FHS grad unveils unique food truck Saturday
BECCA MARTIN-BROWN
bmartin@nwadg.com
Right now, Blue Brasher should be settling in at Pepperdine University in Southern California. She’d earned a full scholarship there, having graduated from Fayetteville High School with high honors and a 4.0 GPA. And that would be after she’d spent the summer going to music festivals across Europe working on an Irish family’s food truck.
Then, of course, the coronavirus changed everything.
Brasher says she’s learned a lot “from designing logos, to creating menus, to managing my money.” It wasn’t what she expected to be doing, but she adds, “there is not a more fulfilling feeling than going after a dream you have.”
(Courtesy Photos)
“They announced that school would be going online, and I was faced with a choice,” Brasher says. “I don’t thrive with online school, which I found out when my last month of high school went online. Also, one of the biggest things I was looking forward to for college was the campus experience. So when I found out I wasn’t going to get that, I had to reevaluate if I even wanted to go.
“I have had so many creative ideas that I haven’t been able to accomplish because of how time consuming it is to be a student, so I decided this was my time to do everything I’ve ever wanted to do. I deferred my enrollment until next year and set out on starting my own business.”
Brasher’s “plan B” comes to fruition Saturday, when Killer Cereal opens at the Lake Fayetteville food truck court.
“Ever since I was little, my favorite food was cereal,” she says. “I grew up with my health-conscious mom, so the closest thing to sugar cereal I ever got was a box of panda puffs from the Co-op, and even that was a treat! When I would go to my grandma’s house, I would get to eat Fruity Pebbles, and I was convinced it was the best thing to ever exist.
“I decided a long time ago that it would be so fun to start a cereal restaurant, so it’s pretty crazy that I’m actually fulfilling my 12-year-old dreams,” she explains. “There’s a certain childhood joy you get when you eat cereal, and I wanted to re-create that with Killer Cereal. When you visit the food truck you can get a bowl of your favorite cereal or even find a new favorite with my Killer Combos. My favorite Killer Combo is Hello Kitty, which is Froot Loops, Trix, mini marshmallows and fresh strawberries. If your sweet tooth still isn’t satisfied, you can get a scoop of ice cream with your favorite cereal as a topping. Or if you don’t have a sweet tooth at all, I have some healthy options like The Runner’s Choice, which is Honey Bunches of Oats, bananas, strawberries and flax seed.”
Brasher admits that being an entrepreneur isn’t easy.
“I didn’t realize how expensive it is to start a business, but luckily I have been able to figure out how to make it work,” she says. “I recently released a CD and had a few social distanced CD release parties where I sold my CDs. The money from that has helped a lot. I have also been using my graduation money. Overall, I have just had to stay dedicated to this project to make it work.”
Brasher says she obviously hopes to be successful, but “what I’m most excited for is the learning experience. I think I will gain a lot of skills that I can use the rest of my life, whether it be as a student at Pepperdine or maybe when I’m starting another business farther down the line. I’ve already learned so much from designing logos, to creating menus, to managing my money. I am still very set on going to college, so even if this is successful, I plan on getting my degree. I would probably still manage the truck from afar and hire people to run it.
Brasher says she’s learned a lot “from designing logos, to creating menus, to managing my money.” It wasn’t what she expected to be doing, but she adds, “there is not a more fulfilling feeling than going after a dream you have.”
(Courtesy Photos)
“It may sound cliche, but honestly I would tell [other young women] that anything is possible. The biggest thing that has held me back wasn’t money, but fear. This has probably been one of the scariest things I’ve done just because I know the business could fail, and I could lose all my savings. I also know it’s going to take a lot of work to give it my all. But overall, there is not a more fulfilling feeling than going after a dream you have. At the end of the day, I think I would regret not following my ambitions way more than failing when I tried.
“I also want young women to know that they are powerful. I don’t want anyone else to tell them otherwise,” Brasher says. “There are a lot of obstacles that get thrown at young women in our society, but those obstacles do not define us, and we are capable of such great things.”
FAQ
Killer Cereal
Grand Opening
WHEN — 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Aug. 15
WHERE — Lake Fayetteville food truck court
COST — $3-$6
INFO — Follow @BlueBrasher on Instagram
