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

Shawanda , appreciate you joining us today. Let’s talk legacy – what sort of legacy do you hope to build?

I hope that my legacy will be love. Love makes you initially think of romance, but it is so much more. Kindness, encouragement, strength, faith, comfort…are all things that come to mind when I say love. I want to be remembered in that way. If you’ve ever associated with me, that I have touched your heart with that kind of love. It’s a simple thing really. The world needs more of it.

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?

I’ve been in a kitchen since as long as I can remember. Watching and soaking it all in. The sounds, the emotions, the aroma. I wanted to be a gazillion things when I grew up, but being in a kitchen has always felt like home. I started working at restaurants at age 16. I’ve done every job-related position in the industry. Unfortunately, both of my parents were ill and I chose to stay close to home after high school graduation to assist. So college wasn’t in my cards. On my journey, I was given the opportunity to work at the Ritz Carlton. There I met and made friends with chefs would soon take me under thier wing and share all of thier knowledge of food with me.
When Covid hit, it obviously changed so much for the world. My employer decided to close his business, which would mean I would be out of a job. I knew that I didn’t want to be employed at a place where as a chef, I would be expected to just open bags and cook what’s inside. So, my daughter and I were hanging out and she told me that I should do my own thing. Later on that night, I thought to myself, I can do Wandaful Things. And here we are. Wandaful Things is a small bistro and bakery in my hometown of Kingsland, GA. It’s a little classy and a little sassy. Just like me. Fresh, homemade, comfort food with a little razzle dazzle. We currently only have outdoor dining in our quaint garden. It’s a labor of love and my happy place.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

Remember that you are in a position to lead your team. You depend on them, they depend on you. It’s a partnership. If you are asking something of your team, make certain that you are willing to do the same. Be a part of your team and watch it flourish.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

The customer is always right. No! I had to unlearn this. I will always do my best to understand the needs of a customer and assist them to the best of my ability. However, there is a point in which a customer can cross boundaries that will absolutely not be tolerated. My expectation is the same for Customers as it for myself and my employees. Be respectful, be mindful, communicate properly, and find a solution if possible. The service industry can be very challenging dealing with customers.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://Instagram.com/wandafulthingsco
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/wandafulthingsco/

Image Credits
Krysta Glover