How Let’s Whip It Up Is Bringing the Party Back to the Kitchen

Speaker 1: Welcome to She Built It. Thank you for joining us, Danielle and Kristen.

Speaker 1: >> Thank you for having us. We're so excited to be on, Mel.

Building the business

Speaker 1: >> So fun. For anyone meeting you for the first time, what led you to build Let's Whip It Up together and what was happening in your lives at the time.

Speaker 1: >> Danielle, I think you should start. >> You start.

Speaker 1: >> Okay. [laughter] >> So, I had shut down I had a meal prep company for nine years called Plate Therapy and it was great for in our community. We delivered all over down to Manhattan Beach area, Malier area, and then up the 101. And we grew pretty quickly right before CO once CO hit it. We we had a rough time. So, we shut it down and Kristen and her family were our biggest consumers. It was a week in week out. Like, we kept her family, you know, cuz they're a busy family like yours or like mine. And having those healthy meals prepped for them, they absolutely loved it. She's like, "What am I going to do without my plate therapy?" [laughter] I had created hundreds of recipes, tried and true. We have our client favorites.

Speaker 1: Kristen has her favorites with her family. And she was like, "What if we started a business?" And I was like, I'm not getting I'm not doing another business again. I was so burned out. The way that we work together, we have so much fun being around each other. And that was kind of how Let's Whip It Up was born. >> And it looks like you're having fun. I love all your social and in in looking at all of your meals and I'm a busy working mom who's constantly searching Instagram for the the easy quick. Also, I've been thinking a lot more about clean meals and and what that means.

Recipe flexibility

Speaker 1: >> It is the beauty of our recipes, too, because we when I had plate therapy, it was strictly gluten-free, dairyfree, no refined sugars, no soy. We give all of those options, but not everybody has those limitations. With our recipes, we give the options of gluten-free, dairyf free, but we also are using fun things like cheese or cottage cheese, higher protein, you know, things just so we can appeal to a bigger audience with our recipes as well. Yeah, that's been fun as well. >> Yeah. Yeah. And I'm looking for high protein now because with two athletic kids and I know Kristen, you have two boys, >> I'm always looking to add that that protein and something quick too because working and getting to practice and you know you become the sports mom. >> Exactly. For us for us too, right? We're we're I mean Melanie, I don't know how old you are, but Kristen and I are both over 50. Do we say that? [laughter] >> I'm proud. I'm proud of it. I'm good. my I'm still in my 40s, but I'm close. >> Yes. But, you know, protein's so important. So, you know, we're all trying to hit those protein markers and cook as healthy as we can, too. So, the recipes that >> Yeah, like you said, protein is not only important for athletes, like all of our children. Danielle and I are both moms of two boys, so they're always hungry, you know, and then our husbands and always trying to get food on the table.

Speaker 1: And that it's really hard to find something everybody's going to like and then is good for them. And yeah, so and then yes, being a woman in perry menopause, it's so important to keep the protein up. I know it sounds really trendy right now and everything, but I think it is because people are realizing got to keep our muscles strong. We want to be able to be able to get off the ground when we're in our 80s. That's really important.

Family meals and protein

Speaker 1: >> And it's I'm smiling because I have twins and if I make a meal, I know one will like it and the other one usually doesn't. Oh, doesn't that [laughter] kill you? >> Yes. I like Parker will like it, Elliot won't. Then Elliot will like it, Parker won't. I'm like, "Okay." But I am always trying to find those healthy quick meals. And I've been lifting more weights, too. I'm also trying to to add on the protein in any way possible.

Speaker 1: >> Good for you, Melanie. That's great. That's exactly what we all should be doing. >> It's been a good It's been a good start to the year. What were you both doing before? Let's whip it up.

Before Let's Whip It Up

Speaker 1: >> Well, so Danielle was doing plate therapy. I and I was trying to figure out this whole when she shut the doors of like how am I going to feed my family because I would be able to grab her clean healthy meals just at graband goes around the city and stuff like that or get it delivered to my home. So then I was really forced into like oh god you you got to do this totally on your own now. And I come from a background of where I was a professional dancer for the whole younger part of my life and then I was an actor and >> No, you got to tell her who you dance for. There you got it. Yes. That's so fun. >> Oh, [laughter] so yeah, when I was a dancer, I um I was a rocket at Radio City Music Hall.

