Meet Jennifer Boutelle

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

Hi Jennifer, how does your business help the community?
At The Local Gist, our mission is to make a positive impact by strengthening our local community and supporting small businesses in Temecula. We aim to create an accessible, inclusive platform that benefits both residents and visitors. Through our website, we provide a free, user-friendly digital resource that helps people discover local deals, discounts, and promotions at small businesses around town. By making these promotions easily searchable by day or category (like Happy Hour), we ensure that everyone can quickly find exactly what they’re looking for, encouraging exploration and supporting local establishments.

In addition to enhancing the local consumer experience, we give small businesses the tools to reach a broader audience. Our platform allows them to share their offers with the community, increasing foot traffic and patronage, which ultimately helps them grow and thrive. By championing these businesses, we help create a stronger, more vibrant local economy, contributing to the community’s well-being and success. No apps or accounts are required—just visit our mobile-friendly website, www.TheLocalGist.com, and you’re ready to explore all that Temecula has to offer. Through these efforts, we’re proud to play a role in both the economic growth and social connectivity of our area.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My journey has been unconventional. Originally, I was a country girl from the Bible Belt who moved to Los Angeles on a bet and a dream. I spent 14 years working in television production, honing my communication skills. But after becoming a single mom of two, with one child having special needs, I wanted to find a way to work from home and still be present for my kids. Entrepreneurship felt like the answer.

Starting my business in Temecula wasn’t easy. I knew no one and had no network. But I believed my experience in TV and digital media could help the local community. Temecula has many creative businesses, but no central hub to bring it all together. That’s when The Local Gist was born—a platform to help locals and visitors discover deals and events while giving small businesses a space to share their promotions.

What sets us apart is our focus on community. We make it easy for both consumers and businesses to connect. The road wasn’t without challenges, but I learned patience, persistence, and the importance of adaptability.

What excites me most is how we’re helping small businesses grow and bringing the community together. I’m proud of what we’ve built, and I hope people see The Local Gist as a resource that supports creativity and helps both businesses and locals thrive in Temecula.

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.
This is a tough one for me given that our job at The Local Gist is to promote this very “thing”….so, I would start by visiting our website TheLocalGist.com and choosing each day of the week, then categorize what type of experience you are looking for like food, drinks, events, etc.

For me, since I am familiar with “The Gist” of Temecula by now, I’ll give you the list of my favorites.

To eat, it’s a tough one. We are really elevating our food industry more and more every month, so this list changes with the seasons. Currently, I am into 1909, Toast, Annie’s Cafe, or Bushfire Kitchen. Each are unique. Each are delicious. It’s really about what mood you are in.

To drink, it’s a hop around town to my go-to favorites: Uys Wines, Cougar Winery, Luke’s on Front Street, or Killarney’s- Hands Down good time, always.

To experience, there’s so many options to choose from these days. Whether it’s with the kids or just the adults, you can entertain the entire family for pretty cheap if you plan it right. Pennypickle’s Workshop, Get Air Temecula, and any of our recreational parks are amazing for kids. For the adults, there’s 86’ed Axe Throwing, Fortune Firearms shooting range, wine tours, hot air balloon rides, camping at Lake Skinner…I could go on for days. It’s an endless list these days.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to two incredible individuals who have played pivotal roles in the success of The Local Gist — Heidi Luerra and Matthew Klahorst. Heidi is an angel investor I met through Temecula’s Entrepreneur Exchange Program, run by the City of Temecula. She has been an invaluable mentor, helping me strategize and create a clear, actionable pathway for our brand. Her guidance has been instrumental in shaping our vision and setting us on the right course.

I also want to give a huge shoutout to Matt Klahorst, who created the technology for our new platform. Thanks to his expertise, our website, TheLocalGist.com, beautifully executes the vision we had for the business, providing a seamless, user-friendly experience for both our community and small businesses.

Both Heidi and Matt have been essential to bringing The Local Gist to life, and I’m incredibly grateful for their support, knowledge, and dedication. Their efforts have made a lasting impact on our journey, and they truly deserve recognition for helping us get to where we are today.

Website: https://thelocalgist.com/temecula-ca

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelocalgist/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-local-gist

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelocalgist/