Today we’d like to introduce you to Heather Stickler
Hi Heather, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I”ve been a creative person since a very young age. Not necessarily an artist but more crafty. I started a degree in Interior Design but life happened and I just played around with decor and crafts. For many years, I would decorate and change room designs in our home. Later, I found a bigger desire to entertain. In doing so, I always provided a charcuterie style option for our guests. When Covid hit, I decided to offer charcuterie to-go boxes. I offered 5 boxes and sold 10. The following week, I sold 20. I then decided to open an LLC, came up with my business name, became food safe certified, licensed and insured. After renting a commissary kitchen for a year, I decided to get my own DHEC approved kitchen. I have now been in my own kitchen for 4 years which has allowed me to grow from to-go boxes to 400 person grazing tables.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My journey with Southern Grazer hasn’t had many obstacles. I would say social media and rising food prices have been my biggest challenge. Being the only staff member means I also do all social media, creating charcuterie, shopping and managing the ins and outs of a small business. Social media is not one of my strong assets and because I am a small business, I haven’t hired someone to create content. It is time consuming so that really is challenging for me. Rising food prices is also a bit of a challenge. I try to stay consistent with my price points and have been able to have very few price increases in order to keep my clients coming back.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I specialize in creating beautifully curated charcuterie experiences, whether for intimate gatherings or large events. I focus on high-quality ingredients, creative and detailed presentation, and making every board or table a conversation piece. I also love working with custom requests to bring unique themes and flavors to life.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Something else to know outside of creating charcuterie boards, I also teach DIY build your own charcuterie classes. Teaching in a group setting how to build fun themed boards and how to create stunning presentations is always a great way to involve the community in what I do. There is always laughter, good eats and special techniques taught.
Pricing:
- Boxes to go range from $10.00-$95.00
- Platters range from $120.00-$180.00
- Grazing tables start at $15.00 pp
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.Southerngrazer.com
- Instagram: Southerngrazer
- Facebook: Southern Grazer
Image Credits
Elizabeth Allison Photography
