Meet Sonja Beauchamp, MBA, CMQ/OE, FM

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sonja Beauchamp, MBA, CMQ/OE, FM a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Sonja , so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?

How have I learned to be effective/successful even when no one in the room looks like me is a great question that speaks to who I am. Being a minority, often times no one looks like me in the room and being a women, it’s common I’m the only one at the decision table “IF” I’m given a seat at all at the table. I’m effective/successful because I’m authentic, genuine, and keep a smile on my face to remind those around me diversity doesn’t need nor have to be uncomfortable. I’m always open and eager to meet all types of people and I only hope my energy is contagious.

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?

My brand is focused on Vegan, Organic, and Low-calorie banana based popsicles. I create/manufacture four ounces of goodness on a stick. Currently serving nine flavors to my customers, I recently introduced three new flavors Cherry, Tropical, and Confetti Cake. I offer pickup out of my commercial kitchen named the Cookline in Plano, TX. My business is growing and so has my customer base. I’m learning to scale my small business so that I can be where my customers request me to be during the spring and summer. My business currently operates only during these seasons, however; I’ve received requests from my customers to offer flavors during the fall/winter. I appreciate my customers for being supportive and flexible because they only get to enjoy my product right now when it’s hot. But stay tuned for Love Bananas Popsicles during the fall/winter season. A BIG appreciation for the continued appetite of my customers for my products.

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?

This is an awesome question which makes me dive deep into myself. The three qualities/attributes/skills that I leaned on the most during my journey as a small business owner has been… Focused, Willing, and Forward Thinking. These items have allowed me to be open minded to suggestions as well as change. I opened my business during the Covid-19 epidemic which was difficult due to the external instability of the environment such as finances, the procurement of goods/services etc. Staying focused on my plan, remaining Willing to be flexible, and most importantly being forward thinking so that the decisions I made were scalable and innovative.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

I can list an infinite amount of items that my parents have done for me. However, I can only say the greatest gifts were selflessness and discipline. Both of these things has allowed me to live a life of pure joy and guided direction. Joy because I live my life with a greater purpose other than myself. Guided direction because I’m a planner, and I’m able to have processes in place if Plan A or B fails. I can quickly pivot directions without feeling that I’m behind in my journey to success.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @lovebananaspopsicles

Image Credits

Photos credited to: Kendrix Wesley Photography in Plano, TX