Meet Lisa Bi

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lisa Bi. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Lisa , we’ve been so fortunate to work with so many incredible folks and one common thread we have seen is that those who have built amazing lives for themselves are also often the folks who are most generous. Where do you think your generosity comes from?

In Vietnamese culture, gift-giving and helping others are deeply ingrained values. We are taught to always be supportive and generous. My parents raised me to believe that if you have your last $10 and see someone starving, you should give it to them because you never know their story. We are all vulnerable to a series of unfortunate events that could put us in the same position.

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?

Hey Cousins,My name is Lisa; some people call me Bi or cousin. I often call everyone cousin because anyone who has shared, liked, followed anything on this page, or has eaten any of my food is, in fact, a cousin. When I was younger, I always felt unwelcome at the table, unwelcome for being too American, too Vietnamese, loud, queer, or weird. After feeling that for most of my life, I never want anyone to ever feel that way, and so I want each of you to feel welcome, whether through our meeting, chatting, or feeding you.A little schpeel on my background. I used to serve as a bartender about a decade ago and began to hate the service industry due to the toxic environment. So what did I do instead of jumping into another crazy environment, emergency medicine? I worked as an EMT, then advanced to become a paramedic at a fire station. When the pandemic happened, I started to notice relatively healthy people die suddenly, which made me realize that I should try to reconnect with my family despite our differences. And so I reconnected with my family. But I realized speaking to them isn’t enough; the only language they would understand is food. I began to cook Vietnamese food to get closer to my family and understand my parents more. In doing so, I noticed that many people may not have access to this comfort food; whether losing or having to distance themselves away from the family, they lose this type of food. Because oftentimes, the food in Vietnamese restaurants makes them more palatable or popular items and ignore a bunch of delicious regional dishes that may be a bit funkier or dishes that may need some guidance to truly enjoy. Not only that, I wanted to showcase the array of Viet food besides Pho and Banh mi. And that is how Ba+ Me was born. Then I realized the dynamic of not only being Vietnamese but being Vietnamese American, which birthed Beo Beo Bakery.I hope to have a restaurant/ bakery/ deli that has a hybrid of Viet comfort food and Vietnamese American pastries. But till then, you all can catch me cooking a storm at Sophon, teaching online cooking classes at Homemade Live downtown, or running around town feeding all y’all pop-up style. I moved to SEA from ATL about a year ago, so I am still a bit new to the PNW. I hope to meet you all and chat with all of you. I just want to say thank you so much for all of you that I have spent any second with, whether in person or online. I am so grateful to be able to make the transition of making happy food memories rather than being in people’s worst memories in life. Thank you all for being kind, loving, and open to me being here and feeding y’all. Here’s to adding PNW cousins to the fam and making more room at the table.

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?

Understanding your finances and inventory is crucial to running a successful business. When looking at similar businesses, don’t see them as competitors but as a way to assess if your brand is distinct enough in the eyes of those outside your industry—this is key for attracting investors. Remember, your friends are not your customer base. It’s important to test your concept with strangers who reflect your target market so you can adjust if needed. Finally, embrace technology as an assistant, not as a replacement for who you are. Use social media as a tool, but don’t let it control you—there are other ways to reach and engage your audience.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

Other entrepreneurs in the pop-up space in Atlanta have shown me incredible guidance and grace by allowing me to work with them and ask endless questions. My colleagues have been not only friends but also honest advisors who helped me build my pop-up. Ventures, a nonprofit that empowers low-income entrepreneurs with training, support, and access to capital, has been instrumental in my journey. They’ve helped me gain structure, financial knowledge, and business acumen. If you’re starting out, I highly recommend seeking out a local nonprofit that supports small businesses—they can provide invaluable resources and community support.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://yourcousinbi.com/
• Instagram: bamepopup
• Youtube: yourcousinbi

Image Credits

@Haley__james