Speaker 1: >> Yes. >> I love that. >> And then I you train I was dance trained by a rocket when I was little. >> No way. >> Yes. Yes. She retired in the tiny town in Missouri I grew up in. And so I got incredible dance training from when I was little. That's amazing. It's so fun that you were a rocket. I'm always showing Parker the Rockets. >> I know. They're amazing. It's such a great, beautiful show. >> Amazing training. It's amazing.

Where we grew up

Speaker 1: >> I'm from Kansas City. Where are you from? >> Oh, are you I'm so I grew up in Branson. >> Oh my god. >> And now my And now my family's My dad wanted to live on a lake. So, and he traveled Monday through Friday. So, he wanted to be on week, you know, home at week on the weekends and be able to go on the lake and just be in a quiet place because he was in major cities all week. >> Wow.

Speaker 1: >> So, yeah. >> My dad used to try to get me to work in Branson. He used to send me their pamphlets and be like, "Hey, there's a show in Branson you could dance." [laughter] >> That's what I did. My my That's what I did in school. I danced at um Silver Dollar City. >> Oh my gosh. >> I used to go to Silver Dollar City. >> Yes. >> The saloon the saloon show. I can't believe I'm doing that. >> I love it. >> And what? It's It's Yes, there was another lake. We went to But yes, I love Branson when we were younger. It was so fun to go to. >> My first dance job was Worlds of Fun in Kansas City. Did you ever go there? >> Yes. Yeah. That's hilarious.

Speaker 1: >> It was great summer jobs though. >> Great. >> Really? >> I mean at that age. And then who else did you dance for? >> Well then I went on and did Broadway which was amazing. I did a funny thing happened on the way to the farm with Nathan Lane and Whoopy Goldberg came in and it was just a great great job. And then I ended up moving to LA because I wanted to start acting and stuff but I ended up getting on tour with Sher right away. So that was amazing. So fun. She's an awesome human being. Yes. And then I stopped dancing, went into acting and that's when I got married and was acting and it was great. And then when I had the kids, I just found it really hard to do it all. It was >> hard, >> really difficult. And when they're little and I'm trying to breastfeed my baby on set, it's just it was insane. So I was like, I think I'm just going to take care of my kids because my husband is one of the Backstreet Boys and he travels all the time. He's gone. so much that I didn't want him to just be raised by a nanny all the time. So, >> I was like, I'm going to do this. And >> that's great. That's great.

Learning to cook

Speaker 1: >> Yeah. But I wasn't the like make your own baby food girl and all that cuz I had been raised on catering sets that they I never really had to learn how to cook. And >> when I was thrown into it, I remember my grandmother in Iowa sending me recipes off the box of boxes like, "You can do this." You know, I still have them. I was going through and I found them the other day. It was really precious or little handwritten >> recipes. >> That's so nice.

Sharing recipes

Speaker 1: >> There's a lot of people out there. I never really got into it or I never did it and I don't really know what I'm doing. I don't have the confidence. So, I just kind of turned to Danielle when she shut down her company. I was like, let's give the people these recipes and let's like because I wanted to do something that wasn't bombarded with apps. Like, do you know when or advertising? I mean, do you know when you go on a on a recipe and all those ads pop up and you can't even see the recipe because it's too many >> ads and then I end up just leaving. >> I know. Frustrating.

Speaker 1: >> So frustrating. Or you're scrolling. I'm like I'm going to get carpal tunnel like by the time I get to the end [laughter] of this thing, you know?

Speaker 1: So I was like, can we do something that's like ad free simple for people they get on and then maybe a video or so like of how you how you do it because I don't know how to do half the things they said in a recipe, you know? And so she was like, "Yeah." And we just kind of jumped in and said, "Let's see if we can make this happen." >> I love that because I'm at that stage right now because I didn't cook. I mean, I've cooked a little bit, but I've always worked worked a lot. And so, I never really was that person that said, "Okay, I really want to figure this out." But as your kids get older and your family grows and you have a little more time, you think, >> "What am I giving them and what am I giving myself when I just grab something really fast, >> right?"

