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

Hi Shandee, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Before CertiStar, I was selling software to huge companies and in that role I was taking people out for dinner, drinks, lunch, etc all the time. Being able to do that without having my food allergies centered in the conversation was incredibly challenging. It became apparent that there wasn’t a strong solution for food service to really do a great job with food allergic patrons. I was in a bit of a unique position to solve the issue with my data background, and thus began CertiStar. I had a problem that affected me personally and I had a solution. Those two things have led to a passion and solution that can really help a lot of people.

What should our readers know about your business?
CertiStar stands above any other allergen solution because we are able to more completely serve all food allergic patrons at any CertiStar restaurant customer. We handle any food allergen or category in any combination. Most solutions handle only the top x allergens, but there are more than 170 different foods that have caused food allergic reactions. We also provide chef driven modification options and account for cross contamination. We are the only data driven restaurant allergen solution that provides complete and accurate answers for your guests.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Phoenix is chock full of amazing hiking trails! I love the Sonoran Mountain Preserve. In the pandemic I’ve spent a ton of time with my dogs and my kids out on the trails. I feel like it’s an incredibly unique thing for the valley in comparison to virtually any other place. There’s so many options you can go out all year without repeating an experience.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many people who deserve recognition within this section, but the person who really stands out is my father, Bart Chernow. Without his support, encouragement and love, CertiStar never would have come to fruition and I wouldn’t have had the opportunity or wherewithal to be in the position I’m in now. I truly appreciate his help, ideas and constant inspiration.

Website: www.certistar.com

Instagram: @certistar

Linkedin: @certistar

Twitter: @certistar

Facebook: @certistar

Youtube: @certistar

Other: also @shandeeland on facebook, linkedin and instagram.

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