Meet Eric Jones | Restauranteur, Caterer, Specialty Food Manufacturer.

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

Hi Eric, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I look at risk as opportunity. To me risk is a essential part of all elevation. We have all heard the term, the greater the risk, the greater the reward. Life is inherently about taking chances (risk) and what I’ve learned and or gather is that in the end we mostly regret the chances we didn’t take. Risk has always allowed me the opportunity to go places playing it safe would have never carried me. In business your going to have to take risk. Embrace risk, get use to taking risk. The only thing I can advise you not to risk, and thats doing nothing at all. Life is a gamble, simple game of chance. With out risk it’s impossible to win.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
So, I am in the Food industry! I like to believe that we create the best food “experience” Nola has to offer. I think what help put us on the front line in the Food industry in New Orleans is our unique style of turning every day comfort food into a nearly gourmet experience. We pride ourselves and understand exactly what that consistent flavor is our clients enjoy and we over deliver it with lots of hospitality, flavor, and consistency.

So, just to explain a little bit about our strategies and a bit of how we structured our model. We look at what the city is most valued for when it comes to cuisine/food items. We then target that specific demographic based on the wants and needs of our product and service. So you take the candy making side of our business and you ask, who are most likely to buy candy and at a high amount and thats who we target/market towards.

Is business easy!? Nothing worth having comes easy. Overtime you create a system that simplifies it for you, and then you have a formula on how to create a successful business and it becomes easy. But the start up is a very intense and hard process. But, its the birthing of who you need to become in order to be what it will take to succeed.

Through my journey, Ive learned to take the risk, ask the question, and apply the knowledge, and fail quickly as you can.

I just want the world to know that you can do anything you put your mind to. My story is my glory. I know GOD can take the least likely to succeed, do great works in their life so the world know it was HIM. I am a true testament of that!

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.
First and foremost, I would definitely bring him to BigEasy Praline Connections (lol). But if we are talking on a food based tour, I would definitely bring him to lil dizzy, Anita’s, Dookey Chase, Willie Mae’s, Cafe Du Monde, Victory Bar, Pythian Market, Dragons Den. Just to name a few things, but to be honest my whole city is a vibe (WE LIT) lol.

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?
Shout out to GOD, and every other risk taking entrepreneur out there. I’m inspired by everything around me. But, if I had to put a name on a face I would shout out a very close associate, friend, and mentor Patrick Kelly (P T Mobile Detailing) and my mom Kimley R. Bickham (the heart of my inspiration).

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