Women Wednesday with Temicka Moore
#womenwednesday
Across all Hope's social media platforms, this biweekly series will highlight inspiring women to know.
Hope Magazine is a team of thinkers, seekers and creatives who find inspiration in movement, exploration and sisterhood. We want to create meaningful relationships inspired by real women and their stories - all designed for the way you live today!
Meet Chef Temicka Moore, the “Sincere” serial entrepreneur who celebrates her roots.
Call her Chef Tweet, the woman behind Sincere Catering and Sincere Events, two Indiana-based food businesses making waves and keeping her incredibly busy. She is also the Owner of the equally successful Stepping Stones Learning Schools. The former educator turned culinary school graduate embodies sincerity and honesty, but most of all, hope. Her journey is filled with some of the same dips and twists as the rest of us but yet… she perseveres. Chef Tweet aspired to open a bed and breakfast, but felt the spiritual compulsion to open a daycare and attend culinary school later. If she had not leaned into that leading, she would have missed some of the lessons and the blessings that have occurred over the years. She shares how and why:
What is the biggest leap of faith you have had to take in your life?
Leaving my job and starting a preschool with a $3,000 tax refund check. I had a degree, but wasn't using it. My three young kids at the time were 10, 5 and 3 and I was tired of being paid every two weeks with only $100 left for expenses, let alone extras. I thought, “What else could happen if I failed? How could I fail?” If it didn’t work, I’d just go back to living the way I had to pay the bills. So, I left and at first it absolutely didn't work out. I went back to work part-time for the benefits and continued to build my dream. By the time I stopped, I had three daycares that I would ultimately shut down to build a larger one. It all worked out.
What is the greatest act of courage you have had to exercise?
I had to exercise courage three years after I started my daycare, when someone made a false accusation, saying we were violating State laws. It had to be investigated. So I shut down on my own, instead of letting the State shut me down during the investigation. I lost 60 kids and parents. I fought the State tooth and nail to reopen and get back on top. Seventeen of the most dedicated and faithful families returned six weeks later. But at the time, it was one obstacle after another dealing with bureaucracy, while I was going through a divorce and dealing with other issues. It felt like everything came crashing down all at once, but my children as my priority to keep going, kept me going.
Is there a time when you didn't believe in yourself?
I was raised to bet on myself. I’ve never given up on myself. However, there was at a time when I was feeling overwhelmed. I always have a Plan A, B, C and D. But during this one situation, by the time I got to D, it still wasn’t working. Something was drastically wrong. I was ready to cave, so I called my dad. He said, “We don’t give up, your last name is Moore.” And I didn’t give up.
What’s your morning routine?
Pray first, then meditate. Both keep me sane throughout the day. When I meditate I think about what the day is going to look like. What do I need to do to accomplish something during the day? What do I need to do to have peace for the day? I’m not the worrying type. For me, it’s how do I fix it immediately, and that only comes from meditation.
What comes to mind when you hear the word HOPE and what inspires your HOPE?
Hope to me is having something to hold onto to get to the next level, to wake you up and keep going. I wear a Pandora bracelet with the word hope on it. The minute you stop having hope it affects your faith. It gives you the strength to fight to live another day. God giving me another day and chance to get it right inspires hope. Without the gift of another chance, you have nothing.
What is something that sparks your passion apart from your business ventures?
Making sure that others receive the same opportunities that I've been afforded. I may not have the ability to open the door, but I may be the person to lead you to an open door or inspire you to know that opportunities exist.
Tell us about a woman who inspires hope in your life.
In recent times, if I had to pick, it would be my therapist Donna. She is a representation of hope. She checks me when I’m wrong, keeps me on task and focused. She taught me that being hard on myself is a detriment to me. My stepmother Pam has always been a ray of hope, light and sunshine in my life. Pam is my hype man, always cheering me on.
Give us a solid revelation that has helped you.
(She shared many revelations, but here are three)
Stay grateful. I have lost everything, taking it all for granted. God restored everything and more once I made a concerted effort to be grateful.
You are going to go through some devastating things but you’ve got to wake up renewed every day or you have nothing to wake up to.
And beware of the hope killers. We expect people to try to kill our dreams but we never expect them to kill our hope. Because hope is at the core of our ambition and success, we need to take it personally when they do that. Do not be afraid to cut them off for the sake of staying sane, focused and inspired.
The Sincere Chef | IG: @sincerecatering
Robin Caldwell researches and writes about Black foodways, lifestyle, and history. She is the publisher of Fresh & Fried Hard, a personal blog focused on Black women and food. A native midwesterner, exploring family history is a treasured pastime.
