Vanessa Oglesby-Weeks
Vanessa Oglesby-Weeks (She/Her/They/Them) is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Oglesby’s Catering Service, bringing more than two decades of experience in the culinary and hospitality industry. Her professional journey is rooted in a lifelong connection to food and service, beginning in childhood where she spent her earliest years in the kitchen alongside her grandparents and mother. From a young age, she developed a strong foundation in home-style cooking, learning discipline, care, and craftsmanship through hands-on experience. That early exposure not only shaped her skills but also established the values of hospitality and excellence that continue to guide her work today.
Her catering business originated in her home kitchen after she returned to care for her aging parents, creating a dedicated space where she could continue baking and cooking professionally. What started as a small, home-based operation gradually evolved into a full-service catering company built on reputation, consistency, and word-of-mouth referrals. Over the past 20 to 25 years, Vanessa has provided catering services for a wide variety of events, including weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, family reunions, retirement celebrations, and corporate gatherings. Her work is distinguished by its adaptability, offering services that range from intimate home-style meals to large-scale event catering, always with an emphasis on quality, presentation, and customer satisfaction.
In addition to her culinary career, Vanessa has an extensive background in public service. She worked at the courthouse for approximately 10 years, where she gained valuable experience in administration, professionalism, and client service before retiring. Although she initially stepped away from the workforce, she later returned full-time after a former colleague, a practicing attorney, requested her assistance in a legal office. Alongside her professional responsibilities, she continues to offer home-prepared meals on occasion due to high community demand, further reflecting her strong reputation and trusted culinary expertise. While she has expressed interest in expanding her business into a full restaurant in the future, her current focus remains on maintaining excellence in her catering services and supporting her ongoing professional commitments.
• Institute of Computer Technology of New York - AA.CIS
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my parents. A lot of people my age didn't have two parents in the home, but I was blessed that I had both of my parents until they passed away. My sisters and I took care of them in the home that my dad had built. I think back a lot of times about how proud my parents would be if they knew or were here to see what we were doing. My dad built our home, and if you don't take care of something, it's gonna go down. So I'm very proud of the fact that my sister and I live in that home. We've done a lot of work to keep it built up and make it comfortable for us to continue to live in it. I'm very proud that my mom and dad put their money to good use and left us something that we could be proud of. I have two grandchildren, both of them are the same age, but they're not twins. My son has a son, and my daughter has a daughter. My granddaughter is a lawyer in New York City, and my grandson has his own gaming business. I'm proud that I'm gonna be able to leave them some type of legacy.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don't let anything stop you. A lot of times, people try to discourage you from doing something, but don't let anything discourage you. Whatever goals you have in mind, pursue it. Have confidence in your passion. If it is a passion for you, do it with all the confidence. Don't let any naysayers get in your way. If I had done what I wanted to do probably when I was in my earlier years, like the 20s and 30s, I probably would have a restaurant by now. But people would say, well, people are not going to buy this, or they're not gonna pay this. And I've even heard that even since I've been doing it at the age that I am. But I think to myself, well, I go in the restaurant, and it doesn't matter to me what they charge if it's something I want. So that's why I said, don't discourage. No matter what nobody tells you, whatever your goal is, whatever you want to pursue, go ahead and do it anyway. Don't listen to what anybody puts in your ear.
Locations
Oglesby's Catering Service
Cowpens, SC 29330