We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Cassandra Doxa a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Cassandra thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Looking back, do you think you started your business at the right time? Do you wish you had started sooner or later

Sometimes, I wish I had started my business sooner, but I’m confident I started it at the exact right time. I always had a passion for food and cooking but I spent many years trying to find my footing after graduating college. With a business degree, I knew I wanted to start my own business, but first wanted to gain experience in Corporate America. However, that wasn’t in God’s plans for me. I went from job to job trying to find a good fit but nothing really stuck. While job hunting, I started a side-hustle by selling my homemade gourmet BBQ sauces locally and online. I also assisted my Mom with her Tampa-based catering business and that sparked a fire in me. After many years of trial and error, I decided it was time to officially launch my business. The years of trying to figure things out is what really shaped me into the Business Owner I am today. I am now the proud owner of a successful Personal Chef and Catering business and I wouldn’t trade my experiences for the world. I know I had to face those challenges in order to become the success I am today. I probably wouldn’t be as grateful or hard-working if it wasn’t for all those failed attempts at other opportunities I had to face. I am grateful for God’s perfect timing.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Cassandra Doxa, self-taught Chef and proud Owner of Doxa Eats Catering Company, LLC. My company provides Personal Chef and Catering services in Orlando, Florida. We also service surrounding Central Florida cities including Tampa, Sarasota and Daytona Beach. Doxa Eats specializes in elevated West African, Caribbean and American cuisine. Being of Nigerian descent, my family’s culture played a huge role in how I interpret food. My Mother, Cindy Doxa is the heartbeat of the Doxa Eats brand and true inspiration behind this business as she is the one who taught me just about everything I know and love about cooking and creating magic in the kitchen. Many of our Clients are usually in town visiting Disney for vacation and enjoy being able to sit back and relax while my team and I come out to handle the cooking for them. We take pride in providing a luxury service to those who are looking for an exquisite meal in the privacy of their vacation home or private residence. We also provide amazing catering services for Clients who are hosting events including birthdays, baby/bridal showers, bachelorette parties, weddings and corporate events.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I’ve spent many years building my audience on social media, personally and professionally. It’s not something that just happens overnight. You have to constantly show up. It’s like telling the story of you and your brand in many different ways and you have to be creative with it. Through pictures, videos, music and more. When I come up with a new recipe, I post. When I take a picture of a plated meal for a Client, I post. When a recent Client leaves a new 5 star review, I post. When I’m promoting a new catering package deal, I post. I want my followers to witness my culinary journey along with me. Many of my recipe videos have gone viral on TikTok and it’s because I know how to connect with my audience through food. Being in the kitchen is my comfort zone and my audience is aware of this. The best advice I can give to those who are just starting their social media presence is to simply show up! Be present and be authentically you. There is a lot of pressure and intimidation when trying to get your voice heard through the various social media channels, and it can get very overwhelming at times. As long as you remain confident in your craft, you will draw a crowd with the right audience. Stay patient and remain diligent. Remain loyal to your brand and don’t try to imitate anyone else because there’s only one you.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

The year was 2019 and I was working part-time at Chipotle while also working part-time for Instacart as an in-store personal shopper. I was also driving for Doordash (food delivery) on the side to make ends meet. I was 3 months behind in rent and my Toyota Camry just got repossessed. I had to start taking the bus to work and it was very hard. It took 3 buses to get to the Chipotle I worked at. I ended up quitting shortly after because it was too stressful to take a long bus commute to only work a few hours a week. I immediately had to stop Doordash since I no longer had a car and I continued working for Instacart, as that was the only thing bringing in money for me at the time. I knew something had to change. I ended up moving back into my parents house, at the age of 31, desperately in need of a better paying job and a new plan to get back on my feet. I eventually left Instacart and started a temporary work at home job. I saved every dollar I made, bought a used car, and with God’s guidance, I decided to relocate from Tampa to Orlando for a fresh new start in March 2020. I honestly don’t know where I would be today without the support of my parents. They helped me in my darkest times and encouraged me that seasons like this don’t last forever. I share this particular story of my journey because it was a pivotal moment for me. It was either sink or swim. I had no clue how things were going to look in Orlando but I was open to what God had in store. This moment in my life really illustrates my resilience. Instead of complaining or quitting, I learned how to embrace challenging times which made me stronger and wiser.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.doxaeats.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doxaeatscatering/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doxaeatscatering
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cassandradoxa Email: [email protected]

Image Credits
TC Productions Jami Films