Hospitality leaders share their recipes for success.
Composed almost entirely of local, small businesses, the wedding industry is special. As food and beverage business owners, Kendell Willett of Taps to Go-Go and Thomas Cox of Table & Thyme know what they bring to the table and how to do so with panache.
AW: How did you start your business?
KW: Sophia, our custom tap truck, was ordered in February of 2022. I have seen Piaggio Apes used for various purposes all through Europe and have been obsessed with them. When my husband and I bought a bar a few years ago, I immediately saw a path that could take me toward Taps To Go-Go.
AW: What do you love most about getting to work with couples who are planning their wedding?
KW: I am a planner by nature, so I love getting to work with couples on the beverage menu and logistical details, but the best part is getting to experience the unique celebrations that each couple plans.
TC: Food and gatherings are a very intimate thing, especially your wedding day. We want to elevate your expectations and create a relationship with you from the beginning. We love meeting people in the community and helping them create their vision and wow their guests.
AW: What advice do you have for other small business owners in the community?
TC: Stay consistent in your efforts. Know beforehand that there are a lot of times in business that are not ‘fun.’ Hire experts to do the things that are not in your wheelhouse, but make an effort to have a baseline knowledge of those efforts as well as the overall business doings.
Kendell Willett, Taps to Go-Go
AW: Is there someone in your life that has been a champion for you as a small business owner?
KW: Yes, for sure I have the most spectacular group of friends who have supported me from the start. But nobody has been more in my corner through this endeavor as much as my mother. She has been the ultimate cheerleader- helping me get through those tough days and celebrating with me on even the tiniest successes. She will hold my head up for me when I can’t do it for myself. There is nothing in this world like that feeling.
Learn more at: tapstogogo.com
Thomas Cox, Table & Thyme
AW: How did you get started in the wedding industry and what advice do you have for couples planning their wedding?
TC: Table & Thyme was inspired by my current company of nine years, Mealfit, where we do meal prep and daily office and group catering events. We were getting asked to do larger scale events, like weddings and corporate gatherings, and the Mealfit brand didn’t fit that, so we created Table and Thyme in 2019 to service those clients. Allow the experts to help create your day and make it special, so you can spend time celebrating with the ones you love most.
Learn more at: tableandthyme.co
