Faces of women-led businesses: Jess Jazey-Spoelstra

Jess Jazey-Spoelstra, CEO of North Moore Catering Co., Craft Farmacy, Bear & Frankie’s and Los Olivos, shares her unique perspective on what it takes to build and sustain a successful venture

London Inc. is proud to present its inaugural look at some of the city’s leading female owned and/or operated businesses and the faces that run them. Twenty-four women who are shaping industries, redefining entrepreneurship and inspiring generations of women to come, share the challenges they’ve overcome, what they attribute their success to and what it takes to build and scale a brand.

Jess Jazey-Spoelstra
CEO
North Moore Catering Co., Craft Farmacy, Bear & Frankie’s and Los Olivos
519-850-5111 | 519-914-2699 | 519-914-3606 | 519-914-3609
northmoore.ca | craftfarmacy.ca | bearandfrankies.ca | losolivos.ca

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As one of London’s most influential (and busy!) restaurateurs, Jess Jazey-Spoelstra has built a reputation for creating innovative and cutting-edge food experiences fused with exceptional service. With three businesses dotting the city map and a fourth — California-styled Los Olivos — recently opened at 2130 Kains Road, it’s no surprise she has an thought or two about the entrepreneurial journey.

“Being able to navigate stress and debt are, in my opinion, the biggest challenges I have faced growing my business,” Jazey-Spoelstra says. “Once I was able to get past small hiccups and realize the sky wasn’t falling, I was able to grow. Also, don’t be afraid of debt. Debt when building your business is a necessary evil. Managing cash flow can eat you alive and keep you up at night.”

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Her advice to budding entrepreneurs? Get after it. “The thing I repeat to myself on my hardest days is something my mom taught me as a child — what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. On hard days, I repeat that to myself over and over just to help me push through to cross that finish line.”