Today we’d like to introduce you to Alicia Boyd.
Hi Alicia, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
As a recent cancer survivor, I had an excellent job and was moving up the corporate ladder, but I felt unfulfilled. My dreams of Humble Hearts were on the back burner, but I still longed to be a business owner and caterer. Cooking for others has always been my passion. Any chance that I had to cook for my friends, family, and co-workers, I took it. Due to that, my love was growing again, and I was having more conversations about bringing Humble Hearts forward on a simmer. In 2018, I started events again to test the water, and the water felt good. So, I continued more events in 2019, and Humble Hearts was a complete job even though I already had one. I was putting processes in place to be business-compliant and having conversations about doing business full-time. That was exciting and scary. I thought: How could I leave the job that helped care for my family? How could I take a risk like this as a new cancer survivor?
The safe decision was to keep my job, build Humble Hearts as a hobby, and enjoy the best of both worlds. But that option wasn’t needed to be more secure; it seemed draining and limiting because I knew in my heart that I would never be satisfied. So, at the end of 2019, I left my job in February 2020 to pursue Humble Hearts fully, one month before the world pandemic. So now, Humble Hearts was on full boil, and I had no choice but to make it work. My team planned ingenious ways to survive and serve clients. My team worked hard with integrity and grit to continue forward, a feat I only dreamed could happen. Today, through all the trials and changes, Humble Hearts is six years old and still growing.
Let’s dig deeper into the story – has it been an easy path, and if not, what challenges have you overcome?
Like any business, the road has sometimes been smooth. In 2022, I experienced a significant transition, leaving me the sole owner of my cater. I could have let the setback deter me, but instead, I contacted the Maryland Small Business Development Center (SBDC) to help chart a path forward. My goal was to maintain a forward momentum for the business, which employs 9 team members, and to refine the business strategy. My focus changed to catering events for a more intimate and mid-sized clientele, a niche that perfectly matched the strengths and capabilities of my current team. The SBDC helped me coordinate a collaboration with senior business students from Salisbury University’s Purdue Business School. This partnership resulted in comprehensive market research and the creation of a strategic marketing plan designed to ensure my vision came to life. With the assistance of the student team, I developed a marketing plan that has contributed to impressive sales growth in 2023, far surpassing the previous year. I also continued to refine my business strategy by participating in two other programs to develop my vision. I entered the Salisbury University Shore Hatchery Competition to pitch growth priorities with the goal of prize funding. I joined the Create Program to build a professional support network of similar business owners. This period of intense collaboration and the resulting success underscored the powerful impact of community support, dedication, and the spirit of resilience and adaptability in entrepreneurship as my greatest accomplishment. I’m proud of my work and want to continue for generations. My strength is through the heritage of hospitality laid before me, the commitment to serving with integrity, faith, and teamwork as a leader, striving to give excellent customer service to all I serve, empowering and equipping my staff, and ultimately enriching my community.
Thanks for sharing that. So, you could tell us a bit more about your work.
Currently, I’m the owner of two thriving operations. Humble Hearts Catering & Events exists to curate superior culinary experiences by cultivating a company that values relationships through service, attention to detail, and presentation so clients can savor the total hospitality experience for their special events and beyond. My catering business is one of the ways I strive to honor the women in my life by elevating the joy and comfort they share and serving it to diverse communities through food. The goal is to be a woman who fosters community through hospitality and healthy relationships, which leave a legacy of friendship and leadership for her family and future generations. I accomplish this by tailoring my services for intimate and mid-sized social and corporate events and weddings. Earlier this year, my husband and I started our consulting business, D&A Collaborative, a company dedicated to building communities in the health and culinary sectors. The goal is to support, connect, and guide the management of small businesses and individuals to the resources needed to move their businesses forward. I am a nature connector. I love connecting people and ideas to make things better, stronger, and valued.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those just starting.
Always make room for failure in all your dreaming, planning, and building. We learn, mature, grow, and develop through our failures. I wasn’t then, but I’m grateful for every failure I have experienced as it has increased the grace I show myself, how I value and see myself, and has strengthened my testimony to help support others.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.humbleheartsevents.com
- Instagram: hhcateringandevents
- Facebook: hhcateringandevents
