Today we’d like to introduce you to Karem Rodriguez.
Karem, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
After working as a Labor & Employment Attorney and HR professional for close to two decades, I had secured a bright future. It seemed like I had made a sound career choice for my abilities and had been reaping the rewards. However, along the way, I realized I was not particularly passionate about it. At first, I thought it all had to do with burnout and the type of employment culture I was working in, so I made a few workplace changes. After some trial and error and lots of introspection, I later realized I did not enjoy my career for the type of work I got to do, but for the people I got to spend time and work with. My ultimate professional goal was not to be the most successful or sought-after attorney out there; it was to truly enjoy myself while working.
You see, gatherings are my thing. I’m an entertainer, a social connector and immensely enjoy spending time with those I love over food, drinks and lively conversations. In my life, happiness and satisfaction come from the time I get to spend with people whose company I enjoy. Food and entertaining are passions that my husband and I constantly share with family and friends. In our home, we keep plenty of food, crafts and party supplies in hand that can be used in all sorts of impromptu get-togethers and celebrations. Yes… there’s always lots of real good cheese and cured meats in our fridge, as well as a healthy amount of pantry essentials to whip up tasty treats for guests in no time. That’s how we roll and – actually – how my cheese boarding (or is it hoarding?) obsession began: making beautiful appetizer platters and cheeseboards for my family and friends.
I started making cheese and charcuterie boards for gatherings before they were actually “a thing.” Once their popularity blew up and many months before the pandemic hit, I was already getting requests from family and friends to craft boards and platters for them. And so, after careful consideration (and the encouragement of my wonderful husband, who always has the best ideas for me to execute), a new business venture was born.
This was not my first food-related business, though. Many years ago, before we moved to the US, I managed a small food manufacturing and retailing business while still practicing law on a full-time basis. I developed and manufactured a line of dips and desserts catering to individuals and families who enjoyed entertaining guests at home or attending parties where they could bring unique specialty dips and desserts. That business required recipe development, ingredient sourcing, product preparation, gift wrapping/basket preparation and delivery to the clientele, so this new venture was built on the foundation and experience acquired back then. Expanding upon what I had learned before, I got involved in launching and developing The Modern Host brand by participating in the Lake Speer Sidewalk Market in the Horizon West area of Winter Garden, where I offer a carefully curated lineup of specialty food products and other hosting and entertaining essentials. I also craft my popular line of custom-made cheese and charcuterie boards that, in all honesty, are sometimes #tooprettytoeat. Recently, my business was featured in the Spectrum News 13 segment “One Florida,” where I was interviewed about my experience of managing a business and pushing forward during the pandemic. 2021 has been a BIG year. A website, a blog and a new online shop have all been part of my efforts to continue growing the brand and are serving as solid building blocks of other greater entrepreneurial goals.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Oh, in my experience, roads are seldom straight or smooth. Coming to terms with the idea that my chosen career path was no longer something I enjoyed or wanted to continue doing was very hard to do. Even harder was figuring out what my real motivators were and how to translate those into a more fulfilling occupation. Once I had my eye on the target, I understood and expected that launching a business would entail my traveling through a bumpier road. However, launching a business during a pandemic is something very hard to describe. No one had traveled through this road in a very long time and there certainly weren’t any maps to guide our way. So, it required lots of creativity and flexibility to adapt to very restricting circumstances and also unrestrained faith that things would work out in the end.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Even though my main occupation for years was as a Labor and Employment attorney, I now spend a most of my time sharing my love for food and entertaining through my brand, The Modern Host (@themodernhostlife). I regularly participate in the Lake Speer Sidewalk Market in the Horizon West area of Winter Garden, where I offer a carefully curated lineup of specialty food products and other hosting and entertaining essentials. I also craft a popular line of custom-made cheese and charcuterie boards that have an artsy and elevated flair. You’ll be hard-pressed to find more beautiful boards and platters than those I lovingly prepare for my clients in the west side of the Greater Orlando area.
I (with some technical help, ha) manage the brand’s website, a blog and run the online shop where you can order beautiful cheese and charcuterie trays and purchase specialty food staples perfect for gifting and easily entertaining at home. Greater projects are on the pipeline, so stay tuned for that!
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Well, I don’t necessarily think “luck” has had much to do with where I am currently in life and business. To me, the place where I’m currently at has required lots of hard work, infinite determination, and willingness to take alternate routes to achieve a goal.
Pricing:
- Cheese and Charcuterie Board prices start at $48
- Specialty food offerings start at $5.00
Contact Info:
- Email: karem@themodernhostlife.com
- Website: https://themodernhostlife.com
- Instagram: @themodernhostlife
- Facebook: @themodernhostlife
- Other: Pinterest: @modernhostlife
Image Credits
Images by The Modern Host and Abby Craft (Craft Creative Media)
