Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly LeBlanc.
Kelly, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was born in Lafayette, Louisiana, and I grew up having to develop the skill of chasing chickens for dinner. My family owned grocery stores & restaurants, but working in the food industry was not necessarily a dream I had as a child, I actually just kind of fell into it when I realized how valuable the skills that I was born with were a gift that so few people have yet so many people want. To be born Cajun-Creole is like being born with the power to perform magic. I left the military after serving a decade and really didn’t know exactly what my next move was so I started bartending since that’s what I did in college and it wasn’t until one day I went in to setup the bar for lunch and the owner threw the keys to me and said we have no chef and no manager so if you can keep this place open it’s yours to manage. I called in another bartender, went into the kitchen and started cooking what I know how to cook…gumbo! 12 years later from that moment I am now a personal chef bringing my flavor from LA to L.A.
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?
Walking in your purpose is never a smooth road. You are supposed to face failures, struggles and obstacles but it’s how you pick yourself up, navigate through and around those challenges that help build your character. The biggest struggle is funding your dream because not everyone will believe in your startup. And the few people who do believe in you are usually not rolling in a lot of dough that they can invest. A lot of people wait until you’re successful to jump on board supporting you so I would say that for me the biggest challenge is finding the right people to stick by you along the way.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am known as Royal The Artist, a spoken word poet, personal chef and comedianne. I specialize in emotion. Whether it be a poem, a dish or a joke I am known for making people feel things whether they choose to or not. I can make someone cry from something I say in a poem about grieving a lost one, I can make someone feel love & cared for through a hot meal and I can make someone either laugh or get mad with a joke. I am most proud of being published as a poet and overcoming injuries from the military and defeating homelessness while accomplishing my goals.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
I have a small circle of friends I call my Day Ones who have always been there for me and continue to root for me in everything I do. My one and only sibling, my brother, has been the one to keep me out of jams. I would not still be afloat if it weren’t for him.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecrawfishkween
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thecrawfishkween
- Other: https://linktr.ee/thecrawfishkween
