We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Tylisha Oliver. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Tylisha below.

Tylisha, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

For years, I worked in foster care as a social worker. Later, I transitioned into foster parenting by caring for teenage young ladies. I deeply wanted to give them a way to learn essential life skills that would help them thrive. With my love for cooking, I decided to start my journey as a caterer. This allowed me not only to pursue something I was passionate about but also to teach my daughters and the young women I cared for how to cook, clean after themselves, and even monetize something they love.

I knew this was worthwhile because I saw a real need—these young women needed practical skills and confidence to succeed on their own. The idea felt right because I attempted to address what I saw as a former foster care worker: combining life skills education with a business opportunity in a way that was engaging and empowering.

Tylisha, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

With my love for cooking, I decided to start my journey as a caterer and offer services like catering, private chef experiences, and kid cooking classes. Recently, I’ve also launched a weekly teen cooking class that not only teaches valuable skills but also gives students high school credit. What I am most proud of as a chef is watching my guests enjoy not only their meal, but their experience. As a culinary instructor, observing my students develop confidence in the kitchen as well as within their budding craft. It is as if I can visually see the moment they realize they’re capable of creating something beautiful, delicious and thoughtful. Shaping the next generation of upcoming artists has become my new passion.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Personally, there are several things that I used to build my reputation. The first was to clarify my niche. Early on, I wanted to embrace my southern heritage and elevated southern cuisine. Additionally, I wanted to create a community-centered cooking program for students. Secondly, I connected locally with other chefs, food businesses and community events to become part of the solution to food insecurities for students. Lastly, I chose to invest in a strong marketing presence to ensure visibility.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

Of course, I can say that we send email updates about our monthly events & we provide loyalty perks to our faithful and recurring guests, but I must first say, I feel as though client loyalty begins with loyalty to your employees. I choose to invest in my wonderful staff because they are my front line in most cases. I call them “my Super-SHEros”. They have the same vision I have, to make every guest feel valued and appreciated. However, I attempt to make them feel valued and appreciated first. I’d like that because of this, they go the extra mile to ensure the happiness of our guests.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.simplyde-lish.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simplydelishcatering?igsh=cXZna2F4Y2Fid2w2&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/17e8YWdM37/?mibextid=wwXIfr