There’s nothing better than doing business with people who’ve walked the walk in your industry. Better still are pros who simply cut to the chase with no “B.S.” Entrepreneurs with a small farm or a specialty food business will find partners who are all that and more at Kitchen Table Consultants (KTC).
KTC has one simple goal: to help passionate farmers and food artisans build lasting, profitable, locally focused businesses. KTC staff members bring unique skill sets culled from years of real-world, relevant experience. They get down into it, working beside farmers and artisans to build (or rebuild) successful businesses.
“We roll up our sleeves and really dig into things,” said founder and principal Ted LeBow. “We don’t just present a lofty business plan and say ‘good luck.’ We’re results-oriented, so we get right down to it and give you the tools to allow you to make better business decisions.”
Jennifer Brodsky, KTC’s co-founder and principal, concurs. “The most important thing we provide is value to the client—more value than what it costs to hire us. We have an incredible passion for what we do, which in the end is to make a difference for our farmers and food artisans.”
KTC specializes in:
- Hands-on, one-on-one coaching
- CSA and on-farm market development
- Small business bookkeeping
- Business planning
- Opportunity assessment
- Community engagement
- Special event planning
Providing expert assistance, KTC helps improve those business functions so clients can continue to do what they love and local consumers can continue to enjoy the benefits of local products.
“We’re subject matter experts,” Jen added. “We keep a close eye to how the market is changing and how that impacts our clients’ needs. We pride ourselves on being people they trust and on being a very real part of their community.”
KTC is about expanding community, too, by forging innovative partnerships that add value to existing businesses. The Philly Farm & Food Fest is a great for-profit/non-profit collaboration started in 2011 along with Fair Food Philly and the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA). It marshals together hundreds farmers and artisans for the country’s biggest single-day food festival. KTC is still a driving force behind that effort.
“We don’t just sit back and offer advice; we’re there to help get it done,” Jen noted. “We function as a member of your team, and that is helping us—and our clients—realize our vision of a community of businesses working together.”
That crystal-clear vision means partnerships aren’t generally one-offs. KTC first worked with Ann Karlan, now executive director of Fair Food Philly, when she was a Fair Food Farmstand volunteer at the Reading Terminal Market. KTC has coached her over the years, and Ann has helped KTC create projects, like farm tours. It’s a synergistic give-and-take that reaches in and connects farmers and artisans with their neighbors.
Check out the KTC team, lead by Ted and Jen. Ted, founder and principal, digs into the business side—numbers, financials—and coaches from that aspect. Jen, co-founder and principal, complements that perspective by looking for the other value KTC can bring to the table and making sure KTC’s team is building that value hand-in-hand with the client. The nimble team currently includes an entrepreneur in residence, an operations manager, a tractor share manager & head wrench, field experts and a designer—and is currently hiring more community-minded, client-focused staff.
Learn more about Kitchen Table Consultants online, or reach out to them at (267) 275-1198.
- Chicken photo: Alexandra Whitney Photography
- Cow photo: Nina Lea Photography
