Today we’d like to introduce you to Halee Windley.
Hi Halee, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Taste Spuds was started one evening through a conversation in the car with my wife. I was working as a dialysis technician and was telling my wife about discussions I had had with patients about their favorite forms of the potato. I quickly realized that, although the potato seems humble, it is a staple in the cuisines of so many families, cultures, and foodies. Over the next few weeks, I felt strongly that my heart no longer belonged in the medical field. Instead, I wanted to create a business where I could bring people together through delicious comfort food.
My wife encouraged me to start the business, so I began my journey. I researched how to begin my business, and ended up applying to the Banking on Women program in order to build my knowledge and skills. I purchased the equipment that would be necessary for a pop up at local events. We started to sell at the Ogden Farmer’s Market. Since then, we have partnered with many local businesses and participated in local events as food vendors. We joined the LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce and focused on building the community and partnerships I had dreamed about.
Now, we are continuing to pop up at local business and events, and are saving for our dream of owning a Gourmet Baked Potato Food Truck.
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?
Owning my own business has been filled with many struggles and challenges, but we have learned to be flexible and to solve each problem as they pop up.
One of our main struggles has been not having a quick and easy set up to sell our delicious potatoes. We have learned how to navigate the rules and regulations put in place by the Health Department. We have also struggled to figure out our target audience and to establish consistent places in which to sell our Gourmet Baked Potatoes. We are so grateful for the relationships we have cultivated with other local small business owners, and for the events we have been able to be a part of because of those relationships.
We’ve been impressed with Taste Spuds, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We sell delicious and unique Gourmet Baked Potatoes. We specialize in perfectly cooked potatoes, with a crispy, salty crust and a buttery center. We top our potatoes with a variety of delicious and unique toppings like Jalapeno Bacon Jam or Chicken Tikka Masala.
We are proud of the humor and joy we infuse into all of our menu items and our interactions with customers. All of the names of our potatoes are centered around puns. We give out tiny, resin, positive potato figurines to anyone we interact with throughout each event. These positive potatoes are meant to show our gratitude and appreciation for our customers, and to brighten their days.
We currently have a rotating menu, so returning customers can have the opportunity to try many different flavor choices and combinations.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I think our city is very welcoming to new small businesses. There are many people who are interested in trying unique takes on well-known foods, like baked potatoes. We also love the beauty that can be found in every corner of our city, both in the nature, the architecture, and the people.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @tastespudsutah
- Facebook: Taste Spuds Utah
- Other: Email is tastespudsutah@gmail.com
