W
HEN MICHELLE BYTHEWOOD ’89 arrived on campus for her freshman year, she was a bit shy. But before she graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration, she had gained the confidence and determination to take smart risks and conquer some “firsts” in restaurant marketing that would benefit her future employers. Thirty years later, she’s president of Salata, a custom salad bar company founded in Bythewood’s hometown of Houston in 2005. It now has more than 90 nationwide locations. She also was recognized as one of Houston’s Top 30 Most Influential Women of 2019. Bythewood is celebrating another important “30” this year — her 30 years of marriage to Richard Bythewood ’89, whom she met at SFA.
PREPARATION IN THE PINEYWOODS
Raising the
Bar Business alumna
achieves success in the restaurant industry STORY BY JO GILMORE PHOTOS BY HARDY MEREDITH ’81
14
SAWDUST / SPRING 2020
As a high school senior touring Texas colleges, Bythewood discovered that, “SFA was the perfect choice for me.” The campus wasn’t too big, Nacogdoches was the right distance from Houston for weekend trips back home, and “the pineywoods were beautiful.” Several “excellent endorsements” of the Rusche College of Business at SFA sealed her decision, and Bythewood began working toward her successful marketing career. But first, she had a few skills to develop. During her sophomore year, she joined the Delta Zeta sorority. “Going through rush gave me the confidence to interact with people from different walks of life,” she said. Serving as treasurer of her pledge class and a Sigma Chi Little Sigma also chipped away at her shyness, but being elected Delta Zeta’s social director challenged her at an even greater level. “When I was nominated, I thought there was no way I could lead an entire chapter in events, but that anxiety was short-lived, and I had a blast stepping up to the role.” Bythewood’s new-found confidence was tested in her first public speaking class at SFA when she had to deliver a humorous speech. “I could hardly give the speech, much less one that was funny,” she said. But, to her surprise, she made her classmates laugh. “I was so proud that I actually survived,” Bythewood said. “Gaining confidence in front of a group and knowing how to command a room is extremely valuable. Almost every job requires it at some point, and it just makes you a better communicator.” Bythewood also said the real-world applications in her business policy class helped prepare her for her career. “We had to create numerous case studies on business problem-solving in a team setting and present our strategies to the class.” But her business law course gave her the biggest positive lesson in risk taking. After meeting a guy named Rich on the first day of class in 1987, Bythewood asked him to dance at a local club called Studio 224. Nearly two years of dating later, he proposed to Bythewood on her graduation day in front of the McGee Business Building with an engagement ring he purchased from a local retailer. They celebrated their 30th anniversary in February. “Rich is absolutely my biggest fan,” Bythewood said. “He’s the first one to pump me up when I need the encouragement. He’s also the first one to keep me grounded if I’m getting in my own way. I am blessed with a loving and supportive husband, and I’m thankful that SFA brought us together.” è