Building community

Speaker 1: >> And I love your you you're having so much fun. And I love that you're along with food, you're also bringing in that sense of community because we see on social just recipes and that's fine, but it's also nice to have a sense of community around it. >> Yeah, that's what's been really fun >> for us. The kindest messages from so many people might be somebody that's lost their spouse and they're like, "Oh, you guys have brought the joy back in the kitchen. I don't feel like I'm cooking alone now." Or, you know what I mean? or somebody that does like Kristen that didn't cook before, she would always go straight off the recipe and and if unless you're baking, baking is down to a science. You have to be a little bit precise with that. But you can have flexibility when you're just making other recipes and you can sub in other ingredients and you don't have to have a pound to the nose. People kind of get freaked out if because they don't have the confidence. And that's a fun thing that I think Kristen's learned so much about is it's not about perfection.

Speaker 1: you can kind of flub here and there and and it's still going to taste great. So, I think that's what's been fun is Kristen's kind of she deserves a little more credit than she's giving herself because she has her recipes that you've grown up making and you're really good at those, Kristen. But then there's a lot that she's learning as we go, too. She's kind of like everybody else that probably tunes into us and I think it's very relatable.

Speaker 1: >> Yeah, I personally have grown so much by by just watching and learning from Danielle and I'm the one sitting there asking the questions. For anybody who doesn't know, our platform right now is set up as a digital almost online cooking class. We release 10 recipes a month. They're called like January whip 1 and January whip two. When you buy one of them comes with five healthy recipes and two cooking videos, one where you're cooking it with us. We cook the whole thing with you chatting. We're telling stories. We're sharing. We do a little dancing. And the other one's like a quickie overhead video for people who don't have time for that and they're just like, "Wait, how did they do that?"

Speaker 1: And it's super fast, usually under three minutes long. We have those options. And then we have a community um if you become a subscriber member, which is great. They all can go on there and ask each other questions. That's how people shared. We have a client that she got cancer and she's undergoing chemotherapy and she's tired and her husband had to take over all the cooking for the kids. So he now watches us and is learning and enjoying it. So we have some great stories and that's what keeps us like this is amazing.

Speaker 1: >> And that's and that's really smart that you have [clears throat] the two videos because I don't know about you but I'll watch something on Instagram and I have to watch it over and over and over again just to try.

Speaker 1: >> That's true. >> And whenever and whenever they put the ingredients in the caption I'm always thankful because you know you watch it and you're you keep watching it and watching it just to make sure. What are the what are the key ingredients that you have around >> when you're learning to cook? >> We always are cooking with our good olive oil. We started working with an olive oil company that we absolutely love. Why am I drawing a blank on the name right now, Kristen? >> It's called Aliva Dorado. Yeah, >> Aliva Dorado.

Speaker 1: And it honestly is a great an amazing olive oil. So, we always have our olive oil. I would say cocon balsamic. We make a lot of our own dressings because they're so easy to make. Um, and then of course avocado oil. We always have like a gluten-free pasta, rice, protein, whether that's chicken, ground beef, steak, salmon, and then a healthy side as far as a veg or a salad go. If I'm cooking personally for myself, my fridge, I just chopped up a bunch of lettuce. I always have like I made our black and chicken or some sort of protein and then some veggies so I can either put it on top of quinoa or rice or make a salad with it. So I always have healthy things to pull out.

Speaker 1: And then for Dylan now I meal prep for him for school as well because he, you know, heats up his food and goes into coach's office. Things that he likes to eat as well. And that's usually rice with a protein and then like an apple. Then he goes straight to weights. Little PB&J or something like that and healthier bread. Those are my staples that I always have in my fridge.

Speaker 1: Avocado. Your kids love avocado toast, Kristen. So I don't know. You tell your staples. >> Yeah, that's true. You said them all.

