Today we’d like to introduce you to WENDY PUCKETT.
WENDY, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Wendy Puckett founded Wendy’s House of SOUL, Inc. in July of 2014. Wendy’s love of family (which she does not define by DNA), passion for cooking, and love of community all combined is what made her move forward and not only move forward, but make her dream a reality!
Wendy’s passion for cooking began at a young age in the kitchen of her Nanny ~ her maternal grandmother. Wendy’s House of SOUL, Inc. offers a variety of original recipes to feed the SOUL! Wendy is well known for her signature item, the SOULROLL. Once people began experiencing her SOULful creations, from the SOULROLL to her infamous caramel cake she decided to own it with the #YOUVEBEENSOULED which has not only gone viral in Minneapolis, but surrounding areas and states!
Many challenges over the years opened new doors and blessings for Wendy. Through these challenges she was still able to remain on the Northside in a new location. Wendy wanted to remain on the Northside and continue to be involved in the community. She falls under a range of city, county, state, and federal guidelines that allow her additional opportunities: black-owned, woman owned, veteran owned, and in a disadvantaged area.
Even with the normal day to day operations of the business she is still able to remain involved in the community.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road definitly has not been an easy one. I was shot in the face with a pellet gun while leaving work, l had to work almost nine months alone with little to no help when my other cook was down. I worked during the unrest with the killing of George Floyd. I also worked through the madness of covid but the most difficult time of my life was working while my first born daughter was fighting for her life battling a very rare form of cancer.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I love to create unconventional food that makes people wonder how in the heavens did she come up with that! I had to be creative while feeding my sons because they didn’t like vegetables so knowing this I created plenty of recipes that included but not limited to sauces and gravies to brighten up the vegetables. I also started to stuff all kinds of goodness inside my meatloaf and now my infamous SOULROLLS. I am most known for my SOULROLLS and my MOGUL burger. The MOGUL burger is my take on a juicy lucy – a well-known burger in Minnesota. I am most proud of myself for staying true and steadfast in the life of being an entrepreneur. It is definitely not easy but reward is seeing my hard work and passion for the SOUL in peoples smiles and ohs and awws from the very first bite! I feel like I am set apart from others because my goal is to always be the best Wendy I can be and the only competition is with making myself better and better with each opportunity I am blessed to be apart of. We are a full-service caterer and have catered all genres of food. We cater large corporate events, weddings, graduation parties, work lunches, private parties, block parties and more.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I have several daily affirmation books that address different situations that I keep bedside. I listen to the Breakfast Club and watch Good Morning America. I watch old school televsion programs like Good Times, Facts of Life. A Different World and Spencer for Hire to name a few because they make me go to a place in my mind that was the happiest for me. My ultimate go to movies are Lady Sings the Blues, Mahogany and The Color Purple. I love to watch any program regarding food all while listening to old school music on my record player.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.youvebeensouled.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/youvebeensouled/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YOUVEBEENSOULED
- Twitter: @YOUVEBEENSOULED
