We had the good fortune of connecting with MaLia Posey-Hughes and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi MaLia, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
My mother always taught me that you should have 3 hobbies in your life in order to remain balanced: one that keeps you healthy, one that makes you happy and one that makes you money. At the time, my brother, Lance, had just started his fitness journey and was in need of someone to support his dietary needs so, I offered my support. I soon realized that there must be a community of other people that would also benefit from that support while providing me with an opportunity to grow my education in nutrition and showing love to my community by providing them with healthy food options.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Be Food, llc is a small, Black, woman-owned business that is rooted in Denver, Colorado. We provide healthy alternatives to your favorite food without breaking your bank and our goal is to provide support as you transform your body and lifestyle. I began my business journey in March of 2020, right around the time when COVID hit Colorado. At the time, I was working 3 jobs: I was a case manager in foster care, a manager at Jamba Juice, and trying to find clients to build my business up. If I wasn’t at work in-person, I was at the grocery store getting supplies. I decided that in order to help my business succeed, I needed to find a better balance and I quit my case manager and Jamba Juice to find that balance.

For a while, I did not know exactly where to start when it came to actually turning my hobby into a business. Lucky for me, my business-savvy fiance was stuck at home too and was able to sit down with me to start my plan. I applied and obtained an LLC, opened a business account and started a business page on Instagram. I sought out a mentor, Joel Mays III, to bounce ideas off of and hit the ground running. Between my mentor moving out of state, and my brother having connections in the fitness community, I was quickly receiving more and more clients to eventually build up a consistent clientele.

Be Food, llc is still transforming and growing. I’ve learned that word of mouth and social media is a saving grace, especially during COVID. As of right now, we are working on a business plan that will provide healthy, family-style meals to low-income communities in Denver. Food has become a love language for me and I am hoping to spread that love to my locals.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Being from Denver, it’s hard to stay inside when there is so much to see and take in outside! Personally, the fiance and I are foodies and try to venture out across the city to try new, local places. I would recommend trying to catch a concert or two during the summer and ALWAYS try the street tacos when you get a chance.

If I had a friend visiting from Denver, I would assume that they’ve never had the best Chipotle they’ve ever eaten and drag them to the closest Chipotle in sight (haha). I would wake them up early to beat the brunch rush at First Watch or at Rupert’s at the Edge for bottomless mimosas. Then into the city we would go! If the weather was nice, I would get tickets for Botanical Gardens or the Denver Zoo, just to get those legs loose and then make a last minute stop at the Selfie or Art Museum, just for the pictures. I would take them to 16th Street Mall to ride scooters and bikes around the major sites – the Rockies Stadium, Pepsi Center or Lodos.

We would definitely plan an outside day as well. We would get on the road early and head to Colorado Springs to see and hike some of the Garden of the Gods and then try some local places while we were visiting. On the the way back, we would stop at one of the outlet malls because who doesn’t like to shop when they are on vacation?

Some other places I recommend are: Tacos El Machete, 100% de Agave Mexican Grill, Hungry Wolf BBQ, Teriyaki Madness, TK’s Surf and Turf, Nothing Bundt Cakes, and anywhere that serves seafood.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am dedicating this Shoutout to my brother, Lance, my mother, Loretta, and my soon-t0-be husband, Devon.

Instagram: @be.foodllc

Facebook: MaLia Posey-Hughes

Other: Can also be contact via email: MaLia.Hughes7@gmail.com

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