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Small Lake City
Small Talk, Big City
Join host Erik Nilsson as he interviews the entrepreneurs, creators, and builders making Salt Lake City the best place it can be. Covering topics such as business, politics, art, food, and more you will get to know the amazing people behind the scenes investing their time and money to improve the place we call home.
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Small Lake City
Vault Episode 4: Cameron & Ying Nance - Part 2
What happens when a Thai influencer and a suit entrepreneur fall in love across continents? Cam and Ying Nance's remarkable journey proves that sometimes life's sweetest opportunities arise from unexpected circumstances.
Their story begins in Thailand, where Cam was expanding his custom suit business and Ying was working as an influencer from a privileged background. Despite cultural differences and a 12-hour time difference, their connection grew through persistent FaceTime calls and visits. The relationship reached a crossroads when they had to decide who would relocate - a decision that would dramatically alter one of their lives forever.
When COVID-19 struck, Ying found herself stranded in Utah, unable to return to Thailand. During quarantine, a disappointing $4 donut delivery sparked an idea. "I think I could do better," she told Cam's mother, and Chubby Baker was born. Starting from a home kitchen with no baking experience, Ying created unique coconut-infused donuts that quickly gained a following through her savvy influencer marketing approach.
Meanwhile, Cam continued expanding his Bespoke suit business across multiple cities. Together, they navigated marriage, pregnancy, and building successful businesses while creating a life in Utah. Their parallel entrepreneurial journeys demonstrate how complementary skills and mutual support can lead to remarkable success, even when neither could have predicted their current path.
Now expecting their second child while opening their third donut shop, they reflect on finding balance between ambitious business goals and family priorities. Their story isn't just about donuts and suits - it's about taking risks, adapting to the unexpected, and building something meaningful together, no matter how improbable the beginning might seem.
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What is up everybody and welcome back to another episode of the Small Lake City Podcast. I'm your host, eric Nielsen, and this is episode four of the Vault series where we revisit some of the early episodes. So whether this is your first time listening or your second time through, still great stories to listen to. So this is part two of the story of Cameron and Ying Nance. So if you haven't listened to part one, make sure to go back and listen to that first. But in case you're all caught up and listen to part one, then this is part two where things start to get a lot more interesting and pick up from there and how they end up and live in Salt Lake. So let's jump back into it and hope you enjoy part two and like at this point in life you're like, okay, like family's, pretty successful, I can do all these fun things without too much work. I'll probably marry someone famous from Thailand and just kind of continue. This Is that kind of what you expected at that point.
Speaker 2:Yeah, like I would probably marry someone from a good family in Thailand and like things would be okay, like you don't have to worry about money, even though I know that my dad's company is kind of like struggling at that point. But I always thought he will figure it out. He's smart, he'll figure it out.
Speaker 3:Yeah, no problem and he works up and he still works like crazy yeah.
Speaker 2:He's 70 right now and he still, like, tries to find things to do. Yeah, so I started dating Cam. What?
Speaker 1:year is this when you'd say that you guys are like dating?
Speaker 2:Well 2018.
Speaker 1:So let's back up a little bit. So Cam comes back from Thailand because the show isn't working because of that, and then Cam starts to work on the business itself, yeah, so the money I had left.
Speaker 3:I had that five grand right Right I had moved in with I was. I got home. Huh.
Speaker 2:Where's the baby?
Speaker 3:With my mom.
Speaker 1:Okay, she's in the bath by herself, just fine, they're up in the toy room I thought he locked her up somewhere.
Speaker 2:I was just like what?
Speaker 3:so, um, I had this 5 000 bucks. Um, I got back like december of like I can't remember what year 2016, 2017, something like that and um, I was like, I don't have anywhere to live because Brandon was at my mom's house. So I talked to Helene. She was dating a guy who's now my brother-in-law and he's like and he lived downtown and he's like, dude, come crash on my couch for free. So I was like, okay, you know, yes, yes, I will, you know. And then so I just did that and I signed up for Lyft.
Speaker 3:That's another thing I did, which you, what you were a big part of. You did Lyft first. You know it's easy to you're making all this money and I'm like, well, I'll do that. So I had done Lyft, like on the side. Now I was like I need to revitalize my business, which has, in my absence, has started to die a little bit, and in order to revitalize a business, you've got to inject money into it. So I took all the money I had and dropped it into Google AdWords. All of it 5,000 bucks. Just this is what it's for. I'm going all in. If this doesn't work, I'll go back to school and in order to keep the keep my life going and part of that money was to keep, uh, my employees, michael and Colby at the time. Colby still works for me, um, actually Michael does too. He's our developer. But, um, keep those guys paid and then my income will come from Lyft driving.