Speaker 1: Eggs. We kind of use the same spices over and over again. The simple stuff like garlic powder, oregano, cumin, cumin.

Speaker 1: >> We always say, do you say paprika or smoked paprika? [laughter] >> Yeah. >> Yes. A lot of >> lot of paprika, >> tomato, tomato, you know. [laughter] >> Yeah. When I started cooking, I realized you use similar spices over and over again. And then just having lemon juice and lime juice and those things to throw in to give that added Yes. flavor. Now when I go to the store now I'm buying onions and ginger and garlic and the fresh things where I never did that before. Yeah, >> it's nice to add that to your like weekly staple. >> Yes, that's we teach people the basics of it like how to cut an onion if you want a diced onion because that's something a lot of people don't know or how to make a basic blackened chicken you can pan here sear and stick in the oven or just those basics how to roast vegetables. actually did a class for kids that were getting ready to go to college and we put together I think it was how many 15 recipes Kristen and >> I think it was more like 26 >> like 26 yeah and basic recipes that they could could learn to make if they're wanting to cook healthy to avoid kind of that freshman 15 and protein heavy and then if they were moving to an apartment we kind of we built like a little like a a necessities like kitchen list with tools and gave them tricks. So that has been fun for us because we're in that phase right now. Got one at college and Kristen has one going to college next year. So we have a lot of friends that were like, "You guys need to do this for our college kids." And we're like, "Great idea." You know, so that's been really fun. Yeah, >> we really enjoyed doing those um those packages. You know, that one we called Let's Whip It Up University, LWIu. That was super fun. And then we did another one for Thanksgiving and we gave away like eight >> very healthy gluten-free recipes and even some a lot of more dairyf free and it it was awesome. How to bake the turkey. We broke it down step by step by step and we gave a full like this is what you need to buy and this is it's Monday. Go out and get put your turkey defrosted and step by step by step to make an entire healthy Thanksgiving dinner. So that was a really fun one too. Admittedly, I have never made a turkey. That's really [laughter] >> It's really hard you did that. >> I just have never taken it on because we always travel to famil family's homes and I've just never had you know our most of our family is in St. Louis now and so no one really comes to California. So, I just have not had to had to do it. I'm sure >> you're going to have to whip it up with us, girl.

Speaker 1: >> I know. I know. >> And it it gives people the confidence.

Speaker 1: Like my sister-in-law Sarah, she's in Colorado and she's like, "I've never cooked a turkey and I'm taking it on this year." And she's like, "It was so great." She's like, "You, we gave her the confidence to be able to do it." And it's easier than people think. But it's just if you mess up the main event of the day, which can happen. >> Yes, I get it. But [laughter] like it it [clears throat] really like helped her know that she could do it. Now she knows. So she was she was happy about it.

Making cooking doable

Speaker 1: >> Yeah. That's our whole thing. It's doable. It doesn't have to be stressful. It doesn't have to be perfect. Biggest thing I think and I've learned from >> Yeah. is just being prepared. That's the biggest thing. If you're prepared, it just sort of all falls into place. So, we're really big on prep. Like, if you're new to cooking, we're big on prepping your ingredients. Uh cutting your onions before you start doing anything else. Measuring out your spices, beating your eggs if there's eggs, putting them in a little bowl. Like, just have it all prepped. And then once you go, you go and you're just dumping and because I used to kind of wait and then my onions are burning while I'm trying to get my garlic pressed and my garlic and I'm like and then it's just black onions. [laughter] >> I've been there and someone start talking to you or one of the kids will need something or you'll answer a work email and then all of a sudden you're not not in the flow of things.

Speaker 1: >> Yep. I know. And then you're like, "All right, kids, get in the car. We're going to In-N-Out." >> [laughter] >> All right. >> Again. [laughter] >> Yes.

