According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, the definition of an entrepreneur “is a person who starts or organizes a commercial enterprise, especially one involving financial risk.” Jackie Gordon and many small business owners take entrepreneurship to another level, by getting involved with all aspects of their businesses. When I first met Jackie, I was immediately impressed with her energy and creativity. It is amazing how she not only combines her chef expertise with her singing talents, but she is also very business savvy in developing and executing her marketing plan.

Jackie worked her way up at the hottest restaurants in New York City as a chef or waitress to pay for her singing lessons. She then moved to Australia where she was singing and performing; until she created her first woman’s documentary show called “Black Pearls and Strange Fruit”. Jackie, along with her band, performed a musical tribute to the history of Black American women singers from slavery to the Civil Rights movement, and their struggle for racial dignity.

The show was sold out, although Jackie never invested in paid advertising. She garnered free publicity by writing and sending press releases geared to specific sections of magazines and newspapers. She also conducted radio interviews and generated additional word of mouth about the show by networking. Jackie remembers her struggle to put the first show together, as her partner’s partner had a heart attack five weeks before the show, and she was left alone to do everything. Due to the show’s huge success, Jackie Gordon was invited to perform “Black Pearls and Strange Fruit” at the prestigious Melbourne International Festival, in Australia, which features the world’s leading entertainers.

To cover a year window between the first and second shows, and to maintain her visibility and popularity, Jackie came up with the idea to create a dinner show about Black American music and food called “The Fried Chicken According to Jackie Gordon”. Not only did she write, produce and star in the show, but she also secured a sponsorship from Tabasco, devised and implemented a PR campaign, hired and trained the chefs and personally sold every ticket. It turned out to be another sold-out recipe to triumph.

Jackie considers herself a businessperson that makes “art”. After living in Australia for 10 years, she returned to New York in 2001, and found a small venue to present “Black Pearls and Strange Fruit”, but after 9/11, the venue was sold and the show was cancelled.

Jackie turned her idea to create shows around food, music and humor into a business, calling it Divalicious, to separate herself from the company. Divalicious’ goals are to showcase food in an entertaining way, promote the use of high quality ingredients and foods cooked from scratch, and to expand the knowledge of food history and culture. The end result is what Jackie calls “eatertaining”.

Jackie uses the same educating singing formula to create jingles for products other than food, and she has participated in advertising campaigns for companies such as BMW, as a singer giving the car an even more elegant look. When organizing events, Jackie always combines her entertaining talents with an important message, so the audience can have fun while absorbing information.

Instead of a business plan, Jackie has a marketing plan, which details how to sell her services and shows. She reads books on marketing, publicity and selling to help her succeed.

One of her weaknesses turns out to also be one of her greatest strengths. Without a lot of capital, Jackie gets to have her hands on everything. For example, she designed her website, she creates different opportunities as her own publicist and she develops her company’s marketing strategy. On top of all that, she develops and performs her shows.

Jackie Gordon offers the following advice until a business takes off: “Make sure you have a way of making money. It is very important to have your own money”. She acknowledges the support she receives from her family; yet, she believes she needs to have a way to keep generating her own money until her first show takes off. When planning to start a business, Jackie reminds us that “it’s important to make sure you have a great idea”, and to then ask yourself, “Why would anybody want to buy that?”

Her greatest lesson has been persistence. Jackie mentioned that when she was in Australia, she was in her element and had more contacts, but in New York, she has had to again start from scratch. “It’s been difficult,” she says, but she persists, “if you get knocked down, get up again.” Jackie suggests that one should create a new product or path rather than follow an existing one. She realizes, despite the effort, her journey has been a fun one. “Although it’s hard it is very exciting and fulfilling.”

Jackie’s first U.S. “eatertainment” show: Say Cheese: a tongue-titillating tasting of artisanal cheeses, wines and the songs they inspire, opens April 28th at New York’s West Bank Café - Laurie Beechman Theater. The audience will learn about fine cheeses while they taste eight of the finest artisan-made cheeses in the world with wines, bread, crackers, Divalicious’ own Ruby Sun Splash Relish and other accompaniments. The all-inclusive tickets are $60.00 per person and available from www.ticketcentral.com.
Dates: April 28th, 29th
May 5th, 7th, 12th, 13th, 19th, 20th, 26th and 27th
June 2nd, 3rd, 9th and 11th.

For more information about Jackie Gordon, her shows and Divalicious Inc., please visit www.divalicious.biz.