Medical professional starts second career creating custom charcuterie boards: “I’m glad I took the leap”

Over the past few years, charcuterie boards have exploded on Instagram and the trend shows no sign of stopping. A book written by Melissa Mullen celebrates the phenomenon in which she describes a beautifully prepared board an act of “self-care.” This rings true for Dena Adams, who started Bean’s Boards, approximately one year ago.

The Altoona woman worked in healthcare during the pandemic and when she ended up taking some time off, she came to the realization that she had no desire to return to the field. “At least for now,” she said, with a smile.

These days Adams is enjoying being her own boss with a hobby-turned-business that gets its name from a childhood nickname coined by her dad.

Getting started

Adams credits her friend Katy McCabe, who owns Greenbean Coffee House in Altoona, for encouraging her to branch out on her own and start a small business.  McCabe had seen the charcuterie board business boom and was aware that Adams had designed beautiful ones for her family and friends. Adams had worked in the restaurant industry during college and says that the talent just came naturally to her.

I had to learn how to do bookkeeping and consult the right people to ensure that we were in good legal standing. Startup Alleghenies helped there.

Adams was skeptical at first.  “There’s no way that I could make a living doing that,” she responded. But the more she thought about it, the more she liked the idea, so in February of 2022, Bean’s Boards began.

She started making charcuterie boards for holidays like Mothers’ Day and Valentine’s Day and things started taking off.  “I was getting more and more calls and soon began doing weddings and baby showers. Before long, I was looking for a rental space,” she said.

Using Startup Alleghenies

Startup Alleghenies coach Matt Fox, knew of a place for rent at 1216 Pleasant Valley Road, so Adams now has plenty of space to work. “It seemed tailor-made for me,” she said, adding that Fox helped her when she hit the regular roadblocks that are part and parcel of running a small business. “I had to learn how to do bookkeeping and consult the right people to ensure that we were in good legal standing. Startup Alleghenies helped there too,” she said.

Fox said he is now keeping an eye out for grants for Adams and said that he’s been happy to be able to assist her with her unique and growing business.

I am happy to be filling a niche in the Altoona area.

Tailoring them to the customer’s needs

What Adams is particularly good at is listening. “By talking to the customer, I am able to figure out what is best for them,” she said, adding that myriad options are available. “ A basic board contains gourmet meats and cheeses, fruits, veggies, nuts, olives, and a sweet component,” she said. Adams explains that she can work around any allergies as well.

Another priority for Adams is to use local vendors. “I really like to support other small businesses. The farthest I go shopping is State College,” she said. One of Adams’ favorite products is salami which comes from Imler’s Poultry in Duncansville. “Sometimes the ingredients can get a little pricey, but I’ve worked with the vendors on the price,” she said.

As for the “boards,” Adams reports that some customers choose disposable ones for convenience and others want the real thing, in which case she is happy to rent them a board, or they can provide their own. If a customer wants a customized board, Adams can arrange that also. “I work with an individual who has a laser printing machine,” she said.

Janice Scherdan used Adams’ services for her son’s wedding. “She provided a beautiful grazing table for the guests. It included a variety of luncheon meats, nuts and chocolates, shrimp cocktail, nachos, and breads and spreads,” said Scherdan, adding that Adams went out of her way to find the special things she wanted.

Joanna Barteck also used Adams for her son’s wedding at Diamond Lane Farm in Roaring Spring. “I learned about her through a friend of mine and she came out in the morning and set everything up and it was beautiful. Everybody raved about it,” she said.

Adams currently serves Altoona and the surrounding areas as far away as Pittsburgh and has been marketing via word of mouth and on Facebook and a website is in the works.

As for the future, Adams can’t think of doing anything else. “I am so glad I took the leap and started the business. It’s been challenging, while being fun and interesting at the same time and I am happy to be filling a niche in the Altoona area,” she said.

Startup Alleghenies helps startup and emerging small businesses succeed by providing free coaching to entrepreneurs in Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon and Somerset counties. To access personal, one-on-one support from a coach in your county, including guidance, resources, tools and networking opportunities, sign up at startupalleghenies.com.