Although Tamearra Dyson started her career as a certified nursing assistant and endoscopy technician at Marin General Hospital, she ultimately decided she wanted to pursue her passion for food. She grew up watching her elders cook, and developed a love for both cooking and having people enjoy what she made. She felt like she had something to offer the world: a vegan cuisine experience that she hoped would change people’s lives around the world. Thus, Ms. Dyson opened Souley Vegan in 2006 and hasn’t looked back. She enhanced her professional knowledge by becoming certified in business.
Ms. Dyson considers her greatest accomplishment to be building her company into a national brand without startup capital. As the restaurant’s owner, founder, and president, she attributes her success to the work ethic instilled by her mother and grandfather. They gave her the drive and endurance to follow through on goals, even if it meant working some 18-hour days. In recognition of her accomplishments, she was honored as Entrepreneur of the Month by Black Enterprise, as one of the Top Ten Soul Food Restaurants in the Country by USA Today, and as the recipient of several local awards. She keeps in touch with her peers through membership in the National Restaurant Association.
Looking to the future, Ms. Dyson hopes to develop Souley Vegan into a successful franchise and to be a successful author. In her free time, she enjoys running and writing poetry. She also supports the charitable missions of PETA, SPCA International, and The Bread Project.
