Mentor helped Cedar Rapids chefs turn sweet, savory dreams into profitable reality at Feedwell Kitchen & Bakery

CEDAR RAPIDS — A tennis accident led to a friendship about eight years ago, which turned several years later into a “lifelong dream” of starting a café where people could meet for coffee and enjoy sweet and savory food items.

After Holly Ervin accidentally smashed a tennis ball into Melanie Abu Nameh’s neck as they were playing league tennis at Elmcrest Country Club, they surprisingly became friends and later became business partners of Feedwell Kitchen & Bakery at 560 Boyson Rd. NE, Suite A in Cedar Rapids, which opened Oct. 16, 2020, a few months into the pandemic.

Abu-Nameh, already a culinary chef who taught 17 years at Kirkwood Community College and was the executive chef at The The Hotel at Kirkwood Center, always wanted to open a small restaurant and already picked her business partner. She encouraged Ervin, who had a background in human resources and baking for family, friends and fundraisers, to go through the baking and pastry program at Kirkwood so they could open a café serving coffee, baked goods, soups salads, sandwiches.

The dream didn’t happen overnight or without help to guide the chefs on a successful business plan.

Abu-Nameh, the culinary chef, and Ervin, the bakery chef, sitting in a private room last week, told The Gazette they started the process of developing a feasibility and business plan in late 2019. They believed they were in good shape but then they met John Brockhardt who found a “million little details” they hadn’t thought about.

Serving as a mentor

Brockhardt, a retired chief operations officer with a background in manufacturing, distribution and supply chain management, became the chefs’ one-on-one mentor.

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Ervin said when they pitched their business plan to a bank that owned a property they considered leasing, bank officials suggested they get some help from SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) of Eastern Iowa, who provides free mentoring and education to small business owners.

Brockhardt has been one of those volunteer mentors for the last 11 years with the nonprofit organization, which started in 1964 and has over 250 chapters in 1,500 communities nationwide. The overall national organization has educated over 17 million entrepreneurs and the three Iowa chapters in Cedar Rapids, Des Moines and the Quad Cities, have helped 35 new businesses, he noted.

SCORE utilizes a specific methodology and provides a set of tools and spreadsheets to help entrepreneurs get a business up and running, which focuses on the local market and its customers, Brockhardt said. People can also go to the SCORE website and request a volunteer mentor that will be matched to the entrepreneurs. The mentors also can provide referrals to other resources new business owners would need.

Brockhardt said SCORE utilizes tools that Iowa financial institutions trust, such as financial projection spreadsheets and business plans outlines, which an owner can easily save and can type over their information for an instant plan, he said.

Abu-Nameh and Ervin already had their own plan before Brockhardt started mentoring them, but after using the spreadsheet they had to amend their plan because more information was needed after getting advice from Brockhardt.

“Our bank was thankful for that spreadsheet that we provided to them,” Ervin said. “They appreciated and wanted to see the projections.”

Abu-Nameh said the spreadsheets also give them a look into the future, which can be intimidating but once you work will all the tools, it becomes easy.

It also helps them narrow their focus for products they wanted.

Brockhardt said he just started first asking them about their idea and started sending them tools, reviewed their revisions and suggested what they should focus on.

“He helped beyond financials and held us accountable to get things done which I really like,” Abu-Nameh said. “John was fabulous and was very like this day we’re going to meet this goal and you need to have this done. “I needed deadlines.”

Brockhardt worked with the chefs for about five or six months on a regular basis and then remained in touch for about a year. Now, he just checks in to grab a cinnamon roll and coffee.

The chefs now employ about 19 or 20 full- and part-time workers. They serve breakfast and lunch with pastries, soups, salads and sandwiches. Feedwell also does some smaller scale catering but doesn’t advertise the service. It’s mostly by word-of-mouth and from posts on social media.

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Chefs offer advice to others

Both chefs believe those with a business idea should use the free SCORE program and get matched for a mentor.

They also have advice for others who may be trying to get a new business off the ground.

New owners shouldn’t be set in their ways because things will always change, Abu-Nameh said.

“What we thought we were opening isn’t what we have — the menu, number of staff and demand,” Abu-Nameh said. “Be ready to evolve and be open minded.”

Ervin suggests being as prepared as possible. Do the research and make a cash flow commitment, she said. Being prepared helped her feel more comfortable.

A lot of starting a business is learning what is needed, trusting “your gut” and applying common sense, Brockhardt said.

“When someone gets stuck and feels overwhelmed, I tell them to make a list and take one thing at a time,” he said. “A list is a powerful tool.”

Brockhardt said it just struck him when Abu-Nameh said (during this interview) that it was her like long dream.

“One thing I do get out of this is helping people change their lives,” Brockhardt said. “It’s fun to share my experience. It warms my heart.”

Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com