When Kenneth and Tamara Williams first arrived in North Carolina, they had little more than family recipes and a dream.
Kenneth grew up baking apple pies with his mother using apples from the family’s backyard tree in Detroit. Tamara learned to bake from her mother and grandmother, who passed down generations of baking techniques. Together, those traditions became the foundation for Royal Cheesecake & Varieties, a Wake County small business that has grown from a mall kiosk into a thriving dessert company with two food trucks and a commercial kitchen in Raleigh.
The Wake County Board of Commissioners recognized the contributions of local entrepreneurs by issuing a proclamation declaring May as Small Business Month during its Monday, May 18 meeting.
“Small businesses are the heartbeat of our community,” said Wake County Board of Commissioners Vice Chair Safiyah Jackson. “Entrepreneurs like Kenneth and Tamara not only create jobs and strengthen our local economy, they invest back into our neighborhoods, mentor others and help make Wake County a vibrant place to live and work.”
The Williamses launched their business shortly after getting married. The couple relocated to North Carolina and opened their first kiosk at the former Northgate Mall in Durham during the 2013 holiday season. In the early days, they faced challenges many small business owners know well.
“The hardest part was starting a new company in a new state with no connections,” Kenneth said. “We worked hard to build our brand and earn people’s trust.”
Their persistence paid off. After being rejected from multiple farmers markets, the couple was accepted into the Midtown Farmers Market in North Hills in 2014. Since then, Royal Cheesecake & Varieties has expanded to events and markets across the region, including the NC State Fair, the Black Farmers Market and the Brier Creek Food Truck Festival.
Beyond baking, the Williamses are committed to giving back to the community. Their business supports churches, schools and charities, and they regularly speak with students and aspiring entrepreneurs about culinary careers and business ownership.
“Our business shows up in the community however we can,” Tamara said. “We want people to know that entrepreneurship is possible.”
Wake County’s Small Business Month proclamation recognizes the important role small businesses play in driving innovation, creating opportunity and strengthening communities across the county.
