Hello world! Meet our newest blog series called Roundtable Spotlight. We’ll be spotlighting the PCV-advised companies that come to us for Strategy Roundtable sessions so that you can get to know our network and learn a little more about what PCV is all about. For those of you who do not know, Strategy Roundtable sessions are included in a company’s annual membership in PCV’s Business Advising program. These sessions allow a small business owner to present his or her current opportunities and obstacles to a panel of about seven volunteer business advisors to get feedback and advice. Strategy Roundtables are probably my favorite thing about working at PCV – it’s great to see both our advisors and entrepreneurs in action and it’s really inspiring to see the outcomes of each session.
The most recent Strategy Roundtable session that we hosted was for Parties That Cook, an awesome small business that throws corporate team building events, cooking parties and cooking classes in San Francisco, Chicago, Seattle and Portland. We’re proud to report that Parties That Cook has had a Roundtable session every year since 2008! In the time that we’ve known them, Parties That Cook has grown from a small San Francisco company to a multi-city brand, and they now employ about 30 people in their corporate office and as chefs for their parties in various US cities, not to mention the staff that they hire to run their parties and events.
Bibby Gignilliat has grown her company with hard work and passion, and credits her ability to stay on top of trends as one of her biggest strengths as a business owner. And staying on trend they are…Parties That Cook offers a Kitchen Challenge modeled after the Iron Chef competitions and a Cooking Farm-To-Table cooking event for locavores. Having a Parties That Cook event is a fun and unique way to bond with your team and their clients include corporations like Facebook, Yahoo and Google. PCV event gave it a whirl – check out the pictures here! We are always happy to see Bibby and her team in the PCV offices and look forward to seeing them for another Roundtable next year!
What I took away from the Parties That Cook Roundtable is that no matter what stage a business is in, there are always new obstacles and opportunities that entrepreneurs face. The work and innovation continue long after a company is a success, and small business owners are constantly faced with new and exciting challenges. We’re inspired by entrepreneurs like Bibby and are so impressed with the team and brand that she has built – we look foward to continuing to support her wonderful company! Thanks for reading and keep an eye out next week for our next Roundtable Spotlight, which will feature Flora Grubb Gardens.
If you think that your company could benefit from a Strategy Roundtable session, please reach out to us.