Business owner — Tasha Wright

After studying interior design at university Tasha started DLP Catering as a side hustle. Now a limited company, Tasha offers her advice for others wanting to do the same

Why did you decide to become self-employed?

When you work in the same industry for some time, you can become too comfortable. After the COVID lockdowns, the hospitality industry evolved a lot, and we saw an opportunity to host private dinner parties in client's homes.

How much research went into the business before getting it off the ground?

We did a lot of research around the daily running of a food truck - which licenses and certificates we might need. It's not always clear online, so we rang the council for advice. We also researched a lot into our brand, to ensure we created a food truck that was different to what was already on offer in our area.

Can you debunk a myth about being self-employed?

I thought self-employment would give us more time, but the reality is you never really switch off. You go to work during the day and then you come home to answer emails, send invoices, and create menus. The list is never-ending and finding that healthy work/life balance can be difficult.

What support have you received?

We asked for help from family and friends to begin with. We then later employed an accountant, who we defer almost every question to. It's so important to set your business up correctly to begin with to ensure your long term success, and our accountant has helped hugely with that.

Where did the idea for the business come from?

In October 2023 my partner Dan and I decided to buy what we thought was our dream restaurant. We found our premises and began the legal proceedings, but unfortunately came across several problems and were ultimately unable to complete the sale. At the time it was really hard to accept as we had invested so much time and money into the business and brand. Determined not to waste our efforts, we took our idea of serving Italian small plates and set about preparing to take them to festivals, weddings and events. We found an old horse trailer, which we renovated into an Italian food truck.

How long did it take to get the idea off the ground?

Renovating the food truck, establishing branding and building up a social media following has taken around four months.

How did you fund the initial start-up?

We catered a lot of private dinner parties, buffets and canape events, while also both working full time. This funded the start-up, although it meant we didn't really have a good work/life balance for a year. It is expensive to start a business as you need to get an accountant, equipment and branding, so it does take a while to notice any profits being made.

Describe a typical day running your own business.

Days are split between office days, prep days and event days - and they're all different. A typical office day is entirely admin based catching up on emails, book keeping, planning events, communicating with clients and writing menus. Prep days and event days are much more active, on your feet, getting things ready for an event, or running the event itself.

How relevant is your degree?

Although interior design may not seem relevant I did use it while designing the food truck. Interior design is all about using space in the best way possible. It was essential the food truck worked practically to gain the most efficient working environment.

The thing with university is, even if your degree ends up not being relevant to your future, you pick up so many transferable skills such as communication, time management and organisation, that can be applied to different situations that it’s still worth it.

What do you enjoy most about being self-employed?

The flexibility to pick and choose our working hours. We've spent so many years unable to attend family and friend events due to work commitments - but now we’re in control and work around our social life.

I also believe that being your own boss is good for your mental health. The independence and freedom, while doing something you love allows much calmer, happier working days

What are the challenges?

Money is always a worry. At the beginning of starting your business, money disappears quickly as there are so many immediate, upfront costs. I work with my partner so it's also hard to draw the line between home life and work life. We find ourselves talking about how many canapes we need for an event or how we will prep for a certain event, while we are out for a drink or doing the washing up at home. However now we have started scheduling times to go over everything together so that we can avoid talking about work during  our time off.

What advice can you give to others?

• Don't be afraid to try.
• Say yes to every opportunity as you never know what might come of it.
• Start small, maybe as a side hustle, and keep saving until you're able to expand.
• Organisation is key.
• Talk to people about your new business with confidence.

Find out more

• Take a look at how to start a business.
• Explore self-employment.
• Discover DPL Catering.