Meet Vida of Én Board Charcuterie by DREAM Holiday

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Vida. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Vida below.

Vida, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

My mother: her favorite saying/ words to live by are “take ‘can’t’…the word ‘NO’ out your vocabulary”. It was like a trigger for her, and that’s all I saw growing up- it’s how I was raised- what was instilled in me. So the older I get and the more I go through life, the more experiences I go through, the more I witness first-hand and learn that SOME people do what they want to do…..SOME do what they can….and SOME just don’t give af until you make them by showing them who you are and what you’re capable of doing. Not only is that resilience, that’s being relentless- that’s how you get things done.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Én Board Charcuterie is an extension of my holiday brand, DREAM Holiday, which is ultimately a “one stop shop” for all of your holiday needs. DREAM Holiday specializes in custom holiday décor for residences and businesses. Én Board Charcuterie is an added service line, specializing in charcuterie boards, grazing tables, and PAWcuterie (charcuterie for pets). It’s an overall extra, special, festive touch that can be added to customers’ holiday orders, as well as for any given occasion year-round.

With that being said, Én Board Charcuterie allows me to further tap into my creative side and in a different way. DREAM Holiday is more artistic on a seasonal, home décor level. Én Board Charcuterie is artistic in the food category. However, what both brands have in common is that they both provide me the creative space to go through the journey of executing artistic visions, play with color palettes on blank canvases, and wow customers with the outcome of my final masterpieces.

For both of my brands, I have recently done some amazing collaborations with Dtocs, Troy Smith Farm and Events, PillowScript, PAWS Atlanta, Pet Lodge Pet Resort, Georgia Wedding Circle, Atlanta Tech Park, BNI/ State Farm Insurance, and I’m looking forward to doing more in the near future! Whether it’s good food or the beauty of holiday décor, there are no greater reasons for filling rooms with people of cheer and joy!

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

1. Arts & Craft (Coloring) in Grade School…..I always ALWAYS loved to color. Coloring books and crayons on deck- coloring INSIDE the lines, memorizing the names of new crayon colors- cried if a crayon broke and needed a whole new crayon box with the sharpener in the back. LOL This is still me now…..in love with COLORS – the way the COLORS come together with my charcuterie orders, my holiday décor, etc. And if it’s not right, if it doesn’t align with my vision, I’m discombobulated until it’s right.

2. My mother being a Christmas fanatic and MAKING me and my older sister put up all of the Christmas decorations when we were kids. I was actually learning my current skill trade all those years without realizing it then.

3. Going to a fine arts magnet school, with a bunch of other kids who were free to express themselves. I didn’t FULLY get it then, but I get it now. I am not afraid to be a FREE Visionary as an adult because that was mostly my world while going to school.

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MY ADVICE for folks who are early in their journey…..
STAY TRUE to who you are- don’t be afraid to be who you are, because the world needs more of YOU.
If you have a VISION, tap into it- make it come to life. It’s a vision for a reason.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?

“Unf**k Yourself” by John Bishop Gary

This author basically talks about how to get out of your head, get out of your own way, and start living life- truly and open mindedly.

I’ve always believed in and practice taking STRATEGIC risks in life and in business. This book validates why and how.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enboardcharcuterie

Image Credits

DREAM Holiday, LLC

Whiskey Hues- GA Wedding Photographers

Shanle Bowen Photography