Certify CNY THE OFFICAL MINORITY AND WOMEN-OWNED DIRECTORY OF CENTRAL NEW YORK
CNY's Premiere MWBE Catering Firm is now NYS Certified
Access Global Meet Wayne Wright, Chef, Owner and Operator of Time 2 Eat Catering.Try not to lick the pages.
We're Following Up On This Team of Elite Black Executives and Their Quest to Open a Black-Owned Dental Laboratory in CNY.
classic italian pasta recipes are unfolded
The Vault: Central New York's FIRST Selfie Museum
Congratulations! Congratulations to Diversify-NY, LLC for being recertified as a New York State MBE Technical Assistance provider.
notes from the publisher
Many of you may have noticed that we have been on an extended hiatus of sorts while we decided the direction of our beloved publication. During this time we have carefully considered the impact, the reach, and the capacity to build the kind of publication we know that Central New York and the minority community in general deserves. We recognize the importance of establishing a platform worthy of carrying the mantel of Black and brown businesses that also represents the the excellence and success of the many hardworking business owners attempting to build their legacies in Central New York. Thank you for all of the support you all have helped to build and continue to provide. We look forward to remaining a prominent force as THE voice for minority and minority women-owned businesses in Central New York.
All the best, Rickey Brown, Publisher
Certify CNY Magazine
Time 2 Eat Catering Wayne Wright & Lenny Mitchell Written by Diana Clark
For many of us, the memory having your mom calling you into the house after a long day of playing outside is one we will never forget. Wayne Wright remembers it well, “They’d scream your name a million times but as soon as they would say ‘Time to eat!’, we went running in.” If you know what’s good for you, you’ll go running to the next event catered by Time 2 Eat Catering, LLC too! From the time you arrive to one of their events until the time you leave, Wayne and Lenny have thought out every detail of the food and the customer experience. From coordinating their displays with the event theme, to the most delicious sweet and spicy lamb chops, their service is top notch, and customer satisfaction top of mind.
You might already know Wayne Wright as the owner of The Wright Cut Barber Shop. He has been a business owner for years.
In fact, that’s where he met his partner in his latest business venture, Lenny Mitchell. Wayne had always liked to cook. He had been posting pictures of his food on Facebook and catering events people asked him to do around town. Then, he saw that Lenny was cooking too. As Lenny puts it, “He was my barber from Clary all the way through high school. Then, he saw me post some food pictures on Facebook and called and came by the house and was giving advice about taking my stuff to the next level. He helped prep me before he asked me to be his partner.” Wayne saw something in Lenny, took him under his wing and started showing him different techniques for cooking and plating. In 2018, they decided to officially go into business together and formed Time 2 Eat Catering, LLC.
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CERTIFY CNY MAGAZINE
WAYNE WRIGHT AND LENNY MITCHELL OPERATE TIME 2 EAT CATERING
Where There's Smoke, There's Fire. From there, Wayne says, “it just kind of took off.” The two were starting to get contracts and it was going well. That is, until Covid hit. As Lenny remembers it, “As soon as we got ready to take off, Covid took off. We thought 2020 would be our break-out year, but when Covid first hit, it was bad.” Still, they persevered. And now that people are starting to gather in person again, things are back up. “As long as the world’s open, we’ll work.” Wayne and Lenny make a great team. According to Lenny, “When they say opposites attract, they’re not lying. I’m a bit unorthodox. I’m a bit all over the place but, but Wayne is well versed when it comes to a lot of things.
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I call him Mr. Paperwork.” Wayne appreciates Lenny’s strengths too, especially two things, “his willingness to take advice, and his gift of gab. He could sell ice to an Eskimo!” Time 2 Eat Catering, LLC serves corporate and private events for anywhere from twenty to two hundred people."
“Our customer service is big, our willingness to go the extra mile. We try to incorporate whatever we’re doing into what they’ve got going on.” A few months back, Time 2 Eat Catering, LLC received New York State MWBE Certification, making them the first MWBE caterer from Buffalo to New York City. Now that they are state certified, Lenny and Wayne want to keep expanding. In their own words, “We look forward to bigger and better things in the future, a lot of surprises. We want to be here to serve the community in a better capacity. People look at you differently when you have the certification, people noticed, the Facebook likes, the shares, people noticed.”
