Meet Kelli Caulfield | Vice President, Caulfield Investment Holdings

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

Hi Kelli, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Honestly? Everything that I have started is based on being a fat kid at heart – and for my own selfish reasons. I’m originally from New Orleans and, as a product of a divorced union, I spent my school year in Birmingham and split my time between Jackson, Ms with my grandparents, and my Dad in New Orleans during my summers and holidays. I returned to New Orleans for college (shout out to Xavier University of Louisiana) and then Baton Rouge for law school. For me New Orleans is home, yet so are Birmingham and Jackson (in a way). But New Orleans has a special place in my heart. Because of that I’ve based a lot of what I do on the culture, the feel, the love that is New Orleans and trying to bring it Birmingham and beyond (hopefully).

What should our readers know about your business?
So Caulfield Investment Holdings is a holding company that specializes in the culinary arts. We own four core companies – NOLA Ice: Original New Orleans Sno-balls, Broad St Peaux Boys – Food Truck and recently, NOLA Ice-Broad St Peaux Boys at the Pizitz Food Hall and The Basement Cafe at City Hall. We also do small investments in start ups, real estate investing, and consulting in business development and in the culinary arts.

None of this has been easy, but the support has been amazing. What sets us apart from the rest (well some) is our intense drive for success and to just do good work and produce a great product. I believe in the concept of head down, eyes open. The key is focus. Set goals and work to achieve them by any means necessary.

The lessons I’ve learned along the way is to not be distracted. There are people out there that don’t like you simply because you’re you – whether for who your best friends with, what you may have done in the past, or because of all you’re doing professionally. Like I said – head down, eyes open – focus on the goals at hand.

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.
On weekends I really love riding my bike around Downtown.

Lets start with The Pizitz Food Hall. There’s a variety of food options in addition to a The Louis Bar. I’d check out the NOLA Ice-Broad St, stall. Obviously it’s a fav.

Then a short walk to Railroad Park – Birmingham’s Front Yard. If there’s a game at Region’s Stadium, that’s always a great time – and Good People Brewing is located right across the street.

Brunch at The Essential or Zaza is always a good look. Pepper Place has an awesome Saturday market with tons of local vendors. Great way to stock up on locally grown fruits and veggies, and just random items you think you need but really don’t.

Lunch at Eugene’s in the Uptown District or Ya Mama’s is always on the list. Lakeview on the weekends is always fun. Just bar hopping on a random Saturday with friends is sometimes a stress relief. Also grabbing a slice from SLICE is a must.

Avondale is also a great place to be. I highly recommend Melt followed by Big Spoon Creamery for desert.

But you want to go crazy with sweets, hit up K&J’s Elegant Pastries for their insane milk shakes.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Lets start with my parents. My parents allowed me to dream at a young age. It’s as simple as that. I was supposed to be a lawyer. I went to law school. Got the degree. But something happened after that first semester. My grades sucked and my heart just wasn’t there. But I’m not one to not finish what I started so I completed my time, even if it took a little longer than anticipated. Quietly, I probably would have made a great lawyer. But my Dad passed the summer going into my junior year of college and he, honestly, was one of the best. Not having him hear to train me, to teach me, to mentor me left an empty space in my heart and took away some of the passion I think I would have had for the profession. I’ve always had this crazy thing for entrepreneurship. So here we are.

My Mom is one of the greatest women to walk this earth. She’s everything to me and more. Her support of me, of my goals and dreams – she’s always been there and pushes me to be the best I possibly can be.

But besides my parents I have this crazy, core group of friends that is made up of some of the most amazing accomplished individuals. I would shout out names but I won’t because they know who they are – and so do many, many others. I’m grateful for them. They’ve saved me, pushed me, told me “no”, and truly are motivation. These are individuals that I hope and pray that I’m a percentage to them of what they are to me. It’s the squad. It’s the team. They are truly my people.

Website: www.nola-ice.com. www.broadstpeauxboys.com www.caulfieldholdings.com

Instagram: @nolaice @kecaulfield @broadstpeauxboys_

Linkedin: Kelli E. Caulfield

Twitter: KECaulfield

Facebook: @nolaice @broadstpeauxboys

Image Credits
Head Shot – Stanley Parish of Pixel Outflow