Stephanie Davis-Spencer shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Stephanie , it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
I am so proud of my phenomenal, game changing team. I call them my village, I have surrounded myself with a group of people that sincerely enjoy working with me. They make my job easier. I tell them all the time, “without them there would be no B’yond Events & Catering LLC”. They all posses traits that are very important to me; professionalism, integrity, honesty, commitment, creativity, teamwork and so much more. It’s amazing, but in the beginning many of them were not interested in getting paid for their work, they simply wanted the business to succeed. Believe me those good deeds did not go unnoticed. Behind the scenes we pray, we work hard and and we have have fun. I could not ask for a better group of people.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Stephanie Davis-Spencer. I am the proud owner of B’yond Events & Catering LLC. We have been serving the middle Tennessee area since October of 2019.
I’m sure you have heard this before, but we are not your average catering company. Our lavish innovative style is what sets us apart from all the other companies. We pride ourselves on our delicious high-quality food choices. We’re not afraid to try new flavors and and change up our recipes. Our cutting edge style speaks for itself. We spend a lot of time researching the latest trends pertaining to foods, styles and presentations. The name B’yond is more than just a name, it’s our business culture. We cater weddings, parties, anniversaries, corporate events and more.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who taught you the most about work?
When B’yond Events & Catering was initially opened, I was supposed to be the event planner and the catering portion was supposed to be contracted out. However, that was not God’s plan. Today, I am the Lead Chef of B’yond. Believe me when I say, “I did not see that coming”. In addition, I rarely ever refer to myself as a chef. Having no culinary background, it has been very challenging. But I must say God dispatched his angels around me. Over the last 5 years, I have had the opportunity to work closely with many chef’s throughout Nashville. However, there is one person in particular I must highlight. I may even get in trouble for mentioning her because likes to stay in the background. But my dear friend Martha “Kitty” Brown has been very instrumental in my journey. She has taught me so much about cooking, catering and the food industry. She has been there for me in the late night and early morning hours when I am struggling. I thank God for her, she is definitely one of God’s angels.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
This journey has not been easy. There have been many times when I just wanted to walk away. But thanks be to God, I’m still here. Don’t get me wrong, running a business has had it’s rewards, but it has also had it’s challenges. Prior to starting my business, I worked for the State of Tennessee for 30 years. In that world my responsibilities where; reporting to work everyday, completing my job duties and my supervisors took care of the rest. Running a business is a totally different. I learned that I am responsible EVERYTHING. Whew, that’s a lot of responsibility. But I’m here for it. I’ve learned to embrace the challenges as opportunities for growth. Something else I’ve learned, and it’s kind of funny, I actually do my best work under pressure.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My closest friends, staff and family will tell you that loyalty and integrity are very important to me. You can be the worst worker on my team, however if you are loyal and have integrity I can still use you. We’re all on different levels in this food industry, and I don’t mind training someone that poses good traits. It’s easier to work with someone who is honest, than someone you don’t trust or fails to show up. There’s no time for babysitting or micromanaging in this business. But I thank God for the people I have surrounded myself with.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
When this life is over and B’yond Events & Catering has run it’s course. I pray that the unforgettable events and memories we’re creating live forever. We take pride in what we do, and we show up 1000%. Every event is personalized and created especially for the client and the occasion. The thought processes begins as soon as the client is booked. Behind the scenes we’re doing more than just preparing a menu, we’re creating an experience. We are creating something that makes you say “WOW”, something that you will tell all your friends about, and something that you will be discussing for years to come. If we can connect with you on an emotional level, we know we have already exceeded your expectations. It is my prayer that when B’yond is gone, we leave a legacy of Excellence & Memories..
Contact Info:
- Website: https://byondeventsncatering.com/
- Instagram: @byondeventsncatering
- Facebook: @byondeventsncatering
