Female Founders Turn Personal Passions Into Booming Local Businesses in Mobile, AL
Supporting Mobile’s local businesses means investing in the passion and dedication of neighbors who bring the city to life. From catering unforgettable celebrations to crafting perfectly styled handbags, two visionary women have carved their own success story – and they’re just getting started.
Angelia Nettles
For 26 years, Angelia Nettles and her husband spent their days and nights caring for patients as hospital nurses. Now, they care for people in a different way – by feeding them through A&J Catering.
“Looking back at it, the two have some similarities,” Nettles says. “Providing care and love to each customer, fostering a sense of family and delivering excellent service are all essential.”
Nettles says she grew up surrounded by the warmth of her grandmother’s and mother’s kitchens, where every family gathering and celebration seemed to center around the delicious food they lovingly prepared. When she decided to launch her culinary journey, she turned to a Mobile Chamber Business After Hours networking event. There, she met the CEO of Continental Kitchen, an incubator for emerging culinary professionals.
A&J Catering was the first business invited to join the up-and-coming commissary kitchen.
“As a new business, being able to get started without all of the overhead expenses of a brick-and-mortar took a lot of pressure off of us,” Nettles says. “Continental Kitchen also has business training seminars that we were able to attend to help to further educate us in different areas of business.”
Nettles views Mobile as a true food city, where cuisine is the heart of every annual event.
In the kitchen, she develops menus around the flavors of southern charm, tailored to the personal tastes of each client.
“A lot of our growth can be attributed to the relationships that we have developed with our customers,” Nettles says. “When we sit down with our clients, they become like family to us.”
Mary Beth Greene
While one business flourishes by feeding the community’s soul, another is thriving by elevating its everyday style.
After more than a decade in the wholesale industry, Mary Beth Greene noticed a trend when selling to mom-and-pop boutiques in the Alabama and Mississippi region: a consistent request for a bag line.
Fast forward to 2014, and she decided to venture out on her own in Fairhope to launch mb greene.
“I started the business after the loss of my sister. It’s truly a labor of love for my family and the community,” Greene says.
Greene entered the market offering durable, stylish bags in solid colors designed to complement any collection at a reasonable price. She begins each design by pulling from the places and passions that shaped her; one of her early pieces even featured a turquoise zipper, a small but meaningful nod to the colors of the Gulf Coast.
As Greene has steadily built her business over the years, she says the local community has met her with steady encouragement, showing up for her work and cheering her on along the way.
“I think that what you might call a silver lining of the pandemic was that there seemed to be even more of an emphasis on personal connection and quality products,” Greene says.
That foundational support paved the way for mb greene to expand its reach nationally. Today, the brand fills everything from individual orders for out-of-state customers with Fairhope roots to custom corporate requests for businesses. Greene credits much of her success to the local community, which she calls her true rock. For aspiring business owners, her advice is simple: Step out from behind the work, let people get to know you and build real relationships, no matter what industry you’re in.
By turning personal passions into thriving enterprises, these two entrepreneurs continue to amplify the region’s culinary scene and coastal style. Their stories serve as an inspiring blueprint for future business owners looking to leave their own mark on the Gulf.
Cooking Up Opportunity
The Continental Kitchen serves as a culinary launchpad that blends local chefs, entrepreneurs and community resources under one roof. This shared incubator space was founded by Dr. Leida Javier, who spent years serving at the Mobile Chamber. She saw a need to bring together Hispanic professionals, which led to the creation of the Mobile Latin Festival and, eventually, the opening of the kitchen. “The Continental Kitchen is for underserved communities that have a dream but don’t have a place to cook,” Javier says.
Through its membership program, culinary professionals enjoy 24/7 access to top-tier amenities and support. They can access training sessions covering the economy and the roles consumers and cooks play within it. The program also streamlines the certification process for opening a food-based business. Continental Kitchen welcomes the public through interactive food demonstrations, pop-up dinners, and private rentals. “We want to showcase the international flavors of our broad city for people to enjoy,” she says.
Hungry for more? Check out all the information and resources available at moretomobileal.com.
