring through Southern Living and other magazines looking for new ideas, and the times spent with her Frankfort grandmother–who just loved to entertain and never met a bourbon she didn’t like. MK knew she had a story to share and after months of planning, collaborating, and learning all that she could, MK began In the Curious Kitchen. Let’s hear her story….
Q & A with MK
Interviewed by: Annette Poole-Malone
Can you describe in a sentence or two what the past three years have been like as an entrepreneur?
I have been overwhelmed (in a good way) and humbled by the responses I have received. Becoming an entrepreneur isn’t easy…it’s no joke, and I am thankful for the years of experience that I gained during all of my years in the corporate world. That time was actually the best preparation for starting and running my own business.
What was your very first product produced and do you still carry it today?
In September 2020, I created a Kentucky Derby kit for my neighbors to celebrate the Derby. Due to Covid, the race was running in September instead of May. It was a tough year for all of us so I decided to do a little something special to commemorate this unprecedented Fall Derby celebration. I put a little blurb out on social media and told a few of my neighbors about a kit I had designed to help get any Derby party started. The little boxed kit included Pimento Cheese, Ham Pate, Spiced Pecans, Strawberry Jam, and crackers. I made a limited number and sold out almost instantly. People were asking for more. This completely validated my business idea and I decided at that moment that it was “now or never.” Shortly thereafter, I launched a small product line and that’s how it all began.
I do sell a version of a Derby kit as part of my current product line but it doesn’t contain any food products. It focuses on the Mint Julep cocktail and all the accouterments needed to mix up a batch for a Derby party or any gathering in need of a refreshing bourbon drink served in a silver There’s even a Derby playlist.
Everyone loves the name of your business “In the Curious Kitchen.” So what does “curious kitchen” mean to you?
I think it’s a good thing. I think “curious kitchen” means that you’re not afraid to explore and create with new ingredients…to try out different cooking techniques…to experience new flavors…to step outside your comfort zone and do all of these things with confidence. If you see a different veggie or fruit at a market that you’ve not used before…buy it anyway…research it…and cook with it. It’s my philosophy in the kitchen and it’s been that way since I picked up my first cookbook many, many years ago.
What has been one of your biggest surprises in the past three years:
The biggest surprise for me was having my pimento cheese selected as a runner-up in the 2021 “Made in the South” Awards in Garden and Gun magazine. That took a minute to sink in. A close second was having In the Curious Kitchen Boozy Cherries featured by Bon Appetit online.
I have been a super fan of both publications and to see my name and my product mentioned…well…it was really a special moment for me!
What has been the hardest lesson learned in the past three years?
Despite the fact that my products receive a lot of positive feedback, and my products continue to sell, there are times when I fall prey to self-doubt. I question what I am doing and the decisions that I am making. Self-doubt is real and when those feelings creep in, I have to fight them and concentrate on my successes…my accomplishments…the things I have gotten right. You literally have to push those negative thoughts away and force yourself back into a positive mindset…quickly.
What has been your biggest challenge?
Time management has, and always, will be a challenge for me. No matter how many lists I make of my ideas, or how organized I think I am, there is just never enough time to execute all of my plans.
Who are your mentors and why are they important to your business?
There are so many women who have impacted me and my business but two in particular have had lasting impact on me, personally. Libbie Summers was my very first mentor. I admired her work on social media. and sent her a message asking for her guidance. She agreed to work with me, and together, after many, many sessions and a lot of hard work, she guided me on the techniques I needed to tell my story in a visual format. Libbie was able to take my original idea and communicate it into what my business looks like today. She is a storyteller and gave me the tools I needed to tell my story in an authentic way. Libbie continues to be a source of support and guidance.
Libba Osborne with AddLib, is also a valued mentor who encourages me to slow down and organize my big ideas in a thoughtful, productive way, and to focus on what drives my revenue. She helped me create a system that focuses on a specific topic and how I need to talk to my customers.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the fabulous women of The Southern C, who are a constant source of inspiration to me. This group of female entrepreneurs and business founders are in the trenches with me and are available for me to reach out to with quick questions or a shoulder to lean on when entrepreneurship gets really hard. We get together over Zoom on a weekly basis and it is so wonderful to chat with them. I have met so many new friends who have my back!
Who is your “ideal” customer? Who is your target audience?
Originally, I created products with customers in mind who loved to entertain, specifically females from ages 32-64. It did not take long to realize I was mistaken–my fastest-growing customer base is a male, aged 28 to 54. The guys really love love the Hot Pepper Jelly, our Boozy Cherries, and the Bitters.
If you could pick a celebrity to try your products and be a repeat customer, who would that be?
It would be a dream come true for me if Ina Garten could get a taste of my products. She is such an inspiration to me as I have enjoyed watching her for years–originally I saw her on Martha Stewart’s show and have followed her ever since. I have most of her cookbooks and love to watch her Barefoot Contessa series. Her demeanor is refreshing, and I love how she loves to entertain.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to start a business from the ground up?
Starting a business is not for the faint of heart. You have to have a tough exterior to handle all the No responses that come your way. But that begging said…I would always say “Go for it.” Also, always remember that no one will love your business more than you do so be sure that you are in charge of how you tell your story well and with confidence.
What keeps you motivated?
My customers. Every time a customer tastes my products and I see the look on their face! That says it all for me!. What really amazes me is when they tell me it's the best they have ever had! That is what keeps me going.
What is your personal favorite product and why?
I love my Pimento Cheese. Not only is it the first product I mass-produced but it holds a special place in my heart. The recipe I developed comes straight out of my grandmother’s kitchen, who never used a recipe. I made it so many times with her as a child. But it was a challenge getting it right. Because she didn’t write it down, I had to recreate it from a food memory. It took a while to master the recipe but once I did it took me right back to those days in her kitchen.
Where do you see ITCK in five years?
I would love to have my own production facility and offices with everything under one roof. It is also a goal to have my business shift to more online and wholesale sales. But, also I still want to have face-to-face time with my customer base. I love meeting my customers and hearing their feedback.
On a personal note, MK would like to thank a few people who have helped and continue to help her on her journey:
To Steve, Haly and Lily, thank you does not even describe what your love and support has meant to me. You have sacrificed your own time for the business and for that I am forever grateful.
To Mom and Mammy, your inspiration from the beginning is why I am doing this today. Thanks for teaching me that food is love in so many ways. Thanks for engaging me in your love of learning, hospitality and entertaining. I miss you every moment of every day.
To Dad and Dorothy, your check-ins, and love of everything I am doing. This means the world to me, thank you.
To Annette, my forever friend, cheerleader, and wordsmith, thanks for all your love and hard work.
To Rob and Toni, thank you for your friendship, support, and being the best taste testers.
To Lynn, Ken, Mitch, Jody, Diane, and Amy, thanks for your love and likes and always asking about my business.
To Toncia, thanks for being my first customer and believing in me and my vision.
To Libbie, Libba, and The Southern C community, could not have done this without your guidance and unwavering support.
To my customers, without you none of this would be possible, I cannot thank you enough.
Cheers!
MK
