The Road to Boki’s Kitchen - Part 1
Multiple times each day, I drive down the same gravel road I've traveled for over three decades. No one could have told me this rocky road would become the path to Boki's Kitchen.
Let’s back up to the year 2008— the U.S. housing bubble had just burst, and I was at the eager age of nineteen. Working for the local Bakery Thrift Store Outlet, I learned to enjoy working off the dairy farm for the first time in my life, and to this day, I reflect on the relationships and knowledge gained from those years spent slinging Wonder bread and Hostess cakes.
As I settled into my first home in small-town rural America, my manager, Cindy, broke the news to me— my hours were being cut in half. Unsure of my next move, the medical field began to catch my interest. Why? Because I wanted a steady job in a stable field. There would always be a need in the medical field, right?
Fast forward to 2020 and ten wonderful years serving patients around the tri-state area through a variety of services and specialties from Phlebotomy to Otolaryngology. My compassion for people paired with my willingness to learn any skill made it hard for 2008 Niki to recognize 2020 Niki. My life was coming around full circle again, or so I thought.
“We do not need your services during this time. Do not report to work on Monday.” Feeling my throat tighten as I swallowed, I exhaled.
I have NEVER been without employment. Who am I without my work?
My very next call was my Mom. I had an idea I needed to talk out.
“Mom! I just got furloughed… really have no idea what I am going to do with my time yet.“
“Oh, Niki! That’s just awful. My catering jobs have slowed down, and I do not have anything scheduled for the foreseeable future. Wonder if I should sell all my catering equipment and retire.”
“What if I come over tomorrow and we make a few lasagnas and see if anyone would be interested in buying any? It would keep us busy while we see what this whole lockdown thing brings.”
“You can try, but I’m not sure anyone will want to buy them.”
Despite Kathy’s doubt, we made lasagnas the very next day. And peach pies. And sloppy bobs. We made mounds of sausage gravy, Italian beef, and Cherry Delite. Our community showed up for our newfound frozen meal extravaganza. Mom and I really enjoyed cooking together. We made frozen meals together every single day until I was called back to work in June. That didn’t slow us down. Instead, I learned to organize my time better to work full-time while spearheading the latest catering project— frozen meals. Many people have a reinvention story from 2020, and I love telling mine. It was also the year I married the love of my life— Bob Nichols. The wedding was almost postponed several times that year, so we were happy to finally be married after a long 2-year engagement.
If you're reading this and wondering if it's too late to pivot, let me tell you: it's never too late. Boki's Kitchen started with a phone call to my mom and a batch of lasagnas. What's your version of that first step?
I'd love to hear your reinvention story in the comments below. And if you're curious about how we transformed our brand to match our story, check out Part 2 coming soon.
