“I believe that we all deserve to enjoy at least one good meal that is made with love after a long day away.”
For Indrani Adak of Eat As You Like, being in the kitchen and cooking up hearty, wholesome meals is a dream. So when she had the opportunity to transform her passion into a business, Indrani took the leap.
Now at Eat As You Like, Indrani is on the mission to serve busy, time-poor individuals who typically depend on convenience or fast food with her authentic Bengali, Indian and Indo-Chinese meals. She stands by her motto: “We all deserve to enjoy at least one good meal that is made with love after a long day away.”
Indrani currently offers catering for small to medium gatherings and weeknight meals. Her menu reflects her native cuisine from Kolkata, West Bengal, in the east of India. From non-vegetarian to vegan options, Indrani works closely with her customers to plan the perfect, fresh meal.
She also offers hands-on, in-person cooking classes to those who want to sharpen their culinary skills. It is a wonderful opportunity to socialise and learn authentic, home-cooking.
As Eat As You Like continues to grow, Indrani looks forward to serving more busy families and professionals. She invites them to come home, sit back and enjoy a happy meal that is hot, fresh and ready on the table.
Who’s your favourite entrepreneur and why?
I have to think. There are so many people I admire and take inspiration from.
Why did you start your business and what gave you the idea?
I always wanted to be a chef since childhood and there is a secret vision in me, I want to have my own restaurant serving my native cuisine (Bengali Cuisine ) as there is so much heritage and stories behind it.
I started my business as I wanted to work on my own terms having enough flexibility to spend time with my family especially the kids as they are so young and school going. If not a restaurant I realised I can own a catering and teach people to inspire and motivate them for home cooking.
I wanted to make good use of my passion and knowledge of cooking for years and help my customers eat good healthy family meals at the end of a long day and save them from making those poor decisions of eating fast food and restaurant staples.
What do you enjoy most about running your own business?
Everything! I love Cooking and really enjoy it when I do it for my clients, and when they love my food it is so much rewarding.
I have loved creating my website, I love managing my social media platforms creating content (text, video) and putting them to good use.
Above all I love being my own boss the flexibility of income and the freedom that it brings, personal development on steroids as I feel I am growing as a person with a new positive mindset.. learning and unlearning so much in the process, I feel I have the power of doing what I love every single day, getting stronger and resilient by the day.
I can make the most of my marketing and customer service skills which is unparalleled and use it for good in my own biz creating abundance for myself and my family..the list is endless!
What three pieces of advice do you wish you’d been given when you started?
- The order in which things so be done when you start.
- Choosing the right platform for your website.
- Friends and families are not your ideal clients… strangers are.
What advice would YOU give someone thinking about starting a business?
To just start, taking the first step… one idea is good enough to roll the ball and then learn on the job as you go… not to overthink or delay things.
Journal your ideas and get them done as a priority!
What skills and knowledge areas would you recommend those starting out in business get acquainted with quickly?
How to pitch for your business confidently – so the Connection Statement is great exercise.
Be aware of all the compliance issues, insurance, license, registration and not believe a random person’s opinion. Call up the main body to find out information and make a note… such as council, ATO , Insurance etc. Get everything documented so you have everything in writing.
Open a Business bank Account, never use your personal account for business expends or income.
Learn how to mange cash flow. Save up weekly for mandatory overheads such as websites, domains and son…
What does your IDEAL business look like? Even if you’re not there yet, what would it look like if your business was ideal?
A distinctive known and trusted brand that can create jobs to help the community earning at least a 6 figure annually :)
What problem does being a Member of the HerBusiness Network solve for you and your business? And, how?
I can come and ask questions as there is always some body helping with an answer and a solution. I love the spirit and culture of this group as there is always more than one person showing up to a post, lifting up and involved in a conversation. I am very appreciative of you Suzi and HerBusiness Team as you lead by example of showing up to posts and comments, the training and live sessions.
The resources on the HerBusiness HUB are just excellent and love unwinding after a long tiring day watching and taking notes or listening to the podcasts. It keeps me going and helps me stay motivated.
