Derek Wallace- Mind Open. Fork Ready.
The theme of transformation resonates deeply with me as I reflect on the inspiring individuals who have undergone significant life transformations. The idea of constantly reinventing oneself is a testament to the resilience and capacity for growth within each of us.
In this blog, we are highlighting our friend Derek Wallace. We were connected years ago in a larger organization that brought a lot of different perspectives and divisions to develop ONE culture for an organization that had many silos. We bonded over many things during that time, but most importantly, our love of food, any multiple-course meal, and embracing change for the better. #transformationtuesday
What is your career today, as well as before making a shift? I'm Golden Fork Media's CEO and Kalamata's Kitchen's Co-Founder. Before leaping into entrepreneurship, I worked in sales and marketing leadership in a larger textile corporation.
How did you feel about your life before recognizing the need for a shift? Before making the shift, I found myself feeling desperate. The culture I was a part of was a bad fit for me, and I struggled to understand how to find my way out. For a long time, I was scared to leave, even though I knew I was in an unhealthy place. Then, a switch flipped, and I suddenly became more afraid of staying in that environment than leaving it.
How did you find your true purpose? I found my true purpose by surrounding myself with people I trusted and admired. It was that simple. Building a team of people, I truly respected allowed me to be a part of something greater than I could have ever imagined.
What was your BIG aha moment? My inspiration came while watching an episode of Chef's Table on Netflix. I'd always had a passion for exploring the world and everything it has to offer through adventures with food. I wanted my son, who was three years old at the time, to share this passion with me and benefit from understanding people by experiencing the food that is most special to them. I needed something to get him as excited about these adventures as I was. That's when I realized that we needed to create a character. Before I knew it, we had a business built around a little girl named Kalamata.
What are you most excited about next? I'm excited for everyone to see how we will make our characters come to life next and the new ways our brands will be brought to families everywhere. The opportunity for us is massive, and we are driven to help parents raise more curious, courageous, and compassionate kids. There is a lot of work going on behind the scenes that we will be able to share very soon!
You can follow Derek and his unique story that will continue to unfold.
Follow along:
Kalamata's Kitchen
We look forward to sharing stories of others making waves of transformation!
Live A Great Story- Monique Lecomte
