Today we’d like to introduce you to Olivia Williams.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Butter started with a simple idea: I wanted to make hosting feel easier and a little more beautiful.
I’ve always believed that some of life’s best conversations happen around a table, so I set out to create catering that felt less like a transaction and more like an experience. In the beginning, it was just me saying “yes” to opportunities, learning as I went, and putting my heart into every order. One event turned into another, clients started telling their friends, and before I knew it, Butter had grown into something much bigger than I ever imagined.
Along the way, the business has evolved just as much as I have. We’ve refined our menus, found our style, and discovered that our favorite events are the ones where every detail feels thoughtful—from a simple office lunch to a beautifully styled wedding brunch.
Today, Butter is a boutique catering company in Kansas City built around one belief: good food brings people together. Whether we’re delivering breakfast to a boardroom or creating a spread for a celebration, we want people to feel cared for from the moment they open the box to the last bite.
I’m incredibly grateful for every client who has trusted us along the way. Watching Butter grow one gathering at a time has been the most rewarding part of the journey, and I can’t wait to see where it goes next.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Definitely not—but I think that’s what makes the journey fun.
There has been a huge learning curve. When you’re building a business from the ground up, you become the chef, marketer, photographer, bookkeeper, delivery driver…you name it. There have been plenty of grill burns, knife cuts, and yes, even the time we turned on a queso fountain that wasn’t quite level and ended up decorating the venue ceiling with queso. We don’t really talk about that one. 😂
Beyond the funny stories, one of the biggest shifts came when I stopped comparing Butter to every other catering company. For a while, I thought we needed to fit into the traditional catering mold. But the more we leaned into what made us different—beautiful presentation, curated menus, an elevated experience, and making hosting feel effortless—the more everything clicked.
I’ve learned that not every business is meant to look the same, and that’s actually the point. Butter isn’t trying to be the biggest catering company in Kansas City. We’re focused on creating a thoughtful, boutique experience that feels personal, and that’s what our clients have come to love.
Every challenge has helped shape the business into what it is today, and I think we’re stronger because of it.
We’ve been impressed with Butter , but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
At its heart, Butter is a boutique catering company built around the idea that great food should feel just as beautiful as it tastes.
We specialize in thoughtfully curated catering for everything from corporate lunches and client appreciation events to wedding weekends, showers, brunches, and private celebrations. While we certainly love creating incredible food, what we’re really passionate about is making hosting feel effortless. We want our clients to spend less time worrying about the details and more time enjoying the people they’re gathered with.
I think what sets Butter apart is that we’ve never tried to be a traditional catering company. We pay as much attention to presentation, branding, and the overall guest experience as we do the menu itself. Every tray, every grazing table, and every box that leaves our kitchen is designed to feel intentional. We want people to open it and immediately think, “Wow.”
Brand-wise, I’m most proud that Butter has become recognizable. People know our style before they even see our logo, and that’s something we’ve worked incredibly hard to build. We aren’t trying to be everything to everyone—we’ve intentionally created a boutique experience that feels elevated, approachable, and a little unexpected.
If there’s one thing I’d want readers to know, it’s that we’re in the business of hospitality. The food is just the beginning. Our favorite part is knowing that something we created became part of someone’s celebration, meeting, milestone, or memory. That’s what Butter is really about.
How do you define success?
That’s such a big question because I think the definition of success changes as you grow.
When we first started Butter, success looked like getting another order, booking another event, or hearing someone say they loved the food. Those moments still mean the world to us because we’re often invited into some of the biggest days of people’s lives. Knowing that something we created became part of a wedding, a baby shower, or a family celebration will never stop feeling special.
But these days, success looks different.
Success is building a business that not only brings joy to other people, but also creates a life I’m proud of. One where I get to work alongside my mom and my partner every day. We’ve built Butter together, and sharing this journey with them has been one of the greatest gifts.
It’s also given me something I value even more—time. Time to be present with my kids. Time for family dinners on a Tuesday, making it to school events, or saying “yes” when they ask if I can come to something instead of wondering if I can fit it into my schedule.
For me, that’s the real goal. Not just building a successful business, but building a meaningful life.
If my kids grow up knowing they were deeply loved, my family knows how grateful I am to build this dream alongside them, and our clients feel cared for every time they gather around one of our tables, I’d say we’ve already succeeded.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.butterkc.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/butter.kc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/butter.kc
