We recently had the chance to connect with Sheri Smith and have shared our conversation below.
Sheri, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What is a normal day like for you right now?
A normal day for me is a mash-up of creativity and logistics. I’m either in my home office working on my books and author platform, or in catering mode doing proposals, menus, and planning events or out at an event. There’s usually a lot of screen time, a lot of lists, and at least one moment where a cat walks across my keyboard and “helps.”
The first 90 minutes are about getting my brain online. I wake up, make and drink coffee, do Transcendental Meditation (tm.org), then take my supplements. I straighten up the house, clean litter boxes, then I scan emails to make sure there are no catering emergencies. If my brain feels clear, I spend time writing before the world starts shouting. Then at the hottest part of the day, usually at 2 or 3 p.m.
I start thinking about getting up from the desk I’m chained to and change into my swim shorts. Do TM again (you are supposed to do it twice a day). Then it’s into the pool I go. As a Pisces, water is the one place where my nervous system settles. It’s my moving meditation, my reset button. I don’t swim laps like “normal people” because I refuse to let chlorine destroy my hair. Instead, I power-walk back and forth with oversized foam dumbbells, lifting as I go. It keeps me strong, grounded, and focused. I use waterproof earbuds and study while I move. It’s both my Zen time and my classroom. My current obsession/teacher is Dr. Peter Attia.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Aloha! I’m Sheri Smith, author, creative, entrepreneur, and lifelong storyteller.
I began performing on Broadway at age seven in Here’s Love, the stage adaptation of Miracle on 34th Street, and later in the iconic M&M commercial (yes, the one that “melts in your mouth, not in your hand.”) Those early experiences taught me showmanship, and the power of connection, which became the foundation for everything I’ve done since.
In 1990, I founded GourmetCatering.com, which is now getting a long-overdue facelift. Stay tuned for the reveal. We later expanded into ChocolateFountainSoCal.com, offering chocolate fondue displays that have earned us over fifty five-star Google reviews.
In addition to events, I’m recording the audiobook edition of Mama Drama: A Journey with Bipolar and Dementia, Finding Light Through Loss and Grief. Without AI, because human emotion can’t be replicated by a machine in my opinion. I’m also preparing to release People Make Plans: A Heart Dog and a Castle in Hawaii, a memoir-style novella based on real love, loss, and the courage to begin again.
Everything I create, whether through food, books, or storytelling, centers on connection. My goal is to remind people that resilience, reinvention, and humor can transform even the hardest seasons into something meaningful.
You can connect with me at https://www.sherismithauthor.com/contact and
subscribe to my Substack: https://substack.com/@sherismithauthor
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
Losing everything I built in Hawaii with every penny I earned for twenty years. Having to make the impossible choice to end my heart dog’s suffering. Seeing the dregs of humanity destroy my home, my castle, and still squatting there now. Losing the dream and the life I built. Those moments broke me open and remade me. I realized that what matters most can’t be lost: love, truth, and the courage to rebuild and start over, even when it feels impossible.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
When my life fell apart in Hawaii, the lava started to flow and I had to leave. When I lost my home, my marriage, and my heart dog all at once. I realized pain wasn’t something to outrun. It was my teacher. I started writing People Make Plans, not to relive my past, but to reclaim it. Like puking, I just “threw it up”. Putting my truth on paper turned my wounds into wisdom and my shame into strength; it was cathartic, to say the least. That’s when I stopped hiding and started healing. Betrayal, loss, and the thought of being misunderstood have all shaped me. I healed by turning every heartbreak into art. Writing became my therapy, swimming became my prayer and my Zen, and forgiveness became my freedom.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I’m committed to this new business of authorship. Foundational philosophies: telling the truth and doing the right thing, even when it’s difficult and uncomfortable. Through my books, I’ve learned that vulnerability builds bridges. My goal is to create work that outlives trends. I want to write stories that make people feel seen, not sold to. That belief runs through everything I do, from my writing to my catered events.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
That reinvention isn’t about starting over. It’s about integrating who you’ve been with who you’re becoming. People think transformation happens in one moment, but it’s really built on small, deliberate acts. Moving your body when you’d rather stay in bed. Taking your supplements because discipline is self-respect. Praying, not just for what you want, but in gratitude for what God already placed in your lap.
I use every tool I can get my hands on: Outlook, whiteboards, Paraliminals, Kabbalah teachings, and meditation. It’s imperative to stay connected and keep growing. Keeping a schedule to get to the goals you made for yourself. Losing my home, my marriage, and my heart dog taught me that life will take away what’s false until all that remains is truth. Most people run from that kind of loss. I learned to sit with it, write through it, and be grateful anyway and forgive. That’s where real transformation begins.
Most importantly? If you think you can or you think you can’t—YOU’RE RIGHT! No expectations, no disappointments.
Bend like a willow, or snap like an oak. Treat others as you wish to be treated. Aloha = Love, and it’s not just a word, it’s a way of life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sherismithauthor.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gourmetcateringsocal/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheri-smith-4575a5b/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SheriSmithAuthor
