Meet Kaliyah Wilson | Boba/bubble tea & desserts

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kaliyah Wilson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kaliyah, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
When you do something like starting a business without any true knowledge of what you’re doing, it can seem extremely hard. And that’s because it is, but you have to always remember anything worth having is worth fighting for.
There have been plenty of times within the past year that I’ve felt the need to give up. But when I’m in the moment and I’m at these events serving people my drinks, it brings the excitement back within me. When I’m creating new recipes, it makes it fun all over again.
When I’m telling people about Dolce Bubbles and the plans that I have for my business, my concept behind the business, and just the brand itself, people usually express to me how seeing me light up about it is what gets them excited about it. And I love that.
Giving up is easy, but I have to constantly remind myself of why I’m doing this. I have to constantly remind myself that if I want all the things that I’m going after I have no choice but to keep going because I refuse to give up on myself.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
The thing that sets Dolce Bubbles, apart most from other bubble tea spots is our vibe, and flavor forward approach. I don’t want Dolce Bubbles to just be a drink. I want for it to be a moment. Something like a sweet escape for people. Where cute meets cool.

Diving into the bubble tea world has been so amazing for me and I want for others to see Boba the way that I see it. I want to deliver a whole Boba experience, not just a beverage.

Right now I’m working on getting a food truck so I can be more mobile and creating signature flavors for my menu. I, also, am working on “Dolce Bubbles After Dark”. Giving a grown & sexy twist to bubble tea.

Getting to this point wasn’t easy. I had to constantly reassure myself that what I am doing does work, it does make sense, I’m not wasting my time nor money, and that I do have a really great idea on my hands. I just have to stick with it.

My biggest challenge was figuring out how to properly network myself and also getting over the fear of looking “silly” or “stupid” as some people would say. When you’re starting your own business, you have to constantly put yourself out there, especially in the beginning. That’s the only way you’re going to grow. That’s the only way you’re going to figure out what does work and what doesn’t work.

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Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Atlanta is full of things to do. There is literally something for every single day of the week. Some fun and exciting places to go in Atlanta would be the Georgia Aquarium, especially if you’ve never been. I would also highly recommend strolling through Piedmont park or walking down The Beltline. Ponce City Market is great for shopping and has amazing rooftop views, plus they have rooftop carnival games, too. There’s great food spots on almost every corner around Atlanta. It jut depends on what you’re in the mood for. There’s Politan Row, Nobu always hits, Tacos & Tequila, Jerks Carribean grill is good, Mosa restaurant & bar, or Pho King But the number one place to visit are the strip clubs. Any of them. ALL OF THEM! Great people, good vibes, and even better food. Trust me.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Shout out to my friends who supported my crazy ideas and antics. They have always reminded me that my craziness actually does make sense in some type of way lol.

Shout out to my family members that have been there to help me out during my events. I know that you guys can’t always be there for me, but I still appreciate having the family support that I do. I know not everyone has family that does support them.

Shout out to my business mentor, Bruce. You have been there from day one to help me through navigating being a business owner and I appreciate every single ounce of advice that you have ever given me.

Lastly, I want to give the biggest shout out to my father. He passed away in May 2024. Unfortunately, he never got the chance to see me in action with my business however, he is the reason why I took this leap of faith in the first place. My father has always been my biggest supporter. He has always let me know that nothing is too difficult or too complicated or too much for me. He always reminded me just how brightly my light shines. He has always reminded me to always do what makes me happy. He is the reason why I dream big the way that I do. He never gave up on me and that is the reason why I refuse to give up on myself.

Website: https://www.tiktok.com/@dolce_bubbles?_t=ZT-8xfN4nNv90B&_r=1

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dolce_bubbles_?igsh=YXdndGZ1cm9pODNw&utm_source=qr

Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/kaliyah-wilson-69571a213

Youtube: @kaliyahjnay

Other: Email: dolcebubbles@gmail.com
Cash app: $DolceBubbles