FEATURE: SFA student runs part-time culinary business | Online Features

While school is already time consuming enough as it is, Tayla Marcell, a sophomore business marketing major from Houston, must consider school, working as a RA, and her business.

Marcell runs Wayla’s Kitchen, a culinary business operated out of a personal kitchen and sold through social media, every Sunday. The menu has featured Cajun chicken alfredo, smash burgers and most recently for the Super Bowl, loaded nachos with wings. Marcell’s inspiration behind the culinary business came from her family’s love and her drive to cook.

“I’ve always liked to cook. I have a big family, so cooking is the most convenient thing for us,” Marcell said. “My mom always cooked, and I really look up to her. She had me start helping her in the kitchen and I started to take over and cook for everybody, that way she wouldn’t have to.”

Marcell’s love of cooking carried through to get-togethers with friends where she would make food for everyone. Yet she never thought that feeding her loved ones could transform into an actual business venture. So, when one of her friends suggested that she should start a business, Marcell doubted their truthfulness.

“Once I graduated from high school I started cooking for my friends, we started to have Sunday dinners. It gave us a chance to talk, bond and enjoy ourselves,” Marcell said. “This year we gained more friends and they stated to say, ‘Tayla you should really sell this, this should not be free.’ I just enjoyed cooking for my friends, other people are more judgmental.”

Considering the advice of her friends Marcell had to think whether to pursue it. The process was not going to be an easy road, so Marcell turned to someone to get advice: God. After praying on it, God laid it down on her heart and told her to pursue it.

Deciding to go through with it, the next step was figuring out how to make this dream a reality. Figuring out what supplies it would need, logistics and how to schedule everything to work.

“You must plan, I’m not a person who has a set schedule. So, putting a time limit on things, for me, is hard,” Marcell said. “I must balance classes and my other job in Resident Life while also dropping dance, which means a lot to me. School is very important and so making sure I finish my assignments is very important.”

Marcell has been able to feed even more people with her business, and while she still may be scared if people are being honest with her, she loves it. She even hinted at future bigger events that students should look forward to. As the interview ended, Marcell wanted to leave on a memorable note—one of personal belief.

“Just go for it,” Marcell said. “Any excuse you have is not worth more than your future and the things you want in life, so go for it and trust that God is on your side.”