Speaker 3:And every morning, from like 5am to like nine, lyft drive, then I go to the gym at city Creek shower, I get into the store noon, noon, and then you had the first storefront. At this point, well, sorry, let me back up. I put it in and the high injection of money, like we just started like selling it up, and I'm like let's get a store Right. So then I got a store and this is the one on like nine South, yep, okay, yeah, that that second floor place. And I was like, oh, cool, like wow, we had a $25,000 a month. That's insane. Like we, we, this could do, this could be something right. So, um, yeah, so I, I Lyft drove until I moved to New York to pay myself because I was too afraid to take money out of the car.
Speaker 1:And when was this? When you went to New York 2018. 2018. So you guys had just like started, I just started dating, dating, yeah.
Speaker 2:Wait so-.
Speaker 1:No, no, no, no not yet he moved to New York in 2018. I haven't spoken, I'll send a Snapchat of me at the JCC flexing or something so you guys are keeping in touch, but it's nothing like texting all the time, FaceTiming, that sort of stuff.
Speaker 2:And so he was moving to New York. He got into a car crash.
Speaker 1:Yes, I forgot about that, actually, yes, I forgot about that. So let me actually I want to go back on this from my perspective. So so Cam at this point is like I'm moving to New York. Our good friend Tanner is living there already and he's going to go move in with him. And Cam comes to us and is like yeah, so I'm going to drive my car out there. So I have a car out there, and I think every single person's like Cam that's a bad idea, having a keep Lyft driving there.
Speaker 3:Yeah, you know, because when I flew there to check it out, I talked to the Lyft driver and I was like yo, I'm thinking about doing this here, how much money do you make? He's like I make $120,000 a year Lyft driving and I was like that'll do. Yeah, you know so. But yeah, everyone's Scott, I'm not trying to throw him under the bus, but they had like no, like close to interventions with me, like dude, go finish your degree, like this suit thing might fail. And I was like I don't know.
Speaker 3:I gotta give it a shot, I gotta like keep trying. So, um, yeah, when I was living on my future brother-in-law's couch, Tanner accepted the job in New York, moved. And then I moved back in with Scott, yes. And then, working there, I hit up Tanner like hey, this store is running on its own. I want to move back to New York. Can I live with you? And he's like this much money a month you can come. And I was like I'm going. And then while I was driving there, I fell asleep at the wheel and ran, hit a semi truck and I walked away from the car, was completely thank god, you're okay, but I should have been dead.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I posted it on facebook, facebook, instagram, something like that and I saw it and I was like, oh my gosh. So I like I, I texted you you lined me yeah yeah, I texted you and I was like, are you okay? And he's like, yeah, everything's good.
Speaker 2:So we started talking and I told him so almost thank god he got in the car crash because that was her thing like yeah so many things happened like and like I remember so for everybody out there, if gym selfies on snapchat don't work, just go get in a car crash, and that's how you get attention yeah, well, so that happened and I told him that I'm coming to America for some things and I'll be in New York for a little bit, and so he was like, okay, you need to hit me up when you're here. And so I was like, okay, yeah.
Speaker 3:And then after the car crash I was like I had all my stuff from my car, I was in Laramie, wyoming, and it was go home or continue forward. So I took a carload of stuff loaded onto a bus down to Denver airport, went to USPS, shipped it all to Tanner, got on a plane, flew to flew to New York.
Speaker 2:It was also that decision Cause I mean I don't know where Utah is. I mean, even though I go to American school but like, and I counted all the states but Utah was never in my sign. When he told me Utah, I had to Google and be like where the hell is Utah? Yeah, Fair.
Speaker 2:And so if he didn't decide to go to New York, I would have never seen him. Mm-hmm, yeah, so he was pressing me, like once it's closer to the date that I was going to be there, he's like when are you going to arrive?
