Founder's Circle
It’s Women’s History Month, and I’ve been thinking about the women who built this company. Not me. The ones behind the scenes.
A lot has happened since we started. The New York Times wrote about us. We went on Shark Tank. We were just named to the Inc. Female Founders 500. Those are the headlines. But behind every single one of them are women who have been through all of it with us. Good and bad.
I want you to meet three of them.
Tracey
If you’ve ever visited our website, watched one of our videos, seen our packaging, or scrolled past a Rebel Cheese post that stopped you mid-scroll, Tracey is behind it. She does our marketing, design, writing, photography, and video. She built the materials we brought to Shark Tank. If it’s visual and it’s ours, more than likely, she made it.
And here’s the thing about Tracey. When she’s not working with us, she runs Central Texas Pig Rescue.
They’ve rescued hundreds of pigs. Her nights and weekends are spent caring for them, managing their marketing, and raising money. I don’t know how she does it. I really don’t.
There is no version of Rebel Cheese that exists without Tracey. We are so, so grateful to have her.
Sandi
Sandi started as our dishwasher when we opened the restaurant. She’s now our procurement manager.
I remember the first time I met her. She talked nonstop. Not about the job. About her kids. About her family. In between every rack of dishes, she’d tell me about them. Who needed what. Who she was working for. It was clear from that very first shift: everything Sandi does, she does for her family.
That has never changed. She works so hard, every single day, and it’s always been for them. Her daughter works with us now. Her brother has. Her sister has. We’re a family business in more ways than one, and Sandi is a big reason for that.
She’s been with us through so many things, good and bad, and she’s always there. Always.
Olivia
Olivia has been with us for over five years. She started doing all of the prep for the restaurant, and she is one of the most talented cooks I’ve ever worked alongside. Today, she works in our quality department, ensuring the highest quality for every product that leaves our facility.
Olivia spent twenty years at Shady Grove, a restaurant here in Austin, before she came to us. Twenty years. Nobody does that anymore. She did.
She prepared all of our fresh salads, dressings, soups, and breakfast items at the restaurant. She still makes the family meals for our team. Last week she cooked for a baby shower we had at the office. This weekend, she’s cooking all weekend for her older sister’s birthday. If there’s food on the table and people around it, Olivia is the reason.
Like Sandi, Olivia’s world revolves around her family. Her son is a police officer. Her daughter works in a hospital. And when she’s not with us, she’s with them.
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I wanted you to know the people behind what you’re eating. They’re a big part of why we’re still here.
This month, and every month, I’m grateful they chose us.
I’ll be sharing stories of the many other women behind Rebel Cheese in future newsletters. There are more than I can fit in one email.
KirstenCo-founder, Rebel Cheese
P.S.Olivia’s Pimento Mac and Cheese is one of those recipes the whole team fights over. Creamy, smoky, a little spicy. She finally let us share it.Get Olivia’s Pimento Mac and Cheese Recipe →
And if you want to learn more from the people who actually make the magic happen, join our next Master Class. We’d love to see you there.
Join the Next Master Class →
