I’ve always been passionate about bringing family and friends together around great food. I’m that person who watches you take a bite to see the reaction on your face.
When I was a kid, my grandmother, aunts and cousins would come together to prepare the most delicious meals. I can vividly remember my grandmother lining piles of food in a stunning display down the middle of a table — everything made from scratch and prepared fresh.
As an adult, I started making charcuterie boards for my family gatherings.
Two years ago, I started a side hustle to sell elaborate spreads from exceptional ingredients — like fresh herbs and spices, homemade cheeseballs and cheese dips, and pure honey from a local beekeeper — and share my idea of Southern comfort with the community.
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Here’s how I went from feeding my family and friends to running a small business bringing in enough sales that I could quit my job and devote myself to doing this full time.
Making my debut on Facebook Marketplace: ‘In just 2 days, I sold out’
The day before my daughter’s 13th birthday party, I was up late in the kitchen laying out some of her favorites — including strawberries, fontina and pepper jack cheeses, and pepperoni — in the shape of a giant “1” and “3.”
My sister-in-law complimented me on the spread as it was coming along, and suggested I try selling similar creations.
“Crafting elaborate charcuterie spreads from exceptional ingredients became my idea of Southern comfort,” Teyoshe says.
Courtesy of Teyoshe Smith
I decided to test the waters on Facebook Marketplace over Mother’s Day Weekend in 2022. I posted a sample filled with salami roses, fresh vegetables and fruits, and other treats. I tied the box with twine and topped it with a fresh sunflower and baby’s breath.
In just two days, I sold out of 25 boxes. The Facebook messages never stopped, and I found myself putting together charcuterie boxes for new clients from my kitchen every day after work.
Bite by Bite & Co.’s charcuterie spreads come in all sizes, from small boards to grazing tables several feet long.
Courtesy of Teyoshe Smith
I started my business — which I initially called Grazing Crazy but have since renamed Bite by Bite & Co. — from my home. But by September I had to migrate to a commercial kitchen to ramp up production.
I soon added charcuterie workshops to connect with my local community in Richmond, Virginia, an offering that proved so popular it led to my first full-time hire.
Turning my side hustle into my main gig: ‘Sales immediately increased’
I spent over two decades in corporate America, most recently as a project manager at Capital One making a six-figure salary.
Juggling long hours at my day job with even longer hours building my small business — while also being a full-time mom and wife — became overwhelming. About a year after selling my first charcuterie box, I was offered a new role, and a raise. I’d need to manage more people and shoulder more responsibility.
After long conversations with my family, we decided it was time for me to leave corporate life and turn my side hustle into a full-time career.
Since starting her business, Teyoshe has taught hundreds of people how to craft their own boards through charcuterie workshops she runs both virtually and in person.
Courtesy of Teyoshe Smith
So I gave my notice and turned my undivided attention to building Bite by Bite & Co. Our decision was validated when sales immediately increased.
In 2023, the company brought in about $379,000 in sales, up from about $84,000 in 2022.
Growing the business: ‘My goal is to see locations dotting the country’
In just two years, I’ve hired 11 team members. I relocated to the Atlanta, Georgia area, and opened a second brick-and-mortar location here. We now offer nationwide shipping, in-person and virtual workshops, and a corporate product line for larger groups, landing contracts with catering companies and 1-800-Flowers.
We’ve sold our signature cheese dips and cheese balls in stores and wineries in Virginia and Georgia, and offer them wholesale for stores throughout the country. Our number one seller from this collection is our Garlic Feta Cheese Dip, a cream cheese-based whipped dip made with fresh basil, garlic, pistachios, and honey.
“I’ve always been passionate about bringing family and friends together around great food,” Teyoshe says.
Courtesy of Teyoshe Smith
My goal is to see Bite by Bite & Co. locations dotting the country. So I’m currently focused on developing standard procedures and recipes to lay the groundwork for a franchising modeland am interviewing multiple potential franchisees to make sure I pick the right partners.
For now, every time I teach people how to create intricate designs from delicate slices of specialty cheeses and meats, or how to create the perfect bite with a combination of sweet and savory, creamy and crunchy ingredients, I have to pinch myself: I really did turn what I love into a successful business.
Teyoshe Smith is the founder and CEO of Bite by Bite & Co.where she and her team create charcuterie boards and grazing tables and offer guided workshops. She has a degree in broadcast journalism and spent two decades in corporate America, most recently as a project manager at Capital One, before leaving to build her business. Find her on LinkedIn and Facebook and follow Bite by Bite & Co. on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.
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