Meet Ayme Houston | Charcuterie Business Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ayme Houston and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ayme, putting aside the decision to work for yourself, what other decisions were critical to your success?
The most important decisions I’ve made that I contribute to the success of my business were learning how to manage my time and the value of being generous with time. When I started, I found it easy to fantasize about my dream business and what it might look like, then, when I decided to take the leap I set an unrealistic deadline based on that fantasy. My schedule quickly became unsustainable and I was pushing myself to work 10-12 hour days most weeks and weekends to meet a deadline that had nothing to do with the reality of growing a business. We live in a society that values “the hustle” and while you need to “hustle” to start a business, that doesn’t necessarily mean getting things done quickly. In the beginning, I was very caught up in “hustling” and thought tangible results were the only way to prove that. My biggest lesson was and continues to be learning how to give myself grace around how long I am taking to meet a deadline. This lesson has trickled down to time management and learning how to prioritize my tasks and the importance of building in time for breaks, walks and, eating lunch without the screen staring back at me. I’ve learned that your identity isn’t your job, whether you’re working for yourself or not. Ideally, you’re building something sustainable that has longevity rather than building something fast that fizzles out faster. Starting a business doesn’t happen overnight and the minute I let go of my expectations of time, I started to see results.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have always been a dreamer, and have lived most of my life with big ideas and a passion for inspiration. I believe creativity is rooted in imagination and wanted to pursue a career that pushed my imagination and inspired me to continue to dream. I love that I can do something different with charcuterie every day and that each design embodies my imagination, passion, and creativity. There is a lot of artistry in charcuterie and I truly consider charcuterie to be an art form. From the layering and textures to the colors and patterns, you are creating an expressive presentation of food. The board is your canvas and the charcuterie is your paint and as a designer, it’s your job to paint something that is not only aesthetically pleasing but also something people can eat.

I got here by daring to turn my passion into a business. I wouldn’t say getting here was easy but it was worth taking the risk. My knee-jerk reaction to risk had for a long-time been fear; fear of losing what I’ve built and the foundation beneath me. Now, when I look back on the risk I took to start this business, I think about growth. The lessons I’ve learned while starting my business from how to manage time, how to find a work-life balance, and how to set boundaries have been some of my most valuable life lessons. The challenges I’ve faced have made me a stronger person who has learned to appreciate the value of life’s challenges.

At the heart of The Bountiful Plate, is hospitality. Our mission is to bring charcuterie to all and provide bounties that nourish the souls of our customers. Our hospitality and care are represented in each of our bounties and hopefully, that is why people come back.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am most excited by food so I would base a lot of the weekend around where to eat. I think one of the fastest ways to learn about a city is through food and I would take my friend on an eating tour of Denver. I truly believe that good food is made better by the ambiance that good hospitality sets and I seek out places that feel welcoming. Restaurants like Tacos, Tequila, Whiskey, Potegar, Logan Street, Luca, and Sushi Den are some of my frequent stops. I would plan for excursions between eating like drinks at local breweries, a hike or two, a ton of locally-owned shops, and, maybe a tour of a local distillery. The most exciting places for me to check out are locally owned and operated because I find them to be the most inspiring.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are many people in my life that deserve more than a little credit in my story. My partner for his endless support and patience, my parents for their belief in my success, and my grandmother for teaching me the values I uphold in my business. My grandmother has been a mentor to me and taught me a lot about how to treat people. She is someone who I will always remember as having a hospitable heart and is a big part of why I approach my business the way I do. I treat each order as if it were for my own family, rather than a commercialized product for a nameless consumer. Charcuterie is special and it’s important to me that each order feels special for the people enjoying it. I wouldn’t have found my business values without my grandmother’s teachings, I wouldn’t have started my business without my parent’s belief in me and I wouldn’t be continuing to grow my business without my partner’s support.

Website: thebountifulplate.com

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