Newly New York State Certified Minority Business Enterprise, Time 2 Eat Catering LLC offers a variety of freshly prepared smoked meats and entrees and has received rave reviews from the locals. Their advice for potential MWBEs? “Be patient and seek help. Don’t try to do it all by yourself. Speak with someone who is going to help you.”
Wayne Wright and Lenny Mitchell, Time 2 Eat Catering
The larger community is noticing too. Time 2 Eat Catering, LLC received a SEDCO (Syracuse Economic Development Corporation) grant last year, and was also the recipient of an award which will provide PR and marketing for the company for six months.
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Congratulations!
On becoming the FIRST NYS CERTIFIED MBE Catering firm in Central New York!
Chefs Wayne Wright and Lenny Mitchell pride themselves on their culinary presentations. Cooking isn't just a business, it's an art form for these two. Their passion is clearly evident in their plating which rivals many high end eateries in Central New York.
Co-owner Wayne Wright also operates his own barbershop and hair salon. The parallels between his preciseness as a barber and his meal presentations are easy to see. As the business has grown, so has the diversity in the offerings and the size of the events a Time 2 Eat Catering has served. From weddings, to business gatherings, these Chefs are prepared for just about any affair. The investment in a state of the art smoker only helped to solidify their place among the top grillers in the area. Both Lenny and Wayne are inspirations. They continue to give back in a multitude of ways and serve as role models for many in the community.
Our customer service is big, our willingness to go the extra mile. We try to incorporate whatever we’re doing into what they’ve got going on.”
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Grilling and smoking meats is an art form reserved for those of us with superb culinary instincts, training, and patience. A Time 2 Eat Catering provides some of the best prepared catered offerings in all of Upstate New York. A relative best kept secret for those in the know. From smoked baby back ribs, chicken and wings, to succulent lamb chops basted in what can only be described as heaven, they offer a full menu range of healthy options including made to order salads embellished with jerk chicken, fruit, shrimp or, any topping you desire. If you haven't had the opportunity to taste their food, do yourself a favor and follow them on either facebook or instagram. Be prepared to bring your appetite and napkins!
People look at you differently when you have the certification, people noticed, the Facebook likes, the shares, people noticed.”
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Or
Readers Poll We want to know. Have you tried a Time 2 Eat Catering? If so, what is your favortie dish that you have tried? How do you rate your experience? Do you prefer their salads or Grilled meats? Full disclosure, it's hard for us to render and unbiased opinion as we have personally tried many of the items on the menu. Recently, we were lucky enough to try the grilled lamb chops, and they were other worldly. The jerk chicken salad also remains high on the list. Don't let us skew your opinion. We want to hear from you. Tag Time to Eat Catering and Certify CNY Magazine on Instagram and let us know your thoughts. Instagram: time2eatcatering_llc
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Where Are They Now?
Todd and Dr. Shanelle BensonReid, Access Global Laboratories It was all a dream. At least to the rest of us. For Todd and Dr. Shanelle Benson-Reid, our dreams have become their reality. Fitting that our inaugural cover couple are back and redefining Black excellence. What drives this power couple?
w o l l o F
!! p u
ACCESS DENTAL LABORATORIES ACCESS DENTAL LABORATORIES
In this follow-up article, we check-in with Todd Reid, CEO of Access Dental Laboratories, now that they have opened their lab on S. Salina Street in Syracuse.
Written by Diana Clark
Now Open! Access Dental Laboratories Todd Reid is a strong believer in having a vision. He’s convinced, because he’s seen how powerful it has been in his own life. Todd began his career in the dental field straight out of high school when a friend’s father hired him to work in his dental lab. He started in the model department making molds from dental impressions. Todd was nervous at first because he had graduated with an IEP diploma and he wasn’t sure he’d be able to do the work. But his friend’s father believed in him and took him under his wing. Soon, Todd was on his way. He spent five years working there, left to take another job, but then returned a short time later, eventually staying for seventeen more years.
ACCESS DENTAL BLACK-OWNED DENTAL LABORATORY As Todd worked his way up, he became a ceramist, where he used his artistic skills layering porcelain to make teeth. He was always keen to learn from others and he began setting and reaching goals. “I got really, really good at it. I found the secret: learning from others’ recipes and putting that into my own crowns, putting my own spin on it and making it mine. I wanted to learn how to do beautiful anatomy.
