Julie Gordon, Founder of Inspiring Kitchen
Name: Julie Gordon
Founder: Inspiring Kitchen
Who is Julie Gordon?
I have an extensive marketing and business development background working with global companies on growing their business. I look for loopholes when I create marketing services/products to reach new audiences and have many stories to tell. I started working part time for Williams Sonoma and loved talking housewares and cooking. That lead to me taking on housewares brand clients and ultimately creating Inspiring Kitchen at the request of others who wanted to know what I was learning about cooking, celebrity chefs, recipes, new kitchen products and trends, kitchen design and even culinary travel. I have since become a part of Chicago's food media sharing new restaurants, menus, chefs, partnerships, hospitality, culinary events, tourism and awards. I work with Choose Chicago and the Illinois Restaurant Association to share all this good news. Finally, I have been able to use my Journalism degree to travel the world writing about the culinary space to encourage travelers to explore new menus, food and experiences.
In less than three sentences tell us about your company and what you do.
Inspiring Kitchen was initially created as a means to share cooking tips, new foods/beverages, and trends in the housewares and cooking space but has grown into so much more. Like a personal stylist who goes through your closet to refresh your wardrobe, I am doing the same thing but in kitchens from cooking equipment to gadgets to kitchen design. I also work with the media, tourism bureaus and PR firms to promote culinary travel on Inspiring Kitchen website and social media.
What does BEING a FoundHer mean to you?
It's recognition of all my hard work to build a business that is not only financially successful but achieves/exceeds my goals. Being a FoundHer starts with a service that I created to help organize the kitchens of my clients while allowing me to work in a space that I love. I took my extensive marketing background and created a brand that showcases the housewares and kitchen design industry from a consumer perspective. It's not a job but a way of life. Food brings people together after all.
How do you support other female founders and women in business?
By being available to help when asked! I have always been someone who volunteers whether in business or in charitable work. I have spoken at many meetings over the years such as industry specific (Social Media Week) or for the Magnificent Mile Member Association meetings for example, on how to use marketing (Influencer) to drive revenue. Just because you have a great idea for a business doesn't mean you know how to get it to market. Many who create a brand are really good in one area of running a business whether that be manufacturing, operating or finance. Not everyone has a 20 year career in marketing and business development understanding the twists and turns and need to turn on a dime like I have experienced. That’s the expertise that I offer them.
Let’s talk social media—who handles it for your company (you, an internal team member, an outsourced solution?) and what is the secret to making it successful? What is the biggest challenge?
I manage all the social media for Inspiring Kitchen. As a marketer by profession, I understand the need to know who my followers and potential clients will be. I try to create content that is engaging, inspiring and fun to learn about. Social media is all about connecting with your audience. For me, it is also about being authentic. The biggest challenge with social media platforms are the algorithms. You don't have any control over that aspect of your business.
How did you land your first client?
My first client was when I was a brand rep for a high end cookware line. I met them when I was working in a home store. We started talking about the cookware and how it was different than other brands. That lead to a discussion of the type of cooking they do in their home and what they felt was missing in terms of equipment. Once they understood the depth of my knowledge when it came to housewares (more than just cookware), we began talking about how I could help them to go through their kitchen cabinets to create a kitchen that provided them with all they need to have an efficient, stress-free, and enjoyable space to work.
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