Here’s the Celebrations Story…straight from Leah!

As a very excitable, curious young person I spent lots of years learning(searching endlessly really) about the world and about myself.  Driven by a huge need to analyze everything in site, my incessant exploration lasted well into my 30’s. 

I did get a couple of degrees amidst the stumbling around the world, and  I eventually realized that I could combined my years of formal education and my years as a dedicated traveler and doer of all things, into something I could call a career.  

It happened overnight, actually, as I was having a daydream while driving.  We all create businesses and scenarios in our heads while we drive, right?!  Well on that particular day,  and  during that particular drive, I called a friend…who came right over.  I blurted out my idea!   Without hesistating or looking at me like I was crazy (since I had no restaurant or catering experience whatsovever) I got the gleem of encouagement that I must have needed.  I dropped everything (which at the time was teaching) got a business license and within 48 hours jumped into unknown waters with both feet.  That was in 1995, and I’m still in with both feet, no regrets.

The little daydream of an idea, to start a lunch delivery business, actually came out of necessity.  Who  do you know that has time to leave their office and go out for lunch anymore?   The compulsion to work straight through lunch, even back in 1995, was very common.   I thought I could convince  everyone to order my homemade lunches, and I would provide delivery to their desk (no GatorFood.com back then).   While I knew little about running a business in those formative years, I certainly knew what good, hard, honest work was.  I also knew that professional people needed what I had to offer.   I knocked on every door I could, relentlessly.  There was an immediate positive response.  The Light Brown Bag Lunch Company made an instant name for itself.

I learned quickly that listening to my customers, I mean really listening closely, was the key.  Consumers will actually tell you what they want, who knew?   The more challenging role comes from a promise to deliver. Being a good listener will not pay the bills.  Luckily, I understood the value of keeping promises and  how good ole “doing what you say you will do”  pays off.  With those small tokens of intuition guiding me, a workaholic was born.  Knowing my travels and curiosities about the world would have to take a back seat for awhile didn’t scare me.  I constantly reminded myself that I had done so much in my short life that I could afford to quit going…going…going for awhile.  I settled in Gainesville and committed to making the lunch delivery business a success. 

By the time I met Mike Case in 1997,  my lunch delivery business had turned into a small catering business.   Customers had demanded that I also provide them with dinners, receptions, working breafkasts etc.   I needed some serious help!  I had added a small cafe, and I was delivering an incredible amount of lunches, and now catering too.  Mike’s powerful personality attracted me.  He is everything I am not.  I love to plan and be behind the scenes, Mike, on the other hand, is Mr. Personality and always out front.  We shook hands and joined forces.  The building I am now in, “Celebrations” was a small cafe and Mike encouraged me to move my outfit into his, combining our two personalities, our two business ideas and our loads of energy and existing clientele.  The building already had “Celebrations” painted on the front so I relinquished the Brown Bag and began anew with the name that seemed to fit perfectly for the business I had grown into.

The team of Mike and Leah was meant to be.  We grew quickly, expanded to another Cafe, and couldn’t believe how much Gainesville needed what we had to offer.  Through years of learning about business, food, and customer expectations, we became the leading caterer in town. Both of us scratching our heads in amazement the entire time.

Times change, people change, and eventually Mike got the bug to venture into other things(I Love NY Pizza, and O!O Tapas and Tinis, Real Estate, etc.).  After ten successful years together, we parted ways but still remain best friends. 

In 2007,  Celebrations added a new restaurant to East Gainesville.

 Cafe C is on on 8th Avenue, across from GPD! 

 

 

 

 

I just wanted a place for our loyal customers to be able to dine with us, outside of event catering.  We’re serving lunch to many of the same folks have patronized us since my original venture in 1995.  That makes me feel good!

Meanwhile, in the catering business, we’ve grown and grown and grown.  I now consider this my dream job.  Feeding people and event design, menu planning and sewing tablecloths, lighting effects and spraypainting lanterns, selecting furniture and consulting with brides . . . . . . . I just can’t get enough of it!  My addiction is fed with appreciative customers and the immediate gratification I get, daily, from their smiles and repeat business.

My favorite thing about owning this business is, just like back in 1995 when I had the “idea while driving”… that I still have ideas while driving, but now I get to come to my desk and make them happen, and they aren’t daydreams anymore.  Chances are, something I created for your event was conceptualized in my car on the way to or from an event.  Everything I see continuously inspires me!

Today I am conceptualizing,  while driving back from a wedding at the Garden Club, about how to make our booth at the upcoming Bridal Expo unique and fun.  I have so many innovative ideas bursting in my brain that it’s hard to pick one.  I feel so lucky that in this crazy world I get to think upthings, create things and expand my knowledge daily, and call it work.   Thank you everyone who helped me  to get where I am today.

I’m back on the curiosity roller coaster now that Celebrations has built a team of excellent managers. 

 

 

 

 

This Team of LEADERS is the reason Celebrations Catering is #1!

I take lots of road trips, find time to explore the world, read everything I can get my hands on about catering and event design,  I research/blog/and facebook addictively, and take pictures of anything that inspires me,  just like I used to.  I continue to live with an open mind and a drive that I can’t explain, so I’m sensing that this blog will be another way I can express myself.  Please enjoy! my addiction!