Today we’d like to introduce you to Rida Khan.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
In May of 2022 I proudly walked across the stage in San Antonio, Texas and graciously received my Doctorate in Pharmacy. At the time I thought “This is it! This is what I have worked my whole life for!”. Seeing the smiles across my parents face meant the world to me and I was eager to service my community in the pharmacy. My first day on the job I was left with no staff and was reprimanded by my supervisor for not meeting the metrics he expected of me. I quickly realized I could not do this the rest of my life and started coming up with other ways to serve my community. I had seen different types of snack carts on social media and thought this is something achievable and fun and with that The Waffle Cart ATL was born. I’d like to think entrepreneurship ran in my blood but this was not the case at all! Starting my own venture was scary and filled with constant doubt, “what if I’m not successful, what if I get no bookings” filled my head day and night. Finally on a random Tuesday night I went to my husband and said, “I’m doing it! I’m going to launch The Waffle Cart” and impulsively shared my first post. I was constantly refreshing my page and the amount of support and love I was getting was beyond my wildest dreams! I was over the moon! A few weeks after I booked my first corporate event at Salesforce celebrating their birthday and have been attending events and serving up a whole-waffle love ever since!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
With every new venture comes it’s own obstacles and I’ve had my fair share of obstacles to say the least. Funny story, my first event at Salesforce my husband was helping me set up and in the excitement he dropped the main part of my cart breaking it. Looking back I was stressed in the moment but can thankfully look back and laugh about it now. My biggest obstacle by far is still working full time as a pharmacist and being a toddler mom to a very sassy two year old while managing every aspect of The Waffle Cart. While I don’t work in retail pharmacy anymore my job is more demanding than ever, think staring at my computer for every second of my eight hour work day. Some days are better than others and some days I just want to quit everything. I have to constantly remind myself that all great things take time and if I’m patient great things will come for The Waffle Cart ATL.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The Waffle Cart ATL is a lux mobile waffle stick and mini pancake cart serving up treats that taste as good as they look! With a variety of toppings and drizzles and our attention to detail to curate every aspect of our cart to match your theme/color scheme, our cart is sure to be a hit at any event! We cater any type of event from corporate events to birthday parties and weddings, we’d love to serve up a whole waffle love at any event! What sets us apart from other snack carts is our custom designed cart posters, custom designed menus, custom fork toppers, and plates that match your event.
Our offerings right now are limited but with more time and experience we hope to expand our offerings and become the ultimate snack cart experience!
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Luck has played a very small aspect in my life. Every action has a consequence which can be good or bad. I’m a firm believer that with hard work and dedication, along with the support of your family, God, and a little luck of course, all things are possible. The hardest part is taking a leap of faith to follow your passion.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewafflecartatl/
Image Credits
Some photos by Gabriela Isabel Photography and Jasmine Ringo
