Meet Noelle Lawler of Music City Cheese

Today we’d like to introduce you to Noelle Lawler.

Hi Noelle, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi! My name is Noelle, founder + owner of Music City Cheese or as we like to be called The Cheese People 😉

I was born and raised here in the Music City Nashville. I began Music City Cheese last September after quitting my job in April of 2020. I had been in a rut after quitting my job while attending Graduate School full time, I needed a hobby/something creative and fun to do everyday. That’s when I was scrolling through social media and came across a charcuterie board and I had a HUGE craving for one.

I went out and bought all of the ingredients to make myself one and was so happy and excited to enjoy it. That is when the idea hit me that this would be a great small/side biz to start! I had not seen any other (small) charcuterie businesses in town and had never seen any that made them in little to-go picnic boxes. I am a lover of picnics and creating/bring food and appetizers to all of the events I attend so creating this small business was perfect for me! At the beginning, I had a lot of self-doubts, I mean who doesn’t when they are starting something new and a business at that. I thought after a month of this, I would have quit but here I am now still standing and creating delicious boards, cutie-cones, and grazing tables for all of your special occasions! It has been a great journey and I am so grateful for where I am now.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’d say the road has been smooth for the most part. I have came so far and had so much success that I never imagined having. One of the hardest parts was just having to stay confident when business was a little bit slower.

Lessons learn were definitely not to overdo myself and know when to say no/give myself a break. I tend to want to please everyone and I hate saying no! It def will lead to overdoing it and burnout which I have felt before. I have learned from that and make sure to plan my time accordingly and if I have to say I’m sorry no sometimes, I’m ok with that!!

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Music City Cheese is a cheese and charcuterie company based in Nashville, Tennessee. We curate boards, picnic boxes, char-cutie cones, number shaped charcuterie, grazing tables for weddings/showers/any large event. We offer a variety of options from vegetarian, vegan, halal, and gluten-free to fit everyone’s dietary needs and restrictions. Our boards and boxes come in a range of sizes from personal to extra large. Everything is completely customizable from the food items itself to the theme of the boards. (Yes, we do themed boards/grazing tables) I believe our pricing can be something that sets us apart from others. We aim to find quality cheese and meat but at a more affordable price. Presentation is KEY. We love having bright colors on every order. One thing I find important when shopping around for goods and services is customer service. We are a 1 to 2 person team (mostly 1), but we aim to provide the best customer service possible. Since we are a small business, we put extra love and creativity into every order we make. We personally talk to every customer to guide through the ordering process and make sure they get everything they need/want in their charcuterie experience with us. As appose to big companies where you may never speak to the owner personally. I have made a lot of good relationships and even friendships from creating this company! It is always amazing to have returning customers. Honestly, I am most proud of everything I have done thus far. It is hard to pinpoint one thing. As I mentioned before, I thought I would have quit by now, but here I am.

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I grew up playing outside, playing sports, and doing anything creative. I was really into art ever since elementary school and as I got older, I got more into it as well as cooking. I have always been interested in creating in every way. I have done all of my sisters/best friends showers. (Decor and food) I feel I have always had a bubbly personality and always willing to help and put others before myself. I love being a helping hand and accommodating to other’s needs! A strength and weakness, haha 😉

Contact Info:

• Email: hello@thecheeseppl.com
• Instagram: MusicCityCheese
• Facebook: MusicCityCheez