Eventually, though, Todd realized he needed something more, and began getting into vision boards. The first vision board he created would manifest itself in powerful ways. He included a Chrysler 300, Syracuse, an African American wife who was a special education teacher, and a salary of $85,000. Then, Todd says, “I started living like I had these things… and boom, I started getting ‘em.
I would set a goal on how to do beautiful anatomy, then boom hit that goal. Set a goal on how to do beautiful contours, boom hit that goal. Set goals outside of work, hit those goals.”
Then, I was like, ‘Alright, this works.’” Todd found that car, met his wife, Dr. Shanelle Benson Reid, an African American, who is a certified special education teacher, and they got married and bought a house.
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ACCESS DENTAL LAUNCHES ONE OF THE NATIONS'S ONLY BLACK-OWNED DENTAL LABORATORIES
Congratulations!! BY DIANA CLARK PHOTOS SUPPLIED BY ACCESS DENTAL
Todd continued working, but despite the
It is the only Black-owned dental lab in the
success he had at other dental companies,
country. For Todd, the experience has taught
he grew frustrated with the fact that after
him a lot, “You know, I think God puts
more than twenty years in the industry, he
something in all of us and we have to use it…
still wasn’t getting the respect he deserved.
a resource. But he won’t give it to us, we
And so, one day, he came home and told his
have to work for it.
wife, “It’s time. I know I can do this. I could own a
As long as you seek it and you work for it,
company, I could be a president, I know
and you’re acting accordingly, those gifts
how to rally people, I know the ins and outs
and talents will come out.”
of the industry, I know how to connect with people, it’s time.”
Todd admits the dental industry lacks diversity, but he has worked hard to build a
And it is their time! Access Dental
diverse team that builds on each other’s
Laboratories now operates its brand-new
strengths. “In the dental industry, there’s not
offices out of the Syracuse Community
a lot of diversity, but if you look at our vision
Health Center building on Salina St. in
board…you see diversity…if you look in our
Syracuse, where it employs twelve people.
lab…you see diversity. People say, ‘Was it
Access Dental Laboratories is a full-service
challenging?’ I guess at some points, it was
dental laboratory that “manufactures and
challenging, but again, you put the people
designs crowns, bridges, dentures, night
around you that keep lifting you up and
guards, athletic guards, implants, veneers,
saying ‘You can do this’, and keep pushing
and more.”
you.”
ACCESS DENTAL
On what brings him joy: “Knowing that I’m
On leadership: “What’s unique about me and
adding to someone’s life. When someone
my leadership skills is that I don’t have a
tells me that they’re going to buy a car
problem sharing power. Because I know if I
because they need more room for their
empower Melissa, it makes me more
children and I’m providing that opportunity…I
powerful ‘cause I can go practice doing
can take people that I know if put in a
something else. It’s just like a chain
position to succeed and they have certain
reaction, there’s nothing but success that’s
tools to succeed, they will succeed and
gonna come from that because we’re all
when I see them knocking down goals that
empowering each other. There’s no ego
they set in life; that means a lot to me; that
when it comes to Access Dental
means that I’m doing exactly what God put
Laboratories.”
me here to do.” On creating a workplace culture: “You’ve got On what he’s proud of: “I’m mostly proud
a lot of people from different cultures in this
that most of the people who work here in
laboratory, but the only culture that matters
this laboratory will never experience some
when you’re in this laboratory is the culture
of what I experienced in my career. And on
that we cultivate. We don’t care if you’re
top of that I’m mostly proud of my kids, they
Black, white, green, purple, Spanish, it
don’t ever have to go nowhere and work for
doesn’t matter, as long as when you come in
no one else.”
here, you want to do a good job, you want to be professional, and you continue to be a student, you’ll succeed.”
