Cameron Kendrick, owner of Good to Go Greenville, has expanded her grab-and-go meal business to three locations in about as many years since opening her first brick-and-mortar on Antrim Drive in 2021. And she’s only just begun, eyeing surrounding markets with plans for continued growth beyond the Midtown, Verdae, and Five Forks (the newest) locations.
“No one thought it would be something this big,” she says. “I love the fact that we’ve managed to pull off this business, conceptualized in my carport in Atlanta and came to be in my garage in Greenville, and it’s one of the fastest-growing businesses in Greenville. Who ever thought that this would be? Numbers tell me that there’s more to go.”
That kind of expansion without significant outside financial investment is rare and begs the question: is it luck or hard work? She answers by way of her favorite, must-listen podcast—“How I Built This.” In an episode featuring the former owners of Seattle Coffee Company, the entrepreneurial couple says they have a wall sign on which is written, “Luck comes to those who work hard.” And that’s become her mantra and explanation for success.
From Atlanta to Greenville
Since launching her meal business from her Atlanta garage in 2011—essentially making casseroles and other take-and-bake freezer meals—and moving to Greenville in 2013, she’s put in the time and work, every day, even when her mother-in-law was her only customer. Word of mouth took over, leading to more weekly customers, an in-home party hosted by a friend of a friend, and a weekly email that started with email addresses scrawled on her yellow legal pad. Then COVID hit and business skyrocketed, with her menu continuing to expand and a new market component offering local food products and wines in a one-stop shop for busy customers.
“I just never stopped,” Kendrick says. “It was stressful at times, and I didn’t make any money. I had a big conviction it was going to be something one day. Now, the woman who hosted that party for me and two of those ladies at the party are my employees.”
While she’s dedicated to her craft and hustle, she’s quick to credit the Greenville community, and her committed staff of retired preschool teachers, PTA presidents, and stay-at-home moms, as catalysts.
“This would never have been as successful in Atlanta,” Kendrick says of her hometown. “Greenville supports its own.”
The support goes both ways. As her business has grown, necessitating expansion of the original Midtown location to handle the volume and a new lunch service format, she’s returned the investment to schools and local businesses. On a personal level, she’s invested in her customers’ lives and their specific needs—knowing who needs allergen-friendly meals, who wants their meals assembled in dishes brought from home to appear home-cooked, and who needs the extra confidence boost to entertain in their homes.
“We have just conditioned ourselves to be in tune with their wants and needs” she says. “We know what they want before they know it. I know how to present it to them in a way that’s easy and approachable. We really take care of people when they’re in here. We’re all about accommodating the customer until we absolutely cannot.”
One step inside her shops is proof of the hospitality—wine samples offered no matter the time of day, music bumping, and concierge service to assist those looking for that extra help to put dinner on the table. “It’s like you’re coming to a party at my house,” she says.
Good to Go GVL’s Most Popular Items
- Superhero muffins
- Chicken salad
- Poppyseed chicken casserole
- Chicken pot pie
- Jennifer Aniston salad
- Lasagna
- Pimento cheese
- Marinated pork tenderloin
- House-made salad dressings
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