Meet Col. Danielle Rowell | Owner/Founder/CEO

We had the good fortune of connecting with Col. Danielle Rowell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Col. Danielle, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
It was not one catalyst – rather a perfect storm of events that finally put me on my entrepreneurial path. I had the idea of the Inebriated Baker way back in 2008. I was working full-time in a completely different industry. Baking was my stress relief. I worked on the recipes and building the basics of the business in my spare time. While I really wanted to focus on building my business in ernest, I was scared of the unknown. I certainly did not want to give up my 20+ career (and guaranteed paycheck!) for a possibility. Well, along comes the pandemic. My employer restructured in an attempt to make the organization leaner and my position was deemed redundant. After a lot of discussion and personal financial assessment, I decided that I would dedicate myself full-time to building the business with a five-year action plan. That was three years ago. Did I have a lot to learn? You betcha! I hadn’t worked in food and beverage since starting my career over two decades ago. It was a daunting task researching and learning what it takes to be successful in business (generally speaking), especially in the food and beverage space during and following an unprecedented global shut down, which has been further complicated by numerous supply-chain hiccups, labor shortages, and economic uncertainty. In order to not feel overwhelmed as I essentially embarked upon a career transition (really, a professional life overhaul!), I made sure to always do a personal and professional knowledge, skill, and attribute (KSA) assessment. There was a ton that I did not know, but what KSAs did I already possess that could be drawn upon and transferred to the new startup? I always started my workdays on the personal/professional inventory note as it was an effective way to not only see the evolution of my business; but, more importantly, kept me from giving up and running back to the safe and familiar by showing me how all of my previous experiences have led me to this place at this moment.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If you have never visited Kentucky, you are missing out! There is so much to see, do, and eat. Kentucky is a mix of southern and Midwestern influences – depending upon where you are in the state. Kentucky is a wonderful place for the outdoors enthusiast with numerous hiking, biking, spelunking, fishing, boating, and camping options. Kentucky is chock full of charming small towns that are perfect for a family weekend trip. And, of course, we have bourbon and horseracing!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I encourage all businesses, regardless of size and industry, to seek out and utilize the numerous resources available to you locally, statewide, and nationally. I would not be here without the assistance of the local economic development office, SBA, SCORE, and SBDC. I took advantage of all of the free services, virtual training, and in-personal coaching provided. Additionally, I would like to thank all of the local news and event publication organizations who have awarded me advertising/marketing grants, discount local small business packages, print profiles, access to sponsored festivals, and in-studio segments. A thank you to local social media influencers for your continued support. Thank you, Voyage Ohio. Last, but certainly, not least – my team! I could not do it with you!

Website: https://www.inebriatedbaker.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inebriatedbakercertifiedlush/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InebriatedBakerCertifiedLush

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/inebriated-baker-lexington-3

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3W_0_L1kvyUvTwKV1Qr8Iw/videos

Image Credits
Danielle Rowell