Meet Tiffany Pauldon-Banks: Owner, Lil Mama’s Chicago Style Hoagy

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tiffany Pauldon-Banks and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tiffany, what are you inspired by?
I am inspired by making others happy, doing what I can to make someone’s day, week, life or whatever I can better. That’s why I am so passionate about mentorship. It’s always about extending my hand back to see who else is ready to take the next steps to be successful in whatever they are passionate about. Empowering others inspires me to be the best that I can be.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Lil Mama’s Chicago Style Hoagy is Chattanooga’s newest hoagy shop, full of spunk, flavor and 90s nostalgia. As the owner, I had big dreams of creating a hip, 90’s inspired, modern vibe hoagy shop. Being from Chicago, I’m always looking for a piece of home in Chattanooga. Lil Mamas is not only dedicated to providing quality, delicious food, we are dedicated to building community. What’s makes us different from any other sandwich shop is we’ve created this fun, nostalgic vibe. When our guests are in waiting for their meal they are typically occupied with taking photos or bobbing their heads to their favorite 90s song.

When creating Lil Mama’s guest experience was my main focus. I love making people happy which is why I’ve succeeded in business. I want to make my staff happy because I in return I get happy customers. When I think about success I don’t think about money, I think about the impact I’ve made in someone’s life. That’s success to me! Opening Lil Mama’s has by far the most challenging thing I’ve done in my life but also one of the most rewarding. I’ve been able to provide jobs in the community and build up some amazing leaders. When I think about how I overcome challenges- it’s as simple as using available resources and sharing my story with as many people as possible because you never know who maybe willing to lend a hand.

What I want the world to know about me and my brand is that my focus is always others – I think about what my customers want. I think about what my staff needs in order to be successful. Lil Mama’s was built for the city of Chattanooga and will forever be dedicated to making the world a better place with delivery hoagies of course.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well when my best friend comes to Chattanooga the first stop is to always get some Flaming Rooster! It’s some of the best fried chicken in the city! Then, if they come in on a Thursday evening I would take them to Proof Bar and Incubator to enjoy dinner with the sounds of saxophonist Frank Bumpass!

Dang it – I can’t forget to take them to Charlie’s BBQ – the brisket is the bomb.com!

Chattanooga is such a beautiful city that I would love to take them exploring downtown. It is called the “Scenic City” for a good reason. We’d snap some cute photos in the West Village, a cute area of downtown filled with amazing restaurants, shops and places to stay! Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
“My shoutout goes to nail extraordinaire Tamara Mitchell, owner of Naild by Tammy and NBT Bodycare. Tammy has changed the nail scene in Nashville, TN. Her commitment to her craft and building her brand makes her a true boss babe and boss bestie. She is the perfect example of hard work and dedication. She constantly strives to think of what’s the next step in how to expand or improve her business.

Website: www.lilmamaschistylehoagy.com

Instagram: @lilmamaschistylehoagy

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lil-mama-s-chicago-style-hoagy/mycompany/?viewAsMember=true

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lilmamaschistylehoagy

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/lil-mamas-chicago-style-hoagy-chattanooga

Image Credits
Kris Hacker at Hacker Medias