We had the good fortune of connecting with Kara Knox and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kara, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
My love of food and flavors has been the key factor in starting my own food based business. In all the years that I have been cooking, the one thing that I always did was throw different spices together to make dry rubs, marinades or spice blends. You can open up my cabinets and there will be 20 different bags of seasonings or spices that I created for different dishes. A few years ago I decided to create unique blends and see how people liked them. It was a good decision because people loved them.


Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Developing flavor palettes is an art form to me. There is something about blending the sweet juiciness of dried orange peel with the herbaceous aromatics of rosemary leaves to create a savory blend. What sets my business apart from others is that I create unique spice blends that you really won’t find anywhere else. What makes me the most proud is when customers give reviews on our products and talk about how much they enjoyed their selections and what they’re cooking.

As with any business there have been growing pains and obstacles to overcome. In the beginning there was always the concern of having funding to make sure we had the necessary supplies, like spice ingredients or bottles. As we’ve grown, we’ve had to purchase in bulk quantities to keep up with the demand for products.

Lessons that I have learned along the way, it’s totally okay to do things afraid. Sometimes we can become so paralyzed with fear of not executing our ideas perfectly that we wind up not doing anything at all. We have to be okay with doing things, even if it means we may not succeed on the first try. Also, it’s fine to be the head of your business and be the one that does everything but at some point you it is okay to hand off different aspects of your business to someone else. For me, that was finding an accountant to help me complete my financials .

One thing that I want the world to know about my brand is that I do everything with love and in intention. The joy that I get when I am in the kitchen cooking is the same joy that I want others to experience when they are using my spice blends. I truly work to create something that will be enjoyed and remembered and that can be used as one stop flavor for their dishes.


If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
In all honesty, a few of those days I would cook a full course spread. Food and cooking is my love language so they would definitely be sitting at my table a few nights during their visit.

Terra Cafe and the Gypsey Trucksteraunt are great places to stop in for lunch. The Stafford Grill has a great ambiance for evening dining. Harbor East, in downtown Baltimore, has an amazing array of restaurants that cater to a variety of palettes.

The Reginald F. Lewis Museum in Baltimore and the National Museum of African American History are great places to spend the day soaking in the culture and the rich history.


Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Hands down, my family. My fiance didn’t bat an eye when I installed a huge 6 foot rack in our dining room and began to take over that area and our kitchen, lol. My mother helped me to get things that were integral in the running of my business. Also, my daughters. They have been my biggest cheerleaders and tell everyone about my business.

Website: https://karafelicia.co/

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

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

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