Janice Carte, founder of Tiny Spoon Chef, joins Eunicia Peret to share how she built a multi-state personal chef business from a single Craigslist ad. With no outside funding and a team-first mindset, Janice scaled her operation by focusing on joy, boundaries, and sustainable systems. In this episode, she opens up about how she designed a business that’s both profitable and people-centered, how the pandemic created an unexpected opportunity for growth, and why she measures success in energy, not just dollars. Her journey is a masterclass in building a company on your own terms, without compromising your values.

Key Takeaways:

Start small, think big: Janice grew from cooking in one client’s kitchen to leading a multi-state team with no investors

Burnout is not the badge of honor: Boundaries, rest, and clarity have driven her long-term sustainability

Success is energetic: Her benchmark is feeling good in her life—not revenue alone

Hiring must align with values: She prioritizes emotional safety, mutual respect, and alignment over credentials

Build the life, not just the business: Janice reverse-engineered her company to support the lifestyle she wanted

Systems support sanity: Her onboarding, checklists, and communication tools allow for consistent, joyful execution

Pivoting can lead to breakthrough: The pandemic forced a redesign that ultimately expanded her reach

Serve with soul: Her company’s ethos is built on generosity, fun, and caring for both team and clients

Timeline Summary:

[00:00:00] Introduction to Janice and the origin of Tiny Spoon Chef

[00:02:00] From Craigslist to a business with clients across the Northeast

[00:04:00] Defining success beyond numbers and titles

[00:06:00] Building the business to support her desired lifestyle

[00:08:00] How systems and structure create emotional safety for the team

[00:10:00] Pandemic pivot: shifting into virtual and multi-state growth

[00:12:00] Janice’s approach to hiring and protecting team culture

[00:14:00] Creating client experiences rooted in joy and generosity

[00:16:00] Letting go of hustle culture and choosing ease

[00:18:00] The role of mentorship and community in growth

[00:20:00] Her biggest mistake: ignoring intuition around alignment

[00:22:00] Advice for business owners building something soulful

[00:24:00] Final reflections on leadership, systems, and joy

Ep112: Janice Carte on Building a Multi-State Chef Business with No Funding