Business Growth

Speaker 1: >> Let's Whip It Up was in its perfect stage of business. What would that look like? And who would you be serving? >> I think we're kind of getting into the perfect state of our business because this first few months we've been going since April of 20 last year. So we we are coming up on almost nine months. We started we didn't know what the heck how we what platform we had to take. We took some classes, so we really had to figure that out. Now, after doing it for this many months, do people really need the full shopping list? Do people really use the overhead videos? So, we've asked our community, and they actually do use all of that stuff, but we're kind of like, is this the best platform and design for what we want to do? Had a meeting with our branding agent, and we're like, we want to move more into getting to know our community and getting to be very active with our community. We're going to move more into doing lives. We want to do experiences, cooking experiences like Melanie, we talked about with you coming down. Remember how we talked about that? And having a small group of girlfriends and cooking with them will provide a fun experience for them, teaching them about ingredients and oils and things that people don't necessarily know about if they don't cook, but they can be there's a few modifications you can make to be so much healthier. Well, I think you you said it all. So basically we'd like to start taking it I we are going to start taking it out of the digital world and onto face to face with our community and I'm super super excited about that because I really do think handson >> is the way I have friends out there that are that were like me and they are like I just can't start. So you get in there, you show them it's not hard and it's fun and they can do it. And so we're super super excited about that.

Speaker 1: >> And that's really smart because we have so much information coming at us, but we're also craving community. >> Yeah.

Speaker 1: >> You we have the information, but now it's like let's let's be around other people and let's Yeah. And then with all the different platforms, I mean, you have to try to figure out the >> try them all and try different things to figure out what's best for you. So good for you for for continuing to do that.

Speaker 1: >> Yeah, >> thank you.

Learning as a Team

Speaker 1: >> It's been it's been a fun trial and error though. We do like you know it's been and we've learned a lot and thank god Kristen's techie and she's really good at that side of it. >> So you know we've learned also our strengths of what we can bring to the table too which I think is really awesome. >> Yeah.

Speaker 1: >> Yeah. Danielle's really good at coming up with the recipes and breaking them down and figuring out which ones are good. And then I used to be a well I'm a photographer on the side as a hobbyist and so I take all the photos of the food and then I do all the editing of the videos because I have that experience also. So it's wild how we really good friends first but then as we meshed it just everything it was just every aspect was right there. So we were really lucky about that. >> It always helps as co-founders if you have different you know complimenting >> differences >> strengths. Yeah. Yeah. For sure. Yeah. >> Yeah. It always really helps.

Future Vision

Speaker 1: >> What do you see for the future of Let's Whip It Up if it was in its perfect stage? >> For me, the fe the perfect stage for Let's Whip It Up is just that it's helping people. I just want people out there like me just to feel confident and that they're I love this. I want more.

Speaker 1: It's working. We just really our goal is just to help people. We want to make home cooks lives easier. This is not for chefs who already are like whipping up things we could never even imagine. This is for like home cooks, people cooking their families, people even just cooking for themselves. It's already international, which is cool. And we get lots of people from Italy and Spain, other parts of the world saying, "I've never even heard of this dish. That was fun." They share stuff with us and that's amazing. So, I feel like the perfect is that we just continue for me to just as long as we're always helping people. >> I think you nailed it. I think that was our, you know, when we got into it, we were like, how can we be of service? How can we help? Just cuz that feels good. We want to do something that's that's that brings that to the table. And also, I think, you know, we've always when we started this business, our family were families came first. We wanted to make sure that we could be moms first and not miss a thing with the kids. kind of started thinking and it's it has really stayed that way.

Taking It on the Road

Speaker 1: >> We'll take the show on the road. >> Yeah. Oh, yeah. >> I think Yeah, we definitely want to take it on the road. We want to travel with it. >> Oh, I love that.

Speaker 1: >> Oh, yes. Whether we're working with different chefs and going to different countries and and and they're teaching us or you know what I mean? Because I'm not a trained chef. I mean, like you've known that, Mel. And like I have always just been a really good home cook. I ran the kitchen over here for nine years and cook thousands of meals. I also have my experience because I have two autoimmune conditions. That's why I took the whole gluten-free dairyfree route. So, I can kind of walk in the shoes of those people that struggle with that as well. Mostly people that struggle not having fun in the kitchen. And it doesn't have to be so overwhelming. We're like, "Grab a friend. We It's so much more fun.

