We like to take time to highlight women we see out in the world doing their part to make the world a little nicer. In this Real Nice Lady Spotlight, we’re talking to Amy Marcus, Creative Entrepreneur and Owner of Sweet Tea Pie Co., about crafting a career path that feeds her soul.

Job Title/Profession
Creative Entrepreneur. Prior to the furlough, I was the Social Media (photographer) and Marketing Manager for Sura Eats. I also worked in the kitchen there a couple of times a week.

Favorite Drink?
Gin and Tonic, extra lime

Favorite Food?
Really good authentic Pastor Tacos or pizza from anywhere

Karaoke Song?
“Dangerous Woman” by Ariana Grande

What song are you listening to on repeat right now?
“Raining In Baltimore” by Counting Crows...or really the entire “August And Everything After” Album

Female icon you would be for Halloween?
Stevie Nicks

Telling as little or as much as you want, how are you feeling these days?
It has really varied day-to-day. I went from having a full-time job with 3 kids in full-time school to losing my job and homeschooling 3 kids full time. It's been quite the adjustment but I feel like we're starting to find our new normal. I definitely had a few days of crying in the basement/bathroom anywhere I could get a few minutes to collect myself. I feel hopeful about the future but also there is just so much unknown still, it's all so strange.

What, if anything, are you enjoying about quarantine?
I've had so much more time to create. I'm a singer-songwriter and released a new EP at the beginning of quarantine. It was a weird time to release it since I couldn't play shows out, but I decided to go ahead and release it anyways. I've had so much more time to play the piano and write songs. It's been nice not having to squeeze creative time in but to just have ample time to write and cook and create.

I started making pies and giving them away, just to keep myself busy and have something fun to look forward to. After such great responses, I decided to start selling them. It's been fun to dream up a new business during this time of transition, and it's been so encouraging to see all of the support from the community. It's been really important to me that I can show my kids that plans change, jobs are lost, and we still have to pick ourselves up and continue to create new opportunities for ourselves.

How did you decide to start making pies? Is it your favorite dessert or was the process itself rewarding?
Funny enough, pies have never been my favorite dessert. I decided to try creating my own and had such amazing responses from the first one I made that I started dreaming up more interesting flavors I could try. I think once I realized I could use some of the flavors I love for savory cooking and combine it with fun new pie flavors I got hooked. I started waking up and not being able to fall back to sleep because I had all of these new flavors coming to me. One of my favorites is a Whiskey Peach and Tomatillo with a Hint or Habenero. I also did a take on a Mexican Mocha pie using a homemade ancho chili powder and Oddly Espresso. I think coming up with these new flavor combos for pies has been my favorite part.

Do you plan to continue Sweet Tea Pie Co. after life returns to normal?
Yes! The growth of the pie business definitely caught me by surprise! I’m currently taking orders almost every weekend and for special events. I’d love to find a small spot for takeaway pies and sandwiches at some point.

What part(s) of your life during the pandemic have made you rethink your "normal" life?
I think I've realized that "normal" can be gone in a blink of an eye and that is traumatizing and can either leave us paralyzed or propel us forward. I miss being able to go see my friends whenever I want or grab a bite to eat from my favorite restaurant. It's definitely highlighted the liberties I took for granted.

What first attracted you to your current profession?
Before I was furloughed during quarantine I was working for Sura Eats. My good friend, Keeyoung Kim, was gearing up to start Sura Eats in 2018 and we had joked for a while about me coming on full time to work for him. I had been doing photography full time as well as making the desserts at Unbakery but I thought it would be really fun to work in a different kitchen setting and see what building a restaurant from the ground up looked like. My dream has always been to own a small restaurant of my own and so I wanted to come alongside him and really experience what day to day operations of starting a restaurant looked like. After about a year of working full time in the kitchen, we blended my two loves, photography and cooking, and he basically created a job for me that fit me really well. I was able to take over the Social Media and Marketing for the restaurant as well as stay in the kitchen and cook a couple of times a week. As most creatives know, we can tend to get bored easily, so getting to do two things I loved for the business I loved was really amazing.

What is your favorite thing about your industry? Your least favorite?
Realizing you're a creative in several different fields as well as an entrepreneur can feel like a double-edged sword when it comes to figuring out how to make that a sustainable life choice. Add to that that you're a woman and it gets tricky. I've always known that I will be most happy when I am doing something creative as well as working for myself but figuring out exactly what that looks like can be hard. I've found myself in a lot of "boys clubs" in my delves into the culinary and music world, and I've had to learn to stand up for myself, believe in my talents and know that I can add value even when I'm the only woman in the room.

What do you want for the future of your industry?
I hope that being a creative not tied down to one industry is more widely accepted in the future. When people ask me what I do for a living, I would love to just be able to confidently say, I create. Whether that be photography, music, food, or new businesses, I'm in the industry of doing what feeds my soul.

Where do you draw inspiration from when you’re creating?
Although I rarely cook from a recipe I spend a lot of time watching cooking shows or reading cookbooks. Growing up one of my favorite things to do was to lay on my bed with 15-20 cookbooks and just read them for hours and then I’d go into the kitchen and come up with my own version of things. That’s kind of been my method ever since.

For photography and marketing, I’ve always loved the people and the storytelling aspect of it. I love connecting with my clients whether it be a family, a couple getting married, or a restaurant I’m photographing or marketing for. Getting to know the stories behind the faces I’m documenting helps me create real images, not conjured personalities. And I guess that’s how I approach my music as well, it’s just me telling my story or stories about things I’ve experienced.

What advice would you give other women trying to succeed in your industry?
Believe in yourself and be your biggest advocate and fan. There are a million people doing things that you could succeed at because they took the chance. Don't let the fear of failure stand in your way, just open the door, even when it's scary, and walk through it confidently. And if it shuts, that's ok, another one always opens.

What was a formative moment in your life that made you who you are?
In 2015, I became a single mom. I had begun cooking privately for a few families for a couple of years before that and had plans of opening a small restaurant but suddenly life got put on hold. I knew that starting a restaurant in the middle of this new season wouldn't be smart, so I put my head down, continued photographing the weddings and portrait sessions I had booked, worked 3 part-time jobs, and got more involved in the culinary industry.

My friend Joe West had started his Kusshi pop-ups and brought me on board to help with front of house operations. Shortly after I was hired by Lon Lane's Inspired Creations as a catering chef and before I knew it, the doors to what I wanted to do were starting to open back up. Life had become a balancing act but it was also when I realized that I was able to create in a number of different ways, which was providing different revenue streams for my family.

When do you feel the strongest in your life? When do you feel the most vulnerable in your life?
I feel the strongest when I'm making time to do the things I love. When I'm not feeding that part of my identity, it wears on me quickly.

What have you been doing to maintain your mental health since the pandemic hit?
I'm a big believer in therapy and so I've chosen to continue that even though financially it hasn't been easy with the job loss. I know that my mental health needs to come first. I've also been running and riding bikes a lot more, which has helped a ton with anxiety.

Who are five women that inspire you?
Dorothea Lange, Mashama Bailey, Ellen Degeneres, and my two daughters.

Check out Sweet Tea Pie Co.

Interview: Amy Marcus, Creative Entrepreneur and Owner of Sweet Tea Pie Co.

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