Amazing Edibles Hits Newsstands
Also available in the winter edition of Hispanic Living.
"Andrea Herrera, President of Amazing Edibles Catering in Chicago, is the grandchild of an immigrant from Chihuahua, Mexico. Founding the company with 'pennies' 17 years ago, she answered the telephone, bought and delivered food, and collected money. Today she manages about 16 full-and-part-time employees, plus 20 more who are on call.
'Our team of employees cares deeply about our company,' Herrera says. The caterer targets the corporate, social event, and nonprofit markets.
Herrera, 48, brings in consultants to teach employees the basics of finance and marketing. The idea is to sharpen their understanding of their role at Amazing Edibles and to increase accountability. 'They see how they and their careers can grow with the company,' the owner explains.
Balance 'comes and goes' for this woman, who serves on three boards and donate food and event support to 20 local schools and nonprofits. 'I believe women can have it all,' she remarks, 'but I believe it's hard to have it all at the exact time. I've had to learn to prioritize business, family, and personal life.'
She loves the autonomy that comes from owning a business. 'I can take a 500-mile bike ride across Iowa for a week or sneak out of the office to hear my son sing La Bamba for the Latin American Festival at school.' She can also work until 2 a.m. - and has.
Herrera is both an insider and outsider in the Hispanic community. 'The warm, nurturing environment I've created in my company makes employees feel like family,' she says. '[However,] I personally don't push my Hispanic ethnicity, because I think people will feel I'm taking advantage of my heritage.'