Meet Mallori Rojas | Owner, Smash Box | Curated Grazing

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

Hi Mallori, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
Work life balance. This is such a tough one. I have to check-in with myself on this one many times throughout the week.

In my 20s and early 30s I always wanted a job that provided me with “work life balance”. I do think I found that in jobs that I had, but at the time had no idea how great it was at the time. I was always happily burning the candle at both ends. In one week, I could successfully manage multiple jobs while still finding time to workout, meal prep, go out of town for the night and still have a day to lay on the couch and do nothing.

Things are much different now. Not only do I take on every role in Smash Box, I am also a Stay at Home Mom of a 2 and 4 year old. From preschool drop offs, playdates, organizing babysitters for when I have weekday gigs, grocery shopping, and general household duties, there is a lot to juggle on a daily basis.

It has benefitted me to change the “work life balance” verbiage to “work life juggle”. I don’t believe there will ever be a true balance for me as a mom and an entrepreneur with a creative mind. And that is okay. While actively juggling, I remind myself that some balls are glass and some are plastic. I can drop the plastic ones and they will bounce right back, but if I drop a glass ball, it will shatter and I will have bigger problems on my hands. For me, myself and my family are the glass. Without us, my business isn’t possible and has no purpose. We need to take care of our bodies, drink water, sleep, and spend time making memories.

The millions ideas that are running through my head for my business, my endless to-do list, the piles of laundry and the dirty floor – those are all plastic balls that will surely find me again.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
What a journey this has been!

I used to call myself a “Jane of All Trades” because I had my hands in so many pots. I didn’t love all of the pots, but it helped me figure out what I liked and didn’t like.

I have a Bachelor’s in Business Marketing, most of my experience comes from the School of Hard knocks; being the feet on the street and saying “yes” to new opportunities even if I had no idea how I was going to complete the task at hand. I have dabbled in all things events and dipped my toes into the marketing side of things. I have worked in fitness and managed sales team. I’ve sold time share tours and branded merchandise. My path was windy, but it led me to where I am today with Smash Box. My experience in different roles gave me a solid foundation to start, grow, and hopefully maintain Smash Box.

Smash Box was a business started out of necessity, not desire. It was the end of 2020, I had been laid of, was home with my son, pregnant with my second, and my unemployment had run dry. I needed a way to make money from home. I saw someone making “grazing boxes” on IG and thought “I could do that!” So, with no food experience besides my first job at Dairy Queen, I did! I very carefully designed my first box with food from Trader Joe’s, sent a pic to my husband and his response was “I’d Smash that.” and the Smash Box name was born. I posted my first grazing box on Facebook to recoup my costs and much to my surprise, there was a ton of interest. In no place to turn down money, I went for it. I started a full fledged illegal food business out of my tiny kitchen with a toddler at home. I would shop with my son during the day and build the prep food and build boxes after he went to bed. I would scour websites, IG accounts and youtube to learn how to cut cheese, fold meat, and style boxes. I had more business than I could handle on my own and would hire friends to come over and help.

Things were going great, I had a baby and working out of the house became increasingly difficult. It was time to take my business to the next level or call it quits. Thankfully, I decided to take it to the next level and in March of 2023 I celebrate my first official year in business. My business has grown exponentially since then and I am so proud of how far I have come and look forward to where Smash Box is going.

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.
Interestingly enough, as someone in the food biz, I am not a foodie and I am no help with it comes to food or drinks in the Seattle area.

However, I love a good experience and I love all the PNW has to offer, so I have some fun stuff planned! Bestie is definitely coming in September when the weather is perfect and we have so much good stuff to do. I would swoop up my bestie from the airport and promptly drive thru a coffee stand to get iced coffees for the road.

Assuming bestie had never been to this area, we would first head to downtown Seattle, check out Pike Place market, the space needle, the first Starbucks and all that good “Seattle” stuff.

Before we left Seattle we’d hop on the ferry to Bainbridge island and grab a bite to eat.

Next we would head East over the very scenic hwy 2. We would arrive in the cutest Barvarian Village, Leavenworth. We’d spend our day walking around eating and shopping and if the river is high enough go on a nice little float. The next day we would go on an 8 mile hike to a gorgeous Alpine Lake in the Enchantments and spend our evening soaking our tired feet and bodies in a hot tub at riverside Airbnb.

From there we would head to Lake Chelan for more shopping, wine tasting and watersports. But, the cherry on top of our trip would be taking the Lady of the Lake on a 50 mile journey to the other end of Lake Chelan. There we would get some baked goods from the famous bakery and if we were up for it we would hike back to Chelan.

After that we would be pretty spent, so we would probably stop at a Korean Spa on the way home to end the trip on a perfect note.

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?
The day to day work of being an entrepreneur can be such a lonely place. But, it’s not lost on me that without the support of my family, friends, and community I wouldn’t be in business.

And for me, my cup runneth over!

There has been more times than I can count on both hands that I have phoned a friend and they’ve come to save the the Smash Box day in the kitchen, running an errand, or watching my kids. My husband deals with ALLLLLL of the moods and does basically anything I ask of him to help me make the Smash magic happen. I have an amazing group of cheese/event friends all over the country that I connected with over social media and can reach out to ask questions or vent and that truly believe in community over competition.

Website: www.readysetsmasbhox.com

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorirojas/

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

Other: https://g.page/r/CQgz8BWHZYlkEB0/review