Speaker 3:Like, like we need to meet up and again instead of Lyft driving to fund the expansion of Bespoke into New York. I took a job at a hotel. I didn't know about the hotel yeah, nomo Soho and actually turned into really good because I met a lot of like really wealthy people that turned into my clients and still buy from me to this day. So I was doing that and then I would just like any day I wasn't working at the hotel, which was like three days a week, 12 hour days I would go to New York. I'd choose a building, I'd walk in, I'd lie to the doorman saying I had a. I'd look up a name of a lawyer in a law firm that has an appointment with this guy and look it up, and then he'd put me in the elevator. Put me in the elevator and I'd ride the elevator all day walking into offices telling him what I do. I'm here to see this guy and I started getting clients the hustle, the hustle and so a lot of these guys are clients of mine to this day.
Speaker 3:You know what I mean. Like I've got an executive at Wells Fargo that only buy shirts from me, but it'll hit me up and be like I need 50 shirts. I'm like okay, any color suggestions Nope, like okay, dealer's choice, same card with the same Amex. Yep, all right, good talking to you, like little things like that. So, anyway, that was my life. And then she was coming into town. I'm like, okay, this is it, I'm going to make it happen with this girl, finally. So we planned to meet at Grand Central Station. Yeah, down in the basement where all the food is and stuff. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get there. She's with a friend.
Speaker 2:I mean, it's my friend that I always see when I go to New York, which we still see, which we still see every time we go, yeah. And it was. I was so tired because I just got there that day from Vegas from partying tonight, and I just started feeling a little bit sick. So I was like, okay, I just don't want this to be too long, I just want to go to bed.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And I was having ice cream with my friend, and so he got there late like an hour and a half.
Speaker 1:The audacity.
Speaker 2:I was waiting, anyway, so I lived in Harlem. Yeah, but he got there. And so my friend was leaving because she needs to go back to New Jersey and I went to the hotel, went back to the hotel with him, went up to Chelsea, the hotel, went back to the hotel with him, went up her chair and my other friend who was with me in vegas said she was feeling sad and wanted to come too. And I was like how am I?
Speaker 3:gonna say no, yeah it wasn't like so I think, okay, her friend's finally leaving. I get one-on-one time with ying for the first time ever and she comes down from her hotel room with a different friend and this time, dude, I was out. I was like I'm done, yeah, I'm never trying again.
Speaker 1:Like message received.
Speaker 3:Yeah, got it, but he was still pretty nice. He took us out to like a Still gonna be a good host.
Speaker 2:Pub like a bar. Yeah, a restaurant bar still gonna be a good host, like a like a bar yeah, a restaurant bar, and you two just talked about someone that you were complaining about.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I was upset with someone and so we were just kind of like drinking and somehow we went to another bar that cam thinks well, the thing was like hey, you know, and she's like we'll go, like I was ready to go home and her friend and her, well, we can go to one more place.
Speaker 2:Yeah and Cam.
Speaker 3:And I'm like, okay, well, I'm gonna throw a Hail Mary. There's this speakeasy in in in Manhattan called employees. Only to this day I'm batting a hundred there. I'd never gone there, it ain't broke. Yeah, exactly, I'd never gone there without clothes, like going home with someone there. So I'm like, all right, I'll take her to this speakeasy and then we're there and he wasn't making a move or anything, and like but you started dancing with me yeah, and so I was like I want to move, literally move wait so wait.
Speaker 2:So also, when you're with a friend you can't really like, with this last friend that I took out with me. It wasn't my intention, so I wasn't in the wrong right and so I was like I told her before I made a move. I told her that I'm I'm planning to go home with cam, so I didn't know this, I was so just like I want to go home, yeah I was like, will you be okay, because she seems pretty drunk.
Speaker 1:And this is your friend from Thailand, right? No, she's from, she's Thai, but she lives in. Okay, so this is the one that lives in New York. No, lives in Denver.
Speaker 3:She partied with him in New York, vegas, and then went to New York.
Speaker 1:So it's not like being in America, and trying to navigate public transportation would be terribly hard for her.
Speaker 2:No, and also she's like 10 years older than me, so she's fucked.
Speaker 3:She's lived in the States for a long time.
Speaker 2:So I was like, well, you'll be okay. And she's like, yeah, I'm fine. So I was like, so I turn around to Cam.
Speaker 3:He kisses me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think I kissed him.
Speaker 3:And I was like, okay, whoa, okay, game on. I misread this, I misread the situation.
Speaker 2:And yeah, I was pretty drunk and I was like are you taking me home or?
Speaker 3:if not, I'm going to go back to my hotel and I was like cause the hotel.
Speaker 2:It's not just me, it's that friend. It's like my manager's friend, like her brother was a lot of like people there Golf was friend, like her brother.
