Meet Elisa Rodarte | Owner of Next Door Meals | Nutrition & Fitness Specialist

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

Hi Elisa, what’s the most important thing you’ve done for your children?
As a single parent of two lovely daughters, running a business, meanwhile finishing up my bachelor’s degree, was definitely a heavy plate to hold. My girls turned 6 and 7 this year, they are both in magnet programs, both are very outspoken, and very creative with what they are passionate about. I believe they hold so much confidence and power within themselves due to what they have seen me overcome and achieve throughout the years. When they were younger, they would constantly say “Mommy works too much she must love it” – it was a bittersweet thing to hear, because yes, I enjoy working hard, but I did not want them to think I either didn’t love them enough because of my lack of presence, or that life was all about working working working. I am blessed to now be at a space where I have more free time to give to them, but I also feel that I have been able to show my girls the reality of life, hardships, and that even in moments where their mommy might look a bit stressed, they’ve seen me get out of the funk and step into happiness. I emphasize allowing my girls to explore anything they have interest in, and to always use their voices in any situation. Raising young ladies in this world can be quite scary, but I know that becoming the best version of myself only influences my daughters to believe that they can do the same. I’m fortunate to have grown up in a loving home, both of my parents supported me and inspired me towards becoming the woman, the mother, the daughter, the friend, the business-owner that I am today.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Next Door Meals started off as a quick word-of-mouth service. In college, I was very strict with my own workout and my meal regimen. My friends began to notice my results, they said my food looked good, and eventually asked me to cook for them. It began as something so small, but my enjoyment led me to take on more and more as time passed. It took about a year for me to give my business a name, and take on the risk of going into it fully, but one thing that always stuck with me before making such decision, was that if my father, once an immigrant, came to the U.S. and build a business from scratch and a future for his family, then his daughter could do the same. That was my ignition. It was not an easy journey, I feel that even now, life happens, hardships have no alert, so at any point in time, even with the longevity of my business, one has to mentally be prepared for any abrupt changes. I keep a positive mindset overall, and look at my cup half full versus half empty, which has helped me continue to believe in myself and my mission. When business has been slow, I understand that it is temporary, and as long as I don’t give up, there is still growth happening. What I greatly take pride in through Next Door Meals, is that I specialize in custom meal planning. If my clients are dealing with any health issues, allergies, intolerances, or they are following a specific diet based off of a sport or an individual goal, I make sure everything is perfectly set for them. My mission is to not only make my clients lives easier, but for them to be able to improve their nutrition and extend their quality of life. When I receive feedback that my client has hit their goal weight, lowered their A1C levels, or no longer has cholesterol, it brings my heart intense joy. It’s truly my calling to make an impact in people’s lives.

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.
If a friend of mine was visiting Los Angeles, first thing is first, we would find a delicious spot to eat. A few favorites of mine range from Nigerian Food in the Inglewood Area (Aduke), perhaps some Hawaiian Poke in the Long Beach Area (Poke & More), a random taco spot near Downtown, maybe even some In-n-out, if they’ve never experienced it? I’m big on food locations that are small businesses, or California-based, they may not be located in a crowded city, but the flavors are out of this world. Another thing I highly enjoy is hiking, so I would take my friend to different views of the city where we could get a workout in while seeing what God created at such high elevation. As for the nightlife, I’m more of a bar-hopping type of girl, maybe some bowling, karaoke, an arcade? A must before my friend has to go, would also be visiting Laguna Beach in Orange County, the water there is quite clear and a breath of fresh air.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I will definitely say both of my parents deserve their flowers. Besides building a business together, their support and belief in what I have pursued throughout my life has been grand. Yes, my father showed me the possibilities of this world through a different lens, but my mother is who created my passion for cooking at a very young age, which led me to build my meal preparation service. My passion into the fitness world was found through my own hardships in life, fitness became an outlet for me to release stress and aided in my battle with mental health. I have now received my bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology (the study of body movement/health/fitness) – which allows me to further expand in the industry.

Instagram: @nextdoormeals (business) / @puntodeelisa (personal/creative)