We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Christina Dang a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Christina with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
My family has been in small business since the beginning. It has been incredible to watch each of my family members find their niche in their respective businesses and run each to its fullest potential. After spending a few years in corporate and luxury retail, I realized that entrepreneurship was where I was destined to be. My parents have always shared the importance of trying your best and working hard so I strive for that in everything I do. Coming from a small business and workholic family, having to work 365 days a year (even on major holidays!) has been the norm. With Boba Babes HTX, we try to provide the best drinks and service to go along with it along with personalizing to your theme and event. I take a lot of pride in being chosen to celebrate my clients’ biggest celebrations – from weddings to baby showers to birthday parties to everything in-between.
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?
Boba Babes HTX was a side hustle I started with the support of my friends and family in 2021. Prior to that, I was able to cater a few events for friends and family but never expected for it to grow into what it is today. I am so proud to be able to create fun and beautiful drinks based on whatever the theme is. I love being able to personalize the event based on the client’s favorite flavors and making special stickers/menus to coordinate with the party’s decor. In addition to being able to concoct different drink recipes, my favorite part has been to personalize the event using the baby’s first birthday photoshoot or couples’ engagement photos. It’s so exciting to see the client’s face light up to see their special photo on their boba cup!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I am still learning and adapting every day to making it easier for clients to order and book with us. Having thick skin is definitely the first thing I would say is important for starting any new business. In the beginning, it was a little hard to hear people at events say “it’s just boba” or “how hard can this be?”. Being able to create syrups and drinks that I like to drink is something I never thought I’d be able to do and I couldn’t imagine not being able to have this opportunity. Catering in and of itself is something I didn’t have any experience in until starting this business. There have been many learning experiences in which I have forgotten supplies or didn’t have enough ice to serve. Patience is another quality that I have had to learn to balance. In any business, you will always have to deal with clients who are shopping around or like to wait until the last minute and expect for you to be available. Lastly, I think the most important thing I have learned in this is how much time away from my family it took for me to get the business started. A lot of time was taken away from my son, my husband, friends and family, but I would do it all over again if I had to. It’s been a beautiful journey to be able to watch this business grow from the beginning and I can’t wait to see what happens next for us!
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
My husband, Kasey, has been my number one cheerleader, critic and taste tester providing all the praise and constructive criticism (even when I don’t want to hear it). He has been there since the start to watch me pull all-nighters to prepare for a week of events, prep 30 gallons in one day, play Tetris to pack the car and everything in-between. My cousins, Jackie and Omar, who sacrifice their weekends and free time to help me whenever we have multiple events scheduled at the same time and day. My parents for teaching me the importance of hard work. I am extremely lucky to have my husband, my sister and our parents to help watch our son whenever we need extra hands on deck to help with events. It truly takes a village!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/bobababeshtx?igshid=MzMyNGUyNmU2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082385253655
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@bobababeshtx?_t=8himoQ6pjMR&_r=1
Image Credits
Mustard Seed Photography Shaimaa Photography Modern Valencia Swish and Click Sara Ascencio Jujuu Photography Dallas Observer
