We recently connected with Beanchor Campbell and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Beanchor , really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
I find purpose through a magnitude of situations. I found my purpose first through my love and passion for food. From my early days, I was always surrounded and intrigued by cooking. Spending time sitting in the kitchen watching my mother and father make delicious spreads for my siblings and I inspired me to want to assist them in preparing meals for our family as I got older. Moreover, I find purpose from my deep passion and appreciation for my Jamaican heritage. I learned tremendously from my culinary-talented family and how our Jamaican food culture triggers both purpose and creativity, which ultimately is the key motivation for my business. The most important reason for my drive is the determination to master my craft and become a culinary giant locally, nationally, and globally.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I became a small business owner and created Hella Beanz Catering Company because I have a deep appreciation and passion for cooking. Moreover, felt confident in my skills to be successful in my craft. Questions started to formulate as to why I never considered opening my own restaurant. The answer was simple: I was so engulfed with working tirelessly and assisting a company fulfill their objectives while settling for a thankful, but meager, salary while letting obtainable goals fizzle out on the back burner. Going to work started to become overwhelming and being understaffed left me to take on the task of two managers and a complete distainment for the current direction my professional career was headed. I worked at my last employer for 4 years until 2018 where I reached my breaking point. Work became hostile and eventually took a toll on me mentally. Each day started to peril out of control and cried repeatedly due to cumbersome moments of emotional angst, mostly from not taking that next step. No amount of monetary value was worth the daily strife on my mental health. The last weeks of my last employer gave me the perspective needed to step out on faith and understand that despite being just being human capital to one company, my worth is an extension of character and solidified by investing in myself through my own entrepreneurial endeavors.
After a pivoting discussion with my family, starting my own catering business would bring the universal language of food to each person that indulges in my cuisines, made specifically with love. Nevertheless, it reignites the fiery passion from my years as an Undergraduate at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore majoring in Hospitality, Tourism, and Restaurant Management. With the aforementioned, as well as the years of management and food service experience, these series of life-changing events would lead me to navigate through the rough waters of entrepreneurship while maintiaing my crown as a minority-owned and women-owned boss. I knew this journey would not be easy, but I knew grinding hard for my own business would be all worth it eventually.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
There are a number of traits, qualities, and skills necessary for success. My best advice for future entrepreneurs interested in becoming a business owner is to never give up. You will face challenging days that will make you question everything you have been doing up to this point. Just remember that nothing comes easy and one challenging day doesn’t trump all the amazing days you had and will have going forward. The excitement and joy from your customers will make it worthwhile as well. It may take months, even years to accomplish your business goals, but never compare your growth to anyone else’s success. Just keep at it and count every new day as a win as you make a name for yourself and your business. Always be good to yourself and emphasize finding days to relax to avoid burning out.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
The most impactful thing my parents did for me was the natural genetics and necessary skills to cook. With their constant knowledge and assistance, I was able to build upon my skills and give undivided attention to one day becoming a great chef like my parents. Their depth of expertise is my level of standard and I believe it gave inspiration to my culinary journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hellabeanzcc.com
- Instagram: Hella.beanzcatering
- Facebook: Hella Beanz Catering Company
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