Meet Kayla King | Nutrition Coach & CEO of MyMeal

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

Hi Kayla, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
My goal was always to get a corporate job out of college and work my way up the chain. That’s what my mom did thus that’s what I felt I needed to do.

I actually did get a job offer at Deloitte. My parents thought I was crazy when I turned it down to start my own business.

During my last few years at school I started hanging out with the “Entrepreneurship kids”. They challenged me to start thinking bigger. When I posed a problem to my friends they encouraged me to think about ways I could solve it.

As I continued my education and summer internships I started a side project. My first ever business idea was “Teach Me”. I wanted to help adults rekindle their childhood passions.

This business ended up not coming to fruition. The process though, not only taught me a ton, but got me hooked. I loved the idea of solving a problem no one else was.

Then one day I was sitting at a restaurant trying to figure out what on the menu I could have. I have Celiac Disease which means for medical reasons I can’t eat gluten. Ordering requires a lot of patience for me. Usually I have to ask the server a dozen questions, wait for them to ask the chef, and pick from the 2 options they give me.

That day I was particularly inpatient and thought there has to be a better way. I should be able to see what’s safe without having to go through this process every.. single.. time.

That’s when I thought of my business MyMeal. I became obsessed. I also knew with the rise in food restrictions if I was going to tackle this problem it needed to be now.

From that point on I became determined to only take on work that helped me learn more about this problem. So that’s what I did.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
MyMeal helps people with food restrictions find safe restaurant meals.

You build your food restriction profile on our app. You then get a curated list of restaurants and menu items that fit your needs.

We work with the restaurant to give you the most up to date and accurate information possible. We tell you how to communicate with your server and what comes into cross contact with your allergen.

Our goal is to maximize your options and take out all the guesswork. So that all you have to focus on is enjoying a safe and stress free meal.

When I first started MyMeal I had little to no restaurant experience. I would go in and try to get restaurants to sit down with me. I kept getting told to buzz off. They thought I was a joke.

A few encouraging owners gave me the advice to go work in the industry and learn the operations. So that’s what I did.

I started as a server, then a personal assistant to the owner, and not too soon after a front of house manager. I learned fast. I asked my co workers LOTS of questions. I was there to absorb as much information as I could.

With my new found knowledge, the next time I went to get more restaurants on board, I knew exactly what to say. It gave me perspective and empathy.

As we grow I am excited to continue helping restaurants make small but impactful changes. When we onboard a restaurant we ask a series of in depth questions. Through the very nature of this process, we see a lot of them become more allergy aware. It’s always amazing to see how a simple conversion can make such a big difference.

Food brings people together. At MyMeal we intend to make it so no one has to miss out on that opportunity.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
You’re in luck. Through the very nature of my business I happen to be an expert on food and drink in the Denver area.

If we had one day here’s what we would do. Warning: it’s packed.

First we would go on a sunrise hike at Lookout Mountain. Only a 30 min drive from Denver, it’s the perfect place to take in the beautiful scenery.

Then we would head back into the city for some coffee and a bite to eat at Just BE Kitchen. They are 100% gluten free and serve healthy comfort food. They also do bottomless mimosas if you’re trying to get boozy. For those with food allergies, they are one of our partners on the app.

We would then go down the street to the Museum of Contemporary Art. They are always changing out their exhibits and it never disappoints.

Afterwards we would go relax at commons park before heading to a late lunch.

For lunch we would head over to Linger or Root Down. Both are edible beats restaurants and super amazing with food restrictions. The vibe in both restaurants are so unique.

They are both next to Little Man Ice Cream, an iconic ice cream shop. So of course, we would head there after our meal.

While we eat our ice cream, we relax before our next big adventure.

We then head to Meow Wolf, an amazing interactive museum that immerses you into a new world. You could be there for hours so that will take up most of our day. It’s worth it though, I promise you.

Afterwards we head to dinner and drinks. Lunch was a little pricey so we go to Hopdoddy at Union Station for something more casual. They are also one of our partner restaurants offering a house made vegan burger and gluten free bun. They even had a dedicated gluten free fryer.

This is the perfect spot because The Cooper Lounge is right next door for our night cap. It’s on the top floor on Union Station. A perfect spot to watch the hustle and bustle of Denver nightlife.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
We can all agree that Entrepreneurship is hard. Everyday brings a new challenge.

A big part of me learning how to work through and welcome these challenges was my partner & his roommates.

We were all building startups at the same time. Conversation was always thought provoking and filled with new insights and ideas.

When I moved in with them I was learning something new everyday. I am not technical but was on a mission to build a tech company. They were all engineers. I was always getting a different perspective on problems I was running into.

We also learned from each other. I was able to pick up new skills and when I got frustrated I had them as a back bone to not give up.

I’ve always been stubborn & persistent but this felt different. Having a community around me that calls me out and never lets me give in to my doubts has been invaluable.

I would not be able to push myself as hard as I have without them in my corner.

I am blessed to be a part of it and these lifelong bonds will continue to fuel my fire.

Website: https://findmymeal.io/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mymeal.foodallergy/?hl=en

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/kaylaking6

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/766014720959969

Image Credits
Hunter Saillen