Success stories

The Candied Yam

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Jessica Tyson is involved. She’s involved in her community, her partnerships, her church, her family, and – at the center – her business. The Candied Yam is beloved in Grand Rapids, with its fresh-as-all-get-out ingredients, vegetarian-friendly sides, and a welcoming atmosphere.

The restaurant is so beloved, Tyson realized a few years back she needed more room for all the happenings. She found a great location, but traditional banks balked at the loan to build it out. Northern Initiatives, using funds from the Michigan CDFI Fund and Wells Fargo Open for Business, stepped up with financing and coaching, and Tyson opened her second location. The new location, complete with a 200-person event venue, opened just in time to be featured on America’s Best Restaurants, a YouTube channel with more than 1 million viewers. Watch the episode here.

Oh yeah, she’s involved online too. After some vandalism at the new location, she crowd-funded to help with costs not covered by insurance, benefitted from a Grand Rapids Area Black Businesses MOBB (at both locations), hit her goal, and made a funny video about the vandal just wanting some fried chicken.

Jessica Tyson, left, and Journee Evans

One recent afternoon, she was meeting with event planner Journee Evans for the Mosaic Film Experience’s annual Funkraiser. “It’s such a cool organization,” Tyson said. “The kids make iPhone videos while learning about online safety.”

Her connections throughout the community help her own business as well as her partners. She uses a staffing service for large events at her event space. When a recent catering client was lamenting how hard it was to hire and keep servers, Tyson introduced the two. But she also could have given a lesson on how to keep staff happy and productive. Recently, she treated the couple who works the day shift to an evening away from home, complete with babysitters.

Her biggest catering event so far was unintended; she thought she was bidding on meals for 125 people when in reality she ended up feeding 4,800 LPGA tour fans. The success of that event spawned hundreds more; The Candied Yam is the preferred vendor for more than 10 organizations. This results in another employee benefit: When Tyson gets a contract for a ticketed event, she asks for a few tickets to give away. “They never say no and wow, people are grateful.”

Tyson is a Kentwood City Commissioner and has been recognized as one of the 50 Most Influential Women of West Michigan.  A two-time governor appointee, she also serves on several boards; City of Kentwood Economic Development Corporation, Executive Board and founding member of the Kentwood Community Foundation and the Better Business Bureau of West Michigan.

“It’s a gift I have, cramming a lot into a small amount of time,” she smiles.

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