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

Hi Tammie , thanks for joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

Tees Plentiful Salads is here because of my experiences. Our mission has three categories

– 1 Tees Plentiful salads aims to have a consistent A1 customer service with our customers and to always demonstrate quick and accurate service

– 2 Tees Plentiful Salads will aim to provide the best quality ingredients and fresh ingredients produce. We stand by our motto, “We are not your ordinary rabbit food “ and to “Eat Plentiful “. Tees will make sure that your salad appetite is happily satisfied.

– 3 Tees plentiful salads will continue our loyalty and give our employees frequent encouragement and recognition for all that they do.

I feel that that these three statements are what’s important in having a successful business

Tammie , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Well, I am just an ordinary African American Girl who absolutely loves food and Customer Services. The two goes together. I noticed it while growing up and watching my grandfather cook. He will cook up a good meal and smile at me the whole time he was doing it. It was something about that I loved since I was a small child. My mother cooked with a lot of love and made it so fun and interesting. So that is who I am, CHEF TAMMIE , who always serves with lots of flavor and a smile. I have worked every aspect of the food industry that you can think of. From Short order cook, to fast food to, teaching culinary arts to catering, to even kitchen management.

The thing that I believe sets my business apart from any other restaurant is our customer service and how we make our salads. Remember God and Love is 1st in everything that we do. I’m so proud of myself and of my circle of people that has helped me get to where I am today.
Believe me it has not been peaches and cream the whole time. There has been some happy tears and some sad tears. Being a entrepreneur in this line of work is not easy. But with a strong circle of family and friends it’s all possible and I appreciate EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM!!
Tees Plentiful Salads wasn’t alway my dream, ownership was. I just knew That it had something to do with the Food service industry, I just didn’t know what!! Remember, I am a chef and I can cook almost anything 😜. But I noticed how much I loved salads and deli salads! I had to go to a buffet to even get one that I wanted or make it myself. So I Figured if I was feeling this way they were many many others feeling that way also. So To make a long story short I opened Tees Plentiful Salads. And we’re “Not Your Ordinary Rabbit Food”

Have you ever had to pivot?

During the time I was teaching, I was working at Applebees as well!! It was very challenging working two jobs and raising two children. Especially in the food industry! Anyway, I was management at Applebees and teaching full-time at the school anyway the area Director of Applebee’s felt the need to let me go due to me having a greater position at my other job. 12 years at Applebees and he let me go because I wasn’t there 💯 percent. One year later the school district my job was under was bought by another school district and all of the teachers lost their jobs (myself included). I was devastated, I grown close to the students. I was teaching and showing future chefs the industry and more. It was more than a job to me. I could give what I learned from culinary School Also, I learned from my grandfather and mother to teach the next generation.

I fell into a deep depression and wondered if The food service industry was for me. I grew out of love for it. Job after job I just wasn’t happy anymore. But one day, while driving on the highway, I was praying and all of a sudden the idea of a salad shop hit me! I called my mother crying and told her my vision and Tees Plentiful Salads was born.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

I entered into a pitching competition with a local nonprofit organization called the Flint Soup!! I started my business delivering salads on my off days trying to save money first. So I met Adrian and James and pitch my idea to them and they mention Flint Soup. Long story short, I pitched my idea to a group of people and won the competition. This was enough money for me to purchase my first cooler and product and . containers to sell salads… it didn’t take much but I tell you, if you plant a seed and you water it , IT WILL GROW!!!!!

Contact Info:

• Website: Teesplentifulsalads.com
• Instagram: Tees_Plentiful_Salads
• Facebook: Tees Plentiful Salads