How Letitia Davies Built Amaz’n Graz’n Around Artistry, Hospitality, and the Courage to Keep Learning

Sitting down for her SWFL Spotlight interview, veteran entrepreneur Letitia Davies shared the story behind Amaz’n Graz’n LLC, the charcuterie business she is building one board, table, event, and future workshop at a time. What started as a charcuterie cart has grown into a creative food experience rooted in presentation, customer care, and the willingness to try something new.

the story behind the boards

A Path Built on Reinvention

Letitia Davies did not begin her career in charcuterie. She was born and raised in Niagara Falls, New York, served in the military, worked in communications, spent years with TSA, studied stenography, became a phlebotomist, and eventually returned to TSA while also building Amaz’n Graz’n LLC.

That path says a lot about the person behind the business. Letitia’s story is not one of a straight line. It is one of reinvention, practicality, and persistence.

Through Amaz’n Graz’n, she has found a way to turn food into something visual, memorable, and personal. Her boards are not simply arranged. They are designed.

service, work ethic, and adaptability

The Person Behind the Business

Before Amaz’n Graz’n became part of Letitia’s future, she had already built a life around service, work ethic, and adaptability.

After realizing college was not the right fit at that point in her life, she joined the military and served in communications. She spent four years on active duty and later continued in the reserves.

After the military, her career continued to evolve. She worked in telecommunications, then joined TSA after federal airport security expanded following 9/11. She stayed with TSA from 2003 until 2016, later studying stenography and working in that field for about five years. After moving to Florida, she trained as a phlebotomist before eventually returning to TSA while also growing Amaz’n Graz’n.

That mix of experiences gives Letitia’s story a grounded quality. She is not presenting entrepreneurship as something polished or effortless. She talks about learning, trying, pivoting, and pushing through uncertainty.

from a cart to grazing tables

Why She Built Amaz’n Graz’n

Amaz’n Graz’n began with a charcuterie cart and individual boards. Letitia’s debut was at the Farmers Market in Babcock Ranch, where she saw a strong response during the first couple of weeks.

But customer interest quickly showed her there was room to grow. People began asking whether she made boards and larger setups. At the time, she did not. So she started learning, researching, and expanding her skills.

That willingness to learn became part of the business.

What began with individual boards eventually expanded into grazing tables, including an eight-foot table. Letitia has created setups for house parties, the Babcock Ranch Chamber launch party, weddings, corporate parties, and other events.

For Letitia, Amaz’n Graz’n is not just about meat and cheese. It is about presentation, design, and creating something that becomes part of the event experience.

finding a home in southwest florida

Building in Southwest Florida

Southwest Florida was not an immediate fit for Letitia. When she and her husband first moved from New York, they lived in Cape Coral, and she was not sure whether she wanted to stay in Florida. That changed when they found Babcock Ranch.

Now, she says she enjoys Florida, loves the weather, and does not miss the snow.

“I plan to stay here.”

Letitia Davies

Babcock Ranch also became an important part of her business story. Her Farmers Market debut happened there, and she later created a grazing setup for the Babcock Ranch Chamber’s launch party.

That local connection matters. Amaz’n Graz’n is being built in the same way many Southwest Florida small businesses are built: through community events, customer referrals, direct feedback, and the courage to keep showing up.

the work customers rarely see

What Customers May Not See

Behind every finished board is planning, preparation, and a lot of self-critique.

Letitia explained that for smaller boards, she may create the design herself and surprise the customer. But when a customer has a specific request, she takes time to understand the theme, colors, preferred meats, and dietary needs, including gluten-free requests. That process helps her create a game plan before she begins.

She also understands that what looks effortless to the customer often takes real effort behind the scenes.

When asked what putting boards together does for her, Letitia said it makes her feel good, especially because charcuterie was not originally her background. She had to research, practice, and learn the craft.

“It was scary because it was something that I wasn’t sure I even knew how to do.”

Letitia Davies

The pivot from cart to larger boards and tables was not easy. Letitia described it as scary because she was not sure she knew how to do it. She practiced, wasted food, and kept working at it until she got better.

That work is part of what customers may never see when they walk up to a finished grazing table. They see the final design. Letitia sees the practice, the planning, and the care that went into it.

https://youtu.be/W0DNxaofV3c

artistry over arrangement

Designed to Be a Conversation Piece

For weddings and corporate events, Letitia sees Amaz’n Graz’n as a strong fit because grazing tables can become both a food option and a conversation piece. For corporate clients, it also gives hosts a way to serve guests without having to manage every detail themselves.

What makes her boards memorable, she said, is the artistry.

“I just don’t lay it out. It’s more of a design.”

Letitia Davies

That distinction is central to Amaz’n Graz’n. The food has to taste good, but for Letitia, it also has to look good. It has to feel intentional. It has to belong in the room.

a vision that keeps growing

A Future Built Around Workshops

Letitia’s vision for Amaz’n Graz’n continues to grow.

Through FGCU’s entrepreneurship program, she has explored the next stage of the business, including workshops where participants can learn how to build their own boards. Her goal is to use funding she received to help bring those workshops to life.

Long term, she imagines a brick-and-mortar location with a café-style front where customers could buy charcuterie boards, sandwiches, and small bites. In the back, she wants enough space to host workshops without having to rent outside venues.

It is a vision that blends hospitality, education, and entrepreneurship.

mentors who keep her going

Mentorship and the Push to Keep Going

Letitia also credited mentors from the FGCU program with helping her grow. She talked about Thalia, who helped pull her out of her shell and encouraged her to stand on what she believed in.

She also spoke about Keena, describing her as someone who keeps pushing her forward when doubt creeps in. Letitia admitted that when work slows down, she sometimes wonders whether she made the right decision. Keena reminds her that business will not always come every day, especially in the beginning, but the important thing is to keep at it and not give up.

“The feedback that I get on it makes it all worth it.”

Letitia Davies

That honesty is part of what makes Letitia’s story relatable. She is building something creative, but she is also navigating the real emotions of entrepreneurship: doubt, pressure, growth, and determination.