Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamie Poeling.
Hi Jamie, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
I was a Social Worker in Memory Care for many years and chose to retire but still wanted to take care of people. I went to work at Dream Dinners in Wheat Ridge, helping busy families find ways to get great healthy meals on the table. About a year later it went up for sale. and my husband and I decided that I would finally fulfill a lifelong dream of owning my own business. When we purchased the store, we knew we wanted to grow it and that Snohomish, Washington would be the perfect location to do this. So, on February 27th we officially relocated to Arvada and two weeks later we went into covid lockdowns. To say the least I have had to learn how to pivot my business to an ever-changing environment but have managed to stay afloat throughout it.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
No. From the moment I bought the store in 2019, I knew we would move the store. Moving the store proved to be a learning experience. Our contractor was beyond difficult and would not let us ask questions or make changes. In hindsight, we should have fired our contractor and trusted our instincts. When we finally did move three months past the deadline we walked into a global pandemic. Our business model was based on customers coming into the store and assembling their own meals. With the pandemic, we had to pivot our model to be curbside pickup where we assemble the meals and customers picked up. Our business is based on relationship and without them coming in the store we felt very disconnected from our customers. What has happened is that we have learned a new way of connecting with our customers and finding innovative ways to stay in business
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Dream Dinners Arvada?
Dream Dinners Arvada is locally owned small business. We are a franchise business that began 20 years ago in Sequim Washington. This March is our 20th birthday. Dream Dinners was started with a desire to get Families and Friends back around the Dinner table. Our owners were busy working Moms that wanted to have time to enjoy dinners with their family but were struggling to plan, shop, prep, and cook a meal. From that desire to make Meal planning and prepping easier came the model for Dream Dinners. Each month we have 17 new menu items for you to choose from. Our meals come in Medium – Serving up to 3 and Larges serving up to 6. Each meal is designed to fit the FDA food standards in portion sizing and to be great leftover meals (if there is any left). Prior to covid guest would come and assemble and customize their meals to their families’ preferences. However, we have moved over to a Made for You model. Where my staff assembles your meals and you come into the store to pick up any additional sides, sweets or breakfast items you may need.
What sets us apart from other meal prep companies is that we are in your community. We are a small business that prides ourself on serving our guest. We want to know about you life and how we can help make it easier. We love our customers and encourge people to shop local.
What I am most proud of about my store is how we help our community. Once a year we help sponsor a meal packing event with Village church, in 2021 we packaged over 250,000 meals to be shared locally and internationally. We also partner with local schools to do fundraising. We also love our guest. During covid so many people life’s have been turned upside down that as guest would share their stories, we were able to reach out and help them. Whether it was helping provide meals to families who lost loved ones or who were too sick to come to the store we made sure our customers were supported by us.
Dream Dinners is the Original Meal Kit company. Our Meals are all restaurant quality products and you will love how easy we have made it for you to be a great Cook. All the meals come to you frozen and you simply thaw and cook when you are ready for them. Everything is prepped for you so no shopping or chopping is required. Try our $99.00 starter pack and see how easy Dinner can be.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk-taking?
As a small business owner starting a business is a risk. For me, I did not want a bank loan to start this so I cashed in my 401K, so essentially this business is my retirement. But great things always take great risk and to be at this stage of my life I wanted to prove to myself and my children that taking a risk for something you believe in is worth it. It has been scary at times and definitely hard but it has been so worth all the things I have learned and the new relationships I have built.
Pricing:
- Average customer spends $250.00 on 12 medium meals
- Average Customer saves $200.00 a month in food cost
- Meals are priced per meal
- We have minimum order of 36 servings
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.dreamdinners.com\arvada
- Instagram: dreamdinnersarvadaco
- Facebook: @dreamdinnersarvadaco
Image Credits
Jamie Poeling
