Women in Entrepreneurship Niki Gedroic’s Journey from Challenges to Triumph

How many of you have a go-to comfort food when you're feeling down? Does it change when you're angry? I have a few favorites depending on my mood, and I even met the subject of this article on a day when I was feeling a bit emotional.

Meet Niki Gedroic—an entrepreneur after my own heart. I think I've found someone who truly understands, loves, and celebrates food just like I do. Niki is the owner of Smoke Bourbon and BBQ in Uptown Columbus. When asked about her passion for food, she responded warmly: “I love food!! I love what it means. I love a hot bowl of chili on a cold night. I love the comfort in a bowl of chicken soup. I love the richness of a creamy sauce over perfectly cooked pasta. I want to share my passion and love for food. But I also love providing a space where people who share my passion for this industry can come together as a family and serve deliciousness to our guests... leaving them full, happy, satisfied, and well-served.” I couldn’t have said it better myself!

Niki has a compelling story. She has faced struggles and triumphs and demonstrated remarkable resilience. When asked what advice she would give her younger self, she shared this: “I used to weigh 365 pounds. I wish I could go back to the 4th grader who turned to food for peace and tell her that she is loved by the only person that ultimately matters—me. I’d tell her that all those hurtful words about no one loving her and her never amounting to anything were lies. One day, she would become a badass entrepreneur with a successful restaurant. I’d tell her she would bring happiness to thousands of people who would dine in her restaurants. I’d tell her she would travel all over the world on a Fortune 500 company’s dime. I’d tell her she is going to lose the weight and, in 2024, marry a wonderful man who patiently waited 20 years for her.”

Niki is more than her achievements. She has cultivated a vibrant culture in Columbus that’s impossible to overlook. When I asked how she stays motivated, she responded: “I am motivated by hope. I am motivated by those who said I would fail. I am motivated by people who thought I couldn’t do it. I am motivated by the cheers of my inner circle.” Having that support system is crucial!

Being a woman in the food service industry is no easy feat, but Niki shines brightly, creating a culture of love and understanding through her passion for food. Niki’s answer to what she’d say to her younger self was perfectly her: “Girl... you can only pull your big girl panties up so many times before the elastic breaks, and you show your ass. I’d say, girl, show your ass. Get up and show the world you are strong and filled with power. Every stumble is an opportunity, not a failure. We can’t learn to walk without stumbling, and we can’t learn to run until we learn to walk.”

Getting laid off from TSYS after 24 years marked the end of one chapter and the beginning of an exciting new one for Niki. At 50, she was unsure of her next step. “I am thankful for those who shared their knowledge and even those who hoped I’d fail (this was motivation). I look forward to what each day holds. I want to share what I’ve learned with others and hope that one day people see me as an inspiration, as I have been inspired by so many.”

Niki Gedroic, you are truly an inspiration! Thank you for everything you’ve gone through to get where you are. Keep shining your light and loving Columbus through your food. To my fellow entrepreneurs, remember you can use whatever fuels you to keep that motivation alive. And I’ll leave you with a quote from Virginia Woolf: “One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one does not dine well!”