1. PENSI PASTA CO.
small buisness interview
Talia Hohmann
MGMT 100
Business and Society
March 26, 2012

2. Introduction
 I did my interview on Evette Lecce’s Pensi Pasta
Company. I know a lot about this company
because she is my mother and I have been able
to watch as her business grow from the
beginning.
My mother and her employee mixing dough for spinach pasta
shells

3. Company Description
 Type of business structure (Why did they choose
this structure instead of another?)
Evette decided to make her business a wholesale
company instead of a retail company because it is
easier to run while raising children in the process.
 Product or service
The product is fresh
pasta, raviolis, entrees, sauces, and spreads. My
mother distributes her products to restaurants and
farmers markets.
 How long they have been in business?
14 years

4. Background
 Why did they get started?
As a child, my mom learned to make fresh
homemade pasta from her great grandmother
and still uses those recipes from this day. She
started so she would be able to take care of her
two young daughters and make a living at
something she loves to do.
 How did they start the business?
Evette started by making pasta in our home and
selling it to friends and family. With growing
requests, she took out a loan and rented out
space in a business park and bought used pasta
machines from Italy.

5. Background Continued
 What is the owner’s training or background in the
business?
Evette has been in the food business her whole
life. She worked as a bartender, cook, and
waitress before starting her business.
Booth at the Farmers Market in Monterey, CA.

6. Successes and Challenges
 What have been the successes/challenges?
Evette sees the successes of her company being
making food that people love and having a way to
provide for her family.
 What is the most challenging aspect of running
the business? Why?
“The most challenging aspect of running the
business have been having to maintain the
equipment and the state of the economy. Also
running the business by myself.”

7. Successes and Challenges Cont.
 How did they overcome the challenges?
My mother overcame these challenges by trail
and error and having our family back her up in
busy situations.
 What are the critical success factors for this type
of business?
These factors are quality control and creativity.
 What are the fatal flaws in this type of business?
Fatal flaws in this type of business are freshness
of the product and trustworthy employees who
can make to products right.

8. Future
 Does the owner plan to stay in business for the
extended future and, if so, what are some of their
future plans/goals for the business.
Yes, my mother plans to extend her business by
finding more distributers, work on new packaging
and labeling, and working special events.

9. Summary
 What advice does the business owner have for the
members of this class? What did you learn?
My mother’s advice for this class is to always remain
unique and true to yourself. From this interview I
learned more about my mothers business and how it
started and how much hard work it is to run a
business.
 What unique interesting questions did you ask and
what were the responses?
Asking my mother about the difficulties of having to
raise my sister and I while starting and maintaining
her business. Her response was that its was difficult
but she had her family for support.