I Love My Community: Deannedra Cicolani
Deannedra “Dee” Cicolani, owner of The Olive Board, was born and raised in Lodi, where she still lives. Dee, the mother of a teenage daughter, is a compassionate advocate for developmentally disabled individuals and has worked in human services for over ten years supporting individuals through advocacy, life skills programs, community involvement, employment services and person-centered support. She’s also incredibly creative, which led her to launch The Olive Board, a mobile charcuterie business. She creates experiences for people through delicious food and believes in making people feel welcomed, celebrated and valued.
Q. What do you love most about your community?
A. How supportive and connected people are. There is such a strong sense of community here, especially among small business owners and families. I love being able to create experiences that bring people together through meaningful connection and make celebrations feel special.
Q. Tell us about your day job!
A. I am a program manager for Person Centered Services, and one of the special projects I work on and is special to my heart is a group called The Advocates. They’re an incredible group of paid performers who sing and dance within our local community, and getting to watch their confidence grow and see how much joy they bring to others has been one of the most rewarding parts of my career. This work has shaped me so much as a person. It taught me the importance of inclusion, advocacy and creating opportunities for people to feel seen, valued, heard and celebrated.
Q. Tell us about your business and how it got started?
A. My business is rooted from my Italian heritage, a love of hosting and hospitality, creating memorable experiences and creating delicious food for those that I care about. It began as a creative outlet and my having a naturally “snacky” personality, and I wanted to share my love for food styling and charcuterie with others, creating experiences that naturally feel elevated but, more importantly, fresh, beautiful and stress-free. I am also expanding into dessert and specialty food cart experiences. With The Olive Board’s growth, I would love to continue to provide employment services for those I currently serve through teaching, skill development and helping them achieve their dreams through inclusion and community.
Q. What kind of events have you served at?
A. Birthdays, baby showers, bridal showers, community gatherings and private events. The Olive Board specializes in creating setups that feel customized and personal to each client. My goal is to ensure each client has a stress-free experience from start to finish. No worrying about event planning, food shopping, kitchen prep, refilling dishes or missing out on those special moments with your guests. I take that on for you.
Q. What is the most rewarding part of your new business?
A. Seeing people genuinely enjoy the experience and the sense of joy from a unique and interactive catering experience. Food has a way of bringing people together; however, from experience, something that I have noticed is that the host is always missing out on those special moments with their guests, because those moments, you don’t get them back. Also, it is incredibly fulfilling to build something of your own from the ground up.
Q. What has been the most challenging?
A. One of the biggest challenges has definitely been visibility and wearing so many hats at once. As a new business owner, so much of our growth relies on social media presence, content creation, networking and word of mouth. You’re constantly balancing the creative side with marketing, customer service, planning events and behind-the-scenes work that people don’t always see. Building a business means showing up consistently while also trying to stay present for the creative work itself. It’s challenging at times, but it’s also pushed me to grow in ways I never expected.
Q. What brings you the most joy?
A. You can say, “Food is my love language.” But creating beautiful experiences for others and seeing people come together over food and celebration while creating memories that last a lifetime is truly rewarding.
Q. If you have free time, how do you most like to spend it?
A. When I have free time, you’ll find me down some rabbit hole of food excursions, ha ha. I also love reading and learning, going to the gym, trying new restaurants and coffee shops, spending time at the beach and working on new ideas for my business.
Q. What are your top three goals?
A. To continue growing my business throughout the Central Valley and surrounding areas; to create a recognizable brand that people trust and remember; to inspire other women to pursue their passions and build businesses they are proud of.
Q. What hobbies do you enjoy?
A. I love cooking and food styling, fashion and beauty, being outdoors and spending time with my daughter.
Q. What is the title/author of the last book you’ve read?
A. The last book I read was Atomic Habits by James Clear. I enjoy books about growth, self-development and becoming the best you.
Q. What shows have you seen that you would recommend?
A. I loved the series The Bear and Chef’s Table because they combine creativity and passion through food and experience.
Q. Favorite food/dessert?
A. My favorite foods are of course, charcuterie and Italian food of all kinds. I also love a good focaccia or sourdough bread! For desserts, definitely cannoli, cheesecake and tiramisu!
