Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Amelia Delgado. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Amelia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

About taking a risk: Nearly 2 years ago I decided to take a leap of faith and walk away from my longtime job of 22+ years and finally pursue my dream of owning and operating my very own food truck! I knew it was a risk that I may regret later! Because I didn’t know what the future held but I had been praying about it for years but never allowed myself the chance to see it through! I had family and friends that believed in me, and I also had people I looked up to doubting I could make it happen. I understood as family and friends they didn’t want me to make the mistake of failing. In the beginning I indeed I had days I wondered if I had made the right choice myself . I thought should go back to being the 9-5 hamster on a wheel ? Then thought of the days I felt unhappy and unappreciated. I decided that wasn’t the life meant for me anymore. I prayed had people that cared for me praying for me and Tia Mel’s ! I decided that going back was not an option ! that I had to swim or drown trying. I could not give up without giving it my all! I needed to fight for my dream! I had my grand opening in April 2023, and again although in the beginning it was an uncertainty we pushed through we came across some angels that led us to where we are today! By Gods Grace Tia Mel’s has been a success so far! I’m thankful for the risk I decided to take on me and Tia Mel’s ! More importantly for Gods promise! I knew that he was leading me the whole way and will continue to do so! Tia Mel’s has not only allowed me to be a blessing to my own family but to be a blessing to others which was one of my main reasons for wanting to open up my own business! I wanted to be able to be a blessing to others! I wanted to be the employer who made sure each employee no matter the position felt appreciated and valued! Without each of their hard work and commitment I couldn’t have made it this far! Success in my heart is not about how much money you make , money comes and goes but instead the positive impact of every single person you come across on a daily basis and how they remember you ! Thank God for the risk that lead me into my dream!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

For those that may not know about Tia Mel’s just a little background. In the process of me raising 2 children on my own I had no choice but go teach myself how to cook . I didn’t make much money back then nearly 30 years ago so I had to find a way to feed my babies! So my love of cooking didn’t start there because it was a necessity more than for joy! As the years passed I started to bake and cook more. I incurred some great cook books I saved recipes on the back of packages as a matter of fact, one memory my son still remembers till this day is how I would sit there while we were eating dinner reading the back of packages already planning the next meal. Friends enjoyed my cooking and baking. I found a true love for it. It made me happy to know that people enjoyed the food and desserts that I prepared for them. In 2018 the thought of owning a food truck came to me. My family gathered one day. We went through possible names , menu items that we would put on the truck and originally was going to be a family business. Like most dreams life gets in the way so that one sits on the shelf. Then in 2021 I started selling desserts from my home then to preparing meals selling plates and it was a hit . By 2022 I decided it was time to take that leap of leave my job of over 22 years and pursue my dream to own my Food Truck . My grand opening was in April of this year and although it was rocky in the first few months business has picked up and has surpassed my every expectation ! We currently serve Amazon warehouse in Dallas two days a week for 2 lunches a day. we do special events, catering , pop up markets, birthday parties, and corporate events ! Our goal is to grow our business by providing delicious, homemade Mexican and American food and desserts. We have a main menu, but do not limit that menu.. we want to give our customers/ clients a choice of what we bring to the table . Customer satisfaction is our top priority! I have an amazing team that has been with me since day one ☝️ ! It takes the entire team to make it happen! I am proud of each and everyone of us for overcoming the obstacles in the beginning and pushing forward. We will continue to grow together with the help of our amazing clients.! Our commitment is to bring our very best A-to-Z. Every single day!

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

My side hustle turned into where I’m at today! I am one of the millions of Americans that created a home based business due to Covid! I remember cooking my first Thanksgiving meal for my family and I posted my banana foster cheesecake on Facebook. Someone asked me how much I would charge for one and from that one came the next and the next one! Before I knew it that following year 2021 I was baking cheesecakes every single day! I started meal prepping selling food and desserts of all kinds and I never stopped till this day! I continued to work my full time job along with my side hustle until 2022. My home based business became my passion to the point that nothing else mattered. I gave it my all! A key milestone is the first Mother’s Day I recall making so much from cheesecake alone I was compelled to keep going forward! I knew I was on the right track and the sky was the limit ! I wanted nothing more than to figure out how I could do this full time as my very own business !

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Yes in the beginning I knew nothing about the initial process of running a food truck! I was just going on a whim of locations I’d go. I had no real sense of direction I was just going on a prayer! I had a few good leads but I was barely covering labor and operating costs. But I never gave up! Did the thought cross my mind yes naturally but my faith kept me resilient! I had to pass the test and go through the storm! I knew I had come too far to look back! I had to much invested into this and I couldn’t let myself down! I couldn’t give up on my dream! Thankfully that persistence paid off. Prayer works! Don’t give up hope and never give up on your dreams!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/tiamelseatsandtreats?igshid=MzMyNGUyNmU2YQ==
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088266556241&mibextid=LQQJ4d

Image Credits
Tiffani Johnson