Cara Matthews worked in the finance industry for 18 years and longed for a job with more flexibility. A mum of two, she craved more time with her young family.

“I have a three year old and an 18 month old so didn’t want to miss out on all those important moments with them,” she explains. “I knew that starting a business would be tough but also very rewarding at the same time.” Her catering business Grazing Goodness creates grazing tables and boxes for all styles of events.

Cara believes Grazing Goodness’ contemporary style of catering is the perfect way to entertain and approaches every event with the same level of enthusiasm and attention to detail. “No table or box is ever the same,” she says. “I absolutely love putting together the tables and seeing the client’s face once it is complete. As with any job, there are aspects that I don’t enjoy but these are overridden once I have put a beautiful table or box together.” Clients can choose from a selection of items including cold meats, sliced loaves, various varieties of cheese, fresh fruit platters, olives, marinated vegetables, sweet treats and ice-lollies.

Starting a new business might seem overwhelming, but Cara says her previous work in finance has helped to make her new enterprise a success. “I was able to transfer my skills set in relation to marketing, accounting and customer relations into the business,” she explains. “The biggest challenge that I am currently facing is trying to keep up with the demand of people wanting grazing tables and boxes. I am looking at options to bring someone on board with me.” Although the business requires Cara to work weekends, she still manages to juggle work with her personal life. “I would not be able to run Grazing Goodness without the support of my wonderful husband Scott and my extended family,” she says. “Finding a new balance has taken time, but we are now a well-oiled machine.”

Cara urges other women to take the leap if they are thinking about starting a new business. “If you are really passionate about something and think you can make a career out of it, just do it,” she says. “I have made mistakes but it’s how you recover from those mistakes that will see you succeed in life.”