Meet Hayley Heckethorn | Founder of Primrose Board Co.

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

Hi Hayley, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I always had an itch to start my own business, but I would have never guessed it would have been doing what I do now. I got married in 2020 (Yes, remember that crazy year?) and I was so in love with planning my wedding, I knew that the wedding industry is where I wanted to be. I looked into wedding planning and briefly thought about wedding photography, but when I came across charcuterie I really thought to myself “Is this even considered a business?” Sure enough, I did some research and found tons of charcuterie businesses across the country and they were thriving. That’s when I knew, I totally could too.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I wouldn’t consider myself as an ordinary wedding vendor or caterer, because quite frankly anyone can put meat, cheese and crackers on a plate or grab a lunch-able from the store. With my business, I ensure that each spread I design is unique and beautiful to not only to taste, but as well as to the eye! My goal is to make a board that also serves the purpose as an elegant centerpiece. The food industry is not easy, as there are a lot of licensing, certification, permits that revolve around it, but I’ve learned that doing things the right way (which may be the long way), is totally worth your legitimacy and quality of products.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Prescott is such a beautiful town and I was one of the lucky ones to be born and raised here. Anytime we have friends come to visit, there’s a ton of things I’d recommend.

No better way to start your morning than with a spin class with BPedal studio. Their morning partyPEDAL class will ensure you get a great workout in while listening to some upbeat music in a party vibe setting!

When weather permits, we also have some beautiful hiking trials, such as Watson Lake, Thumb Butte, and Granite Mountain. If you’re not too big on hiking, you can enjoy Prescott’s beautiful lakes by kayaking, fishing, or picnicking. I hold a lot of childhood memories at Goldwater Lake!

After some outdoor activities, my go-to spots to eat have to be Park Plaza Liquor Deli, Bill’s Grill, The County Seat, and Rosa’s Pizzeria.

You also can’t go wrong with a Specialty Caramel Latte from Wild Iris or an Iced Heartbreaker from Yellow Leaf for that midday pick-me-up!

For some nightlife, I enjoy meeting up with friends at Founding Father’s and walking our way over to Matt’s Saloon for live music.

Any holiday spent in Prescott, is sure to never disappoint. Although, my favorite time is Christmas, as this time is full of spirit-filled activities. You can enjoy the courthouse lighting downtown, experience Acker night, enjoy the gingerbread house display at the Prescott Resort, and drive through the Valley of Lights in Prescott Valley.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The idea of starting this as a business really came from my sisters-in-law, Kolbi & Heather. At first, I had the hardest time seeing what they saw. But, every-time I created a new charcuterie board they talked about the business possibility again and again. I remember one night we had family dinner and we were all gathered around a charcuterie board that I had made and they were throwing out potential business names for me. That’s when I really started envisioning it got myself, so I went home that night and stayed up brainstorming and designing several logos and finally I came up with the look of Primrose Board Co. the following morning and made my Instagram page.

Once my business starting becoming more relevant on social media, I knew it was time to expand and make changes to my daily life. My husband, Cohen, really pushed me more than ever to pursue this business full-time and created the most beautiful workspace/office for me. He encouraged me to quit my full-time job, worked extra hours, and had full faith in me being a small business owner.

Instagram: primroseboardco

Facebook: Primrose Board Co.

Image Credits
Heather Rocha Photography Kaycee Cherry – Arizona Couples Photographer Marcy Alvarez  – Northern Arizona Photographer