We were lucky to catch up with Monique And Kevin Bell recently and have shared our conversation below.
Monique and Kevin , thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
Our resilience comes from family, faith, and flavor the three things that have carried us through every stage of our journey. When we created Bell’s Master Blend Sauces, our vision was to build something meaningful, a brand rooted in legacy, authenticity, and excellence. We wanted to craft sauces that represent hard work, creativity, and love.
As a family-owned, Black-owned business, resilience is woven into our story. Every season brings new challenges… production demands, growth transitions, and the realities of entrepreneurship, but what keeps us grounded is our purpose. We’re building something that reflects who we are and paves the way for the generations after us, especially our family’s next generation, Armani and Kaycie, who have grown into amazing young adults and continue to motivate everything we do.
They’ve watched us work through long nights, take risks, and stay committed to our vision, even when things weren’t easy. Seeing their pride and belief in us reminds us that resilience isn’t just about overcoming challenge…. it’s about setting an example of faith, perseverance, and purpose.
Faith is our compass. Family is our foundation. Flavor is our expression. Every bottle of Bell’s Master Blend Sauces carries that story…the strength of a family united by love and the belief that what we’re creating today will continue to inspire tomorrow.
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?
Our journey with Bell’s Master Blend Sauces began in our own kitchen. Kevin and I both came from professional backgrounds, mine in procurement and operations, and his in sales, marketing, and finance, however, we always shared a love for good food and creative flavor. Cooking together became our way to unwind, connect, and have fun experimenting with bold combinations that captured the taste of home.
Over time, those casual kitchen moments started to feel like something more. We found ourselves perfecting recipes, sharing samples with friends and family, and hearing the same response over and over: “You two should really sell this!” That encouragement lit a spark. We realized that our professional strengths could complement our shared passion and that’s when Bell’s Master Blend Sauces was born. We wanted to create something meaningful that blended our love for food, business, and family into one purpose.
We officially launched Bell’s Master Blend Sauces with the goal of bringing high-quality, flavor-packed sauces to homes and businesses everywhere. Over time, our dedication has opened doors we never imagined! Our products are now sold in several Ace Hardware stores, specialty shops, Amazon, and Walmart Marketplace, and we’ve built strong connections through Macy’s Marketplace events and local pop-ups.
We’re also continuing to innovate, introducing our DT3 Hot BBQ Fusion, a NIL collaboration with Basketball standout Davion Thompson, and our Bronze Gift Box, a curated three-pack collection paired with our upcoming cookbook, Thinking of a Master Blend.
What makes this journey so meaningful is that it’s truly a family effort. Every milestone reflects teamwork, resilience, and faith.
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?
Looking back, three qualities have been most impactful in our journey: resilience, collaboration, and continuous learning.
Resilience has been the foundation of our growth. Entrepreneurship is full of challenges from production delays to shifting market conditions. Staying grounded in faith and committed to the vision has carried us through every season. We’ve learned that success isn’t about avoiding obstacles, it’s about how you respond to them. My advice for anyone just starting out is to stay consistent, give yourself grace, and keep moving forward even when the progress feels slow.
Collaboration has also been key. Kevin and I come from very different professional backgrounds, mine in procurement and operations, and his in sales, marketing, and finance, but together, those differences have become our greatest advantage. We lean on each other’s strengths and make decisions as a team. For new entrepreneurs, I’d say find partners, mentors, or peers who balance your skill set and share your values. The right collaboration can open doors you never knew existed.
Finally, continuous learning has played a huge role in our growth. We’re proud to be part of the 2025 RICE Retail Readiness Academy (RRA) Cohort, where we’ve been learning from incredible mentors and peers about scaling, branding, and retail partnerships. Every session has given us new tools to strengthen our business and think strategically about expansion. My advice is to stay teachable. The more you learn, the more confident and prepared you’ll become to handle what’s ahead.
Those three qualities…. resilience, collaboration, and a commitment to learning have shaped both our business and our mindset. They’re what turned a simple idea in our kitchen into a growing brand that continues to reach new shelves and new customers every day.
Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?
Over the past 12 months, our biggest area of growth at Bell’s Master Blend Sauces has been in brand visibility and retail expansion. We’ve become much more strategic about how we position our sauces… from refining our packaging and storytelling to building stronger partnerships with retailers and community events. This year, we focused on improving operational efficiency, streamlining our vendor relationships, and strengthening our marketing presence both online and in stores. It’s been rewarding to see how these efforts have translated into greater brand recognition, increased sales, and deeper customer engagement.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bellsmasterblendsauces.com
- Instagram: @bellsmasterblend
- Facebook: Bell’s Master Blend
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bell-s-master-blend-sauces-924134372/
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
