We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jennifer Ban. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jennifer below.
Jennifer , looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
Having a strong passion and being a self motivated person, pretty much led me to having somewhat of a diligent work ethic. I cannot confidently say that I have a good work ethic but I do have love and passion for what I do, and it gives me the motivation to work towards my goals. And from a logistical standpoint, because we are a small business, without work ethic, nothing can be achieved.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
After becoming a new mom, I struggled to find healthy snacks for my daughter that were also tasty. At the same time, I was itching for a creative outlet after leaving my job as a professional interior designer. In search for inspiration, I stumbled upon the craft of creating rice cakes during a trip to South Korea and instantly fell in love with everything about it. I appreciated the simplicity of ingredients in Korean desserts. Since then, Rice blossoms has been on a mission to spread Korean desserts that are steamed with love.
I originally founded Rice Blossoms in 2017 in SOCAL. From there, we’ve started our NY/NJ location in 2022 as well as our Honolulu location. We have some exciting pop-ups and collaborations coming up in 2024. Please check out websites and instagram for all the updates!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I would say that believing in what you are doing, having resilience, and learning to give back is needed through the small business journey. I still am learning each and every day! But having these qualities will keep you going and help you grow both personally and professionally.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
To be honest, I feel overwhelmed often. But I have also learned that it is part of the journey. It’s taught me to acknowledge my emotions and limitations, and to take a break and take care of myself. I do yoga on a regular basis where I could totally black out all the noise and take a moment to myself even if it’s only a 45 minute session. I also recommend talking to people you trust, and leaning on them for support. It’s easier said than done, but we do have to remind ourselves that we are not perfect, nor machines. So make sure to pause when it is too much!
Contact Info:
- Website: riceblossoms.com
- Instagram: rice_blossoms & riceblossoms_ny & riceblossoms_hi
Image Credits
Vero Suh: @verosuh Dan Ahn: @danahn17 Hannah Lim: @hannahlimphoto
