Pamela Gallagher always had an interest and a career in
foodservice. But, as she was starting her family some years ago, her mother,
who worked as a schoolteacher, encouraged her to get into school nutrition.
“I fell in love with the
industry,” she said. “I was feeding hungry kids.”
Fast forward more than 30 years and Gallagher – whose rewarding
school nutrition career spanned three decades in the Philadelphia School
District, Allentown School District and North Penn School District – is ensuring
other school districts meet USDA regulations. In December 2019, she launched a
North Wales-based consulting business, School Food Service
Solutions, LLC.
“I wanted to share my knowledge
in that field,” Gallagher said. “It’s a very highly regulated, complicated
industry, but also rewarding.”
Soon after starting her side business, Gallagher began
mentoring with SCORE Bucks County certified mentors Steve Wolfson and Richard
Kroger for insight on scaling up her business. Her mentors also offered
guidance on myriad business-related topics ranging from development of a
business plan, financial and budget projections, and funding sources and grant
opportunities.
“We
met on a regular basis,” Gallagher said of her mentors. “It was like ‘this is
what’s next. You conquered that.’”
SCORE
volunteers provide no-cost mentoring services throughout the life of a business
based on an individual business or entrepreneur’s unique needs. Wolfson has 40
years’ experience in wholesale distribution and has expertise in starting
multiple business locations, while Kroger has more than 30 years of experience
in banking and financial services as a commercial lender, business banker and
SBA lender.
Wolfson
lauded Gallagher for her willingness to follow through with suggestions and
take her business fulltime.
“Starting
in May of this year, she built up a strong customer base and contracts that took
her into the school year with steady consulting and building up a reputation
for a strong need to improve school food services,” Wolfson said.
Gallagher
currently works with three charter schools in Pennsylvania to ensure that food
service contractors follow USDA regulations. Through her business, she offers
workshops throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, as well as food
safety training and nutritional analysis of menus. As a retired school
nutrition director, Gallagher can also serve in an interim role while a school
district undertakes the often-lengthy hiring process to recruit another school
nutrition director.
By
focusing primarily on charter schools, Gallagher said she “found a niche.”
As her business continues to
flourish, Gallagher is contemplating adding staff. She credits her guidance
from SCORE, as well as her involvement in professional associations and
industry connections with helping to scale up her business quickly.
“Don’t forget to use your
connections,” Gallagher advised. “Talk to other people in the same business for
advice and seek help from SCORE. These nonprofits are out to help people
succeed.”
About SCORE
Since 1964, SCORE has helped more
than 11 million aspiring entrepreneurs. Each year, SCORE
provides small business mentoring and workshops to more than 375,000
new and growing small businesses.?With more than 70 members across Bucks
and Eastern Montgomery counties, SCORE Bucks?County?provides over 4,300 free
mentoring services annually to local small business owners
through one-on-one counseling and small business seminars. To stay up to
date on news and happenings, join SCORE Bucks County’s email list. Text
SCOREBUCKS to 22828.
