Meet MONICA BENNETT | Business Owner/Motivational Speaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with MONICA BENNETT and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi MONICA, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
the thought behind starting my business was to bring the gifts and collectibles that I was so passionate about to my community. I saw a need and I acted on it. Yes we had gifts that was for other cultures, but I had not seen any in our area. I did my research, saw there was a need and here I am 25 years later.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Monique’s Gifts and Catering was established in 1999. Monique’s is family owned and operated by Monica Bennett and Joann Blair. (deceased), Antoine Bennett. The name of the company was inspired by the owners daughter, Monique.

Our History

It had always been a dream of mine to own a business, In 1999, Monique’s Gifts started as a small gift shop managed by Joann Blair. My mom would take orders over the phone and I would go out and conduct several home shows. Our product line became so massive that we had to open a store front location to service our local customers. We have done several Art shows and have won numerous awards.

In 2001,we catered our first event, with a full Buffet service for over 175 people. It was very challenging, but with hard work and dedication we pulled it all together. We provide catering service to the small company as well as the large banquet or wedding.

Today, Monique’s is a full service Catering and Giftware Company.
We pride ourselves on giving the best customer experience possible our products set us apart from others because they relate to the everyday women that give inspirational messages and beautiful product at the same time. No the job was not easy, we struggled for years but we keep focused and dedicated to what we knew and we are still standing strong to this day.
In 2020, I decided that I wanted to move to Texas. I packed my car with what I could carry and drove 1900 miles to settle in Fort Worth, TX. That feat alone was not easy but I settled in and reach out to some connections and here I am.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I am new to Fort Worth, but if a friend was to come to town to visit, I would take them to the Fort Worth Downtown area. they have some good food and shops to walk around in. Next I would take them to the Arlington open market. At home we called it a swap meet. lots of shops and things to see. I dont gamble anymore but if I did I would take them to Win Star Casino on the Oklahoma/Texas border. And finally I would open up my shop and let them shop with me, Monique’s Gifts.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I first want to thank God for the vision, If God had not given me the dedication and drive to see this thing through I would not have done this and stayed dedicated all these years through the good and bad. Also I want to give my family a huge thank you. My mom helped me start the business, she would work the small brick and Mordor shop while I worked on the outside. She was a big part of my success until her passing in 2003. After that my children stepped in and helped me do retail shows and also Catering jobs. Yes, we catered as well. Today we have 3 locations; Fort Worth, TX, San Diego, CA and Las Vegas, NV. Antoine Bennett is co-owner of the San Diego location and Monique Singleton is in Las Vegas.

Website: www.ebay.com/usr/moniquesgifts; https://moniquesgiftsandcatering.webs.com/aboutus.htm

Instagram: moniquesgiftsandcatering

Facebook: Monica Bennett

Image Credits
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