10 Successful Business Owners Pass On Insight They Wished They Had When Starting Out

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Tamearra Dyson 

When Tamearra Dyson decided to open a vegan soul food restaurant in Oakland we’re sure she had people saying it was a bad business move. But Dyson has proved all the naysayers wrong. Her Souley Vegan, which she opened in 2006, is not only thriving but expanding.

When she decided to give up a career in healthcare to follow her passion, she was confident she was doing the right thing, even though she started with just $30 in the cash register. Dyson was actually studying to be a nurse and was working at a hospital in the surgery center as an Endoscopy Technician. But cooking was her dream job. Dyson, a single mother, became vegan at age 17 and wanted to create healthy soul food.

Today, she has a steady flow of customers at Souley Vegan where they come to dine on such dishes as Southern Fried Tofu, Mac & Cheese, Southern Fried Vegan Burger, vegan potato salad and yams.

What she wished she knew:

“I wish I would have known to… articulate my mission, values and vision to my employees and then hold them accountable. As a business it is not only important for your staff to know and understand the role they play, but they also need to understand WHY… I find it essential that the staff know not only what its expected of them but why it’s expected so they can appreciate and understand the integrity of the business and with that understanding display it in their work.”

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