Reflections on 2025

how much I made (roughly), what I was up to, and more

This past year was truly one for the books, somehow both the longest and the shortest year at the same time. Writing a year-end reflection during the holidays felt daunting, but now that things have settled, it feels like the right moment to look back.

Last year was the first full year that I was self-employed with Hej Hej. I really committed to the “work hard, play hard” mentality, and got to experience what it’s like to do “whatever” it is that you want to do. Being self-employed is hard, so why not take advantage of the perks? Part of the reason I decided to work for myself is that I love keeping life interesting. I feel like my best self when I have variety - I’m the poster child for a Gemini. And maybe I have a minor authority problem. Just a small one.

Sometimes, I felt wrong for feeling so content with my life this past year, because we’ve been coached for so long to feel that hard work means specific things. In the restaurant industry, it’s 80-hour workweeks and never leaving the kitchen. It’s missing nights and weekends, and rarely getting a day off or time to spend with friends in different industries. It’s a broken body and a tired mental state. I’m no stranger to hard work, but I didn’t want this work ethic to be the default reality for me. I’m proud to say that while I did burn out on a few different occasions, I also did a lot of things for myself and still saw success with my business. I think it’s a good reminder that you just have to do what works for you and be authentic to yourself through the process.

With that said, I worked in some capacity every single day. There is no separation between work and personal life for me; it’s just woven together, and for now, that's how I like it! I’m also positive that a lot of people in my life are probably wondering if I work or what I do, haha. I think that just comes with the territory! I’m fully aware that as I embark on this brick and mortar journey, there will be plenty of days ahead of me where I will need to be in one place for an extended period of time, and I won’t have the flexibility I have now, so I’m enjoying it.

Anyway, that’s one of my biggest takeaways from this year. Having full autonomy over your life is freaking awesome.

In terms of income, I really had to hustle to make money. I knew it going in, but it was really evident that I had to be comfortable constantly selling myself and constantly trying to generate business. I brought in around six figures, with only 20-30% of that being profit, and ended the year with a few thousand dollars in my business bank account. That math doesn’t really make sense, haha. But I don’t have any debt, so I’ll take it! I transferred about $20k from my savings throughout the year to supplement my income, so I guess that could count as debt, but that was something I had written into my plan for the first year. I gave myself a dollar amount that I wouldn’t push past, and I stuck to it. My goal this year is to put back into my savings and change the way I spend as a business owner. Oh, and full transparency, I only have savings because my grandmother passed away and my siblings and I inherited a property that we sold and split the sales from. Before that, I was a paycheck-to-paycheck girl through and through.

My gross sales were a combination of a number of work streams, including private cheffing, pop-ups, corporate catering, cooking classes, and selling merch and Swedish candy. I owe a big chunk of my earnings to Google for bringing me on for five pop-ups in six weeks. It was a surreal work experience that I will be forever grateful for. Where else would I have processed 25 pounds of chanterelle mushrooms and cooked them in a giant industrial vat to make mushroom cream toast for the masses? Or handed out 200 Swedish breakfast wraps, or 300 mini Swedish hot dogs?

I also had the opportunity to private chef in The Hamptons for two weeks, which was a very cool experience! I grew so much in the two weeks I was there - I feel like a Hampton’s crash course is better than any cooking school. And I saw Jimmy Fallon at a meat market. He was the nicest guy ever, and he looked extra famous. His skin was like porcelain, and his teeth - very white! A highlight for sure.

While I am proud of the gross sales I made, I should have been more responsible with spending so that I started this year off in a stronger financial position. I had a lot of anxiety around money throughout the year, but I don’t think that feeling will ever go away. The realization that you have to pay $700 a month for shitty health care is a tough one. That and that (that and that?) self-employment dental insurance is essentially fake. I’m well aware I’m in a better position than a lot of people, so I don’t dwell on it. But it still grinds my gears!

Regardless, I got to travel to some amazing places, meet some amazing people, and eat some incredible meals. When you work in food, every day feels like R&D, and it’s pretty special.

I also did something harder than I expected it to be - I moved myself and my business from San Francisco, CA to Albuquerque, NM. I like taking calculated leaps of faith, and this was just that! I was excited for a new adventure and to be a six-hour drive to my friends and family in Denver, CO, so off I went.

While I have a serious love affair with the Bay Area, I realized quickly that making 4-5k a month would not get me far in such an expensive city. I was burned out from doing pop-ups in a place where everything felt 5x harder than it needed to be. I was illegally parking in bus lanes to load my car after lugging heavy containers down several flights of stairs. Getting stuck in traffic for hours on my way home from working 12-hour shifts. Spending most of my pop-up earnings on dinner and drinks out with friends. Getting my car towed with fresh-baked hot dog buns in it directly before an event, and having to pay $700 to get it out, putting me $300 in the hole for the night. Those were the DAYS!

I’m not ashamed to admit that I was tired. I told everyone, “No more pop-ups for me!” I can’t do it, it’s not sustainable. And then the anxiety set in - how would I make money? I love occasional private cheffing, but I didn’t want that to be my daily routine either. I decided to test the market in NM with Hej Hej pop-ups a few times before I moved, and the response was really positive. New Mexicans are some of the most supportive and hospitable people I’ve ever met. Starting over is never easy, but it’s felt almost seamless because of this amazing community. Now that I’ve been here for several months, the pop-ups feel so much more manageable. I have space, storage, flat streets to park on, and everything is a 15-minute drive away. Suddenly, pop-ups are back, and they feel better than ever! I look forward to them, which is amazing. Moving from CA to the desert has been a big adjustment for me, but it’s also opened up a lot of doors. I’m excited for the year ahead and what’s to come.

At the same time, I’m terrified for our nation. It’s getting harder and harder to carry on with business as usual, and all I can hope is that we land on the right side of things, and soon. It’s hard to find the words to properly express that.

Well, anywho, I feel like I’m rambling! So now, I present to you a short list of other takeaways I had from the year:

1. Saying “yes” is always a good idea.

2. Self-discipline is hard when you’re answering to yourself. I am still learning how to navigate this and make sure I’m growing this business in a meaningful way!

3. Admin work feels almost impossible when you cook for a living. You find yourself at your computer much less than ever before, but those tasks are still super important. I work a ton on my phone through email and Instagram.

4. I no longer enjoy grocery stores. I still dislike Jennifer Garner and sweet potatoes, in no particular order.

5. Things always take longer than you think they will, and I’ve learned to accept that. I’ve met so many restaurant owners recently who said they looked for their first restaurant for 3+ years before finding the perfect spot!

6. Burnout is real, but if you take care of yourself, you can bounce back stronger than before.

7. A vegetable peeler is the most dangerous kitchen tool.

8. Each person who has worked a pop-up with me is smarter than I am and has taught me so much!

9. I always want one of my hot dogs at the most inconvenient times.

10. I hope people stop asking me if I make the Swedish candy in 2026 😉

This year, I’m focusing on financials, scaling my Swedish candy operations, hiring out for some events, and looking for the perfect location or relationship to open a Hej Hej!

I also really wanna start a podcast where I interview owners of hot dog concepts. Would you listen?

PS If nobody has told you lately, you’re doing GREAT.

Thanks for reading, as always! 🍓

Amelia