Exceed: How long have you been catering? vator. He's a Nourisher. He is a Realist. He tells you
David: 12 years now. When I started I had a business about where he came from to where he's at, right now.
partner for two years, however we separated a few years One of his models, and I try to live by this, is that God
ago, due to creative differences and I created Eatible De- didn't clean us up for us to keep it. He cleaned us up for
lights. us to help others.

Exceed: What is your background? Did you go to Exceed: Would you say that Pastor Waller is a
school for catering? strong influence?
David: Cooking was a family profession. My David: Absolutely. Being at Enon, under Pastor Waller's
Father was a chef and my Mother was a cook. That was the leadership has helped me and is still teaching me how to
foundation. It was in me to organize and bring people to- be a better man.
gether, to give parties and things like that.
Exceed: What do you want the community to know
Exceed: What is your motivation? What keeps you about you?
coming back to the office? David: That I am passionate about my craft. I truly
David: I don't look at myself as just a cook, but as an artist. want to help others. I genuinely believe that others can
I am constantly creating something new. I'm always asking do better and have better lives. That, I love people and
myself, "What's the buzz and how can I kick it up a notch to I like to watch people grow.
make it better?” “How can I wow them?” “What can i do to I believe that life is like a conveyor belt. I'll use Barack
make someone think of Eatible Delights?” “And what's Obama as an example. When he started on his
memorable about what I do?" conveyor belt, he was in one terminal, as the Junior
Senator of Illinois. By the time he got off the conveyor
Exceed: The Philadelphia Inquirer recently did an belt, he was in another terminal as President of the
article on you, entitled “A Taste of Success". How do United States.
you define success? I like to watch people on that conveyor belt, transport-
David: Success is defined by your work, by what other ing them from one place to another.
people think of your work.
Exceed: Kia Gregory stated that you, "Serve Up
My success is defined by what other people think of the Second Chances". Tell me what that means.
quality of my food. And also, by what I'm doing to enrich David: If someone is an ex-offender, if someone does
and encourage others. What it is that I'm sowing into other not have a driver's license, if someone has a less than
people's lives. How am I helping others? desirable background, someone who does not have a
bank account, a person who has child support issues. I
Exceed: What are you sowing into other people's like to show them how to take those issues, and move
lives? to the next level.
David: Hope...believing in themselves. I tell each and every I believe EVERYBODY deserves a second chance. I won't
one of my employees that they can do better, they can live turn my back on a person that needs help,
that dream. And the dream doesn't have to be the because that's what God wants us to do. pentasterisk6
"American Dream", it can be "Their Dream".
What is it that my employees want for themselves? I sow
the encouragement to live life, enjoy life, do the right thing Any successful business owner will tell you that
and give back, not just to the community, but to other motivating your employees is not just about paying a
[individuals]. competitive salary or offering perks and bonuses. As
I hope I'm giving them the encouragement to find out what business owners and managers, empowerment is so
their talent is. Everybody's got talent, but they may not important in the lives of your employees.
know what it is.
One of the important keys to employee motivation is
Exceed: You seem really passionate when you talk to empower your employees to move beyond some of
about giving back and sowing into the dreams of your life's challenges, work hard to be their best and go for
employees. Where is that coming from? their dreams. Taking what YOU have learned and
David: My background is probably like anyone else who has passing THAT on to help others can ultimately make
tried to climb the corporate ladder. I hit some bumps in the the difference between failure and success…. A fact
road, fell down, got up and dusted my knees off, traveled that David K. Simms knows first hand.
down some long roads.
One of the challenges that I dealt with was that I didn't Eatable Delights is available for service to all of
always do the right thing. We all reach a point in our lives Philadelphia and its surrounding areas; and will travel
when we find ourselves doing something that we're not just about anywhere between New York and the Balti-
supposed to be doing. Not being responsible. Not more/Washington, DC. area.
utilizing my talent. And eventually I realized that there is so
much more out there that I could be doing.
My turning point was in 2000. I realized that I needed to do If you would like to pamper your taste buds with the
some things differently. I needed to grow spiritually. I delicious selections at Eatible Delights, you can visit
joined Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church, with Senior Pastor the website at www.eatibledelights.com
Dr. Alyn E. Waller. Paster Waller is a Teacher. He's a Culti-
October 2009 9 Exceed Magazine
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