CERTIFY CNY MAGAZINE
Access Dental
Samuel Jackson, Chief Operations Officer
LaVar Harris, Removables Department Manager
Alexa Dence, Logistics Manager
Nicholle Davis, Executive Assistant
ACCESS Dental Laboratories is on a mission to transform the city by building the first black-owned full service dental laboratory on the south side of Syracuse and was birthed from 25 years of dental experience. We are unique because we believe in an employeecentered approach. We are committed to developing dental professionals by creating an environment where knowledge is rewarded, value is added, and growth is nurtured. We Manufacture & Design Crowns Bridges, Dentures, Night Guards, Athletic Guards, Implants, Veneers, and More
CERTIFY CNY MAGAZINE
SELFIE MUSEUM
The Vault Selfie Museum Sharon Renee Capers By Diana Clark Have you heard of a selfie museum? Needing some fun in your life after two long years of this pandemic? Sharon Renee Capers has just the thing. Grab your cell phone, some family and friends, and stop by The Vault Selfie Museum at Destiny USA for hours of fun. When you get there, you’ll see Sharon’s creativity on full display. She’s trained as a nurse and patient advocate, but this space is all about advocating for fun! Sharon has had a long career in nursing, and recently decided to become a patient advocate. In the process of doing that it occurred to her that people might need a positive outlet in their lives before they get to the point where they need medical care, a way to bring the fun into self-care. She said to herself,
Central New York's First Selfie Museum
“What can I do to make sure that people are not getting to the point where they need to go to the doctor? And that is smile, have fun….so this, my selfie museum, is for fun.” Located on the second floor of the Canyon at Destiny USA across from Eddie Bauer, The Vault Selfie Museum is divided into many rooms you can have fun taking pictures in, each with its own theme. Sharon painted and designed each of the rooms herself, with a purpose. There’s a park scene, a 90’s scene, a VIP room, a vanity scene, the boss room, a jail, an airplane room, a life-size Barbie box, a mini soccer field, and, coming soon, Marvel, Giant Angel Wings, and an Ode to Hip Hop wall.
THE VAULT SELFIE MUSEUM Written by Diana Clark
Sharon did a lot of research before opening The Vault Selfie Museum, including visiting other selfie museums in New York City and North Carolina. If you’ve never been to one before, you should know that you can come in just to take pictures and have a good time, or you can book a private event like a photo shoot or birthday party. Sharon has even hosted pop-up events like yoga, hip-hop/twerk classes, and stiletto and wine classes. Thirty dollars gets you an hour of unlimited pictures in any room and the use of green screen, ring lights, and props. There are also specials throughout the week.
Sharon plans to offer her space to other small businesses as well. “If you have a small business, and you have a product that you sell then I’m going to be letting people come in to showcase their product for thirty days.”
Sharon Renee Capers, Owner and Operator of the Vault Selfie Museum
In Her Own Words What are you most proud of? “In a nutshell proud of my resilience. Because there are many days that I’d be leaving here at four or five in the morning…and go home to an hour and a half nap. You know, take a shower get up, and come back, and I did it every day. But that made me stronger, so now that I’m finished and people walk by and say, ‘Wow this is nice!’, I’m proud that I can say I did it, I kept getting up and showing up and going, and it doesn’t look bad.
It feels amazing. To know that – it’s the 8th biggest mall. I am the first African American woman to have 2 stores in the 8th largest mall in America.”
The Vault Selfie Museum By Diana Clark Photographs by Reese Miller What has been the most challenging part of being an entrepreneur? “Because I’ve never done this before and was just like I can do this and leaped in and got my LLC. I’ve taken a lot of Ls, not losses, but lessons. And depression comes with this.
I think that’s something we need to know. It’s not just all glitz and glamour. You can fall into depression. That’s why you need people to talk to, a support system.”
What brings you the most joy? “When I see families come here, I can see the kids saying ‘Oh wow!’ And people who go to ones that are franchised, they say, ‘Wow I’ve been to others but they don’t look as nice and yours.’ That feels good.
What is your advice for potential business owners? “Do your research first. See if you can get a business coach or advisor, get a business plan, see if there’s any funding or grants or anything that you can possibly get. Take your time, and then from there, keep showin’ up.”
CERTIFY CNY MAGAZINE
The Vault Selfie Museum LOCATED IN DESTINY USA, THE 8TH LARGEST MALL IN THE UNITED STATES
Owner and Operator, Sharon Renee Capers has brought a unique experience to Central New York. In today's age of social media, she's found a niche by providing the backdrop for all of your social media photo needs. Visit her on the second floor of Destiny USA, 9090 Destiny USA Dr, Syracuse, NY 13204.
Congratulations!
On becoming the FIRST NYS CERTIFIED WBE Electrical Contracting firm in the HISTORY of Central New York!
NEW YORK STATE
ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR
WBE CERTIFED ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR
Minority owned businesses continue to be trailblazers in Central New York. A new bright spot on the horizon in the Central New York landscape is Luminary Electrical, a New York State certified WBE. We're fascinated to learn all about the owner and her journey. Want to stay plugged in? Follow us and stay tuned for the next issue of Certify CNY.
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