We had the good fortune of connecting with Tia Michele Walton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tia Michele, do you disagree with some advice that is more or less universally accepted?
A parable is defined as ” a simple story used to illustrate a moral or a spiritual lesson”. That is how I think of traditional conventional advice. If there’s no lesson there, then it’s not beneficial.

There are so many pieces of conventional advice that I disagree with. My old favorite is that “by 30, you need to have your entire life together.” It’s completely asinine to me.

To explain, I used to agree with this philosophy. I used to dream of the house, the car, the marriage, the children, all of it. When I turned 29, I realized that I wasn’t there yet at all. I was still growing and learning who I was and I was not together at all. It wasn’t until I turned 30 that……it’s ok. Now at 34, I couldn’t be happier. I realized that my definition of having it all together was mine to own, and I do just that. I own it. We have to stop telling people that THIS, 30, is the ultimate goal. There’s so much more to life that having a goal that doesn’t define you.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Taste Swim is different, simply because there’s only one “us”. We don’t want to be like anyone else. We have a real story that real people can relate to. I pride myself in that. Our customer service is also top notch!

Opening Taste Swim was a gift to myself, but was also a way for me to ensure I could provide quality, luxury swimwear and coverup pieces to women of various shapes and sizes from pieces for the more conservative to those who like a lot of sexy. I also intertwined my scientific roots by creating our all-natural SPF shimmering body butters by hand.

My greatest challenge in this experience is ensuring that I kept my word. Is my material quality? Are my prices comparable? Am I still providing consistent customer service? All of these questions are constants in owning my business. I MUST ensure that I am still staying true to the mission to the business.

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.
So, I’m actually born and raised in Mississippi, but now that I live in Dallas, I’ve learned to truly explore city life. I’m a lover of wines and liquors, so anyone visiting me would travel Fredericksburg, TX for the wine tour while learning about TX culture. We’d also spend a day in San Antonio at the River Walk and learn abut the Battle at the Alamo. We’d also spend a day in Houston to shop at the infamous Galleria and finally to Dallas to enjoy hikes and enjoy the beautiful scenery.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people that I can thank for any amount of success that I have. So although it’s cliché’, I have to thank my parents for it all. They’ve shown me what hard work is, and have taught me lessons that will forever stay with me. They taught me to keep going, not to give up. Sh*t is hard. Make your life work for you. As my mom often says, “Make your plan and work your plan.”

Website: www.tastebytiamichele.com

Instagram: @tasteswim

Facebook: @tastebytiamichele

Other: TikTok: @tasteswim

Image Credits
@thakulkreative- Avery “Smooth” Brown @dreavibez- Adrinie Freeman

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.