Speaker 1: We'll double the recipes. Here's Kristen your portion. We're cooking. Here's my portion." And it really does take that pressure off and it's just we kind of want to bring the party back in the kitchen. So >> yes, >> of her sharing that because we had good friends that were visiting, well they were living here from Australia and they've since moved back, but she's the only friend I had that would call me and say, "What do you have in your kitchen? What do you have in your freezer? Let's get together and cook." And they've gone back to Australia and I miss that. Yeah.

Speaker 1: >> So much because sometimes you'll go to someone's house for dinner but they already have it made or and you're not in the kitchen cooking together. And I love what you're doing, too, because I used to make kind of a Trader Joe's fast thing, but I'm learning that I can make things fast that are healthier. >> Yeah. >> And not necessarily processed or >> frozen. Right. >> So, thank you for sharing that with moms and the >> Yes. Honestly, it saves us. And we're always like, grab a friend, break down your recipes, get together. First of all, you guys both prep together, clean up is easier and it just makes it so much more fun because a lot of times being in that kitchen after if you've worked all day or and like Kristen said, have that plan on Sunday, do the grocery shopping one day and then you can prep the next just to break it up so it's not so overwhelming. And if you're doing with a friend, so much more fun.

Future plans

Speaker 1: >> So much more fun. And back to your original question, um the for future future future, we actually even have dreams of taking this outside of food.

Speaker 1: So, we have a lot of people in our life that are very successful at lots of different things that they do and we would love to bring them on and showcase them to the world of their talent. So, like we have a really good friend who's an amazing makeup artist. How great to bring her and like let's whip up uh how to do a great foundation. She can teach you, you know, the correct brushes and the things. So, and then maybe to work out a workout to a we want to bring up beyond food one day. So that would be probably the perfect stage when it's got lots of umbrellas. Yeah. >> Yeah. So fun. Let's open it up can be many things. >> It's right.

Where to find us

Speaker 1: >> Yep. >> Share with us how and where we can find you. >> Well, let's openup.com is where we live and that's where you can access our platform there. It's got our classes broken down. Instagram we are at let's whip it up. >> Let's whip it up. >> Yeah. And then Facebook, I think it's the same. And then Tik Tok, what's where is it? It's It's got an underscore in there, Chris. I don't know. >> Let's underscore whip it up. I think I can show. Yeah. Yeah. Look at us not remembering.

Speaker 1: >> Yeah, we'll find you. >> Okay. [laughter] >> But we'll be able to find you. Um, so we'll do a quick lightning round, one word answer before we go. >> Are you ready? >> I love games. I can't [laughter] wait. >> Okay, one word.

Euchre

Speaker 1: >> Melanie, do you play I know you're a Midwest girl and this is off topic. real quick. But do you play Uker? >> I don't. >> Oh, >> well, >> I should. >> We have to teach you. >> Maybe that's We should [laughter] whip up. >> You can play Uker. >> Yeah, maybe that's one thing we got to teach our favorite card game. >> I love cards, though. I love >> We love cards. All Midwest. >> All right, we're doing this. We're doing this. [laughter] >> Okay. Sweet or savory?

Speaker 1: >> Savory. >> Breakfast or dinner? >> Breakfast. I'm breakfast. 10-minute meal or slow cooker? >> I love a slow cooker. [laughter] >> I love a slow cooker, too. >> Okay. Grocery store delivery or in store? >> Delivery. >> In store. [laughter] >> Chicken or salmon? >> I know what you're going to say. Well, I like s I'm actually cooking salmon today. Cedar plank salmon. >> I'm cooking salmon today. >> Look at that. >> Inspiring me. Maybe. Should I make salmon, too? >> Yes. [laughter] [gasps] >> Smoothie or bowl?

Speaker 1: >> Smoothie. >> So fun. So fun to have you both. Thank you for [laughter] joining us. >> Thank you. That was so fun. >> So fun. >> Love your amazing. >> Thank you. >> I know. And when we get our these little like cooking experiences going, we'll come down to your area. And >> I would love that. Get your friends together and do