Speaker 3:There's a lot of like people there. Golf was there too.
Speaker 2:Right, it was not there, oh it wasn't, and so I was like are you taking me home or, if not, I'm just gonna go home? He's like check please. Yeah, got in a cab and I was like I'm not going um, what's the train call subway? I'm not going on a subway. You didn't say that I'm not.
Speaker 1:I was so drunk I know, but you weren't, I wasn't gonna take it. You're like I'd rather throw up at the window of a cab than in the middle of the subway. Let's get out of here.
Speaker 2:Because I was like I can't walk anymore.
Speaker 3:Yeah, then we had to stop by a bodega, naturally, naturally, grab some stuff. And then, yeah, and then the next morning I wake up and she is gone.
Speaker 2:I'm like where did you go? Let's take a quick break.
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Speaker 2:So in my defense, when you wake up somewhere in the morning, your makeup is all messed up. You don't want to be seen, so I escape and so I was like hey, had fun.
Speaker 3:And then and it was back to being aloof, yeah, and I was like what the heck? Um?
Speaker 2:but then, okay, let's skip the rude part. Okay, let's go to the nice part now okay.
Speaker 1:So so you guys realize that there's more to this than just this like platonic friendship of bringing a, bringing a friend, not yet, not yet okay. And then I went home and then, for some reason, so did you see him again while you were in New York that time, or you were gone by the time you could see each other One time, but I was kind of.
Speaker 3:I actually went to Thailand. I had to go to Thailand to go to the factory, got it, and so it was an excuse.
Speaker 2:It was an excuse.
Speaker 3:I do need to go, but you don't have to, I don't have to. I was like, hey, we need to, someone needs to go, I can go. Yeah, you know, I have a place to stay. Yeah, it was with another celebrity I like Philip. Yeah, another celebrity friend of mine, he let me stay at his condo.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Anyway. So I got home and then we kind of started like FaceTiming.
Speaker 3:This like FaceTiming.
Speaker 2:This is all her. Yeah, this is all me. I was bored and I was like, okay, I'm going to FaceTime someone who's still awake, and it's Cameron in. New York because it's daytime for him.
Speaker 1:I was going to say because he's how many hours behind me, 12 hours.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah. So I would wake up in the morning, meditate, go to the gym with Tanner and then I'd come at tanner, go to work and I'd answer emails for three hours and while I was answering emails she'd just be on facetime with me okay so she'd go to bed and I'd hit the pavement and then she'd wake up and you'd facetime at night while you're gonna, right before I go to bed, because that's when.
Speaker 1:So that's the first time I met ying is. So I was in new york, it had to have been 2018. I think a job interview out there in I think it was Sanford, connecticut, and so, naturally, like I remember when you came and stayed, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So I had a job interview there and I like booked out my flight a couple more days so I could go, I mean hang out with you two there, because I always would. Every time I came to New York I'd always stay with Tanner and you were there at the time where I was coming in. And all of a sudden, like you were FaceTiming Ying. I'm like who the fuck is Ying? Like I know you're FaceTiming someone so I meet her. I didn't really think too much of it at the time, but it was like the first time. I was like okay, like here is a person like you told me about it later of like, oh, like we're kind of dating long distance, kind of figuring out what it is but also realizing kind of like the difficulties of the relationship at that time. So that's when I first remember meeting Ying virtually so.
Speaker 3:I went to Thailand a couple times.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and then you, he was a big part of, like my career.
Speaker 3:I would say Because we weren't like dating at this point, but she was, so her dad had cut her off.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:She and her mom were so mad at him for that and then so she was telling me the story of it and I'm like I'm actually on your dad's side on this one. She's like what. I'm like I don't think your dad's in the wrong here, like you should probably love to hear that from your dad Taking care of yourself. So, and then she did what she never thought she'd do. She started interviewing for jobs.
Speaker 2:Yeah, with him helping me with my resume and everything, and I got a job at this like PR company and started working nine to five, which I've never imagined myself doing.
Speaker 3:Well, there was a part of you that didn't think you could, because you always thought you weren't smart enough.
Speaker 2:It's not that it was. Your parents has always tell you that you're good, you're the best You're, you can do anything, but you've never really done anything. So it's like once you're not working and you always thought that you would be working with your family, and now that you're not like, you have to go into the real world where you actually are not that good.
Speaker 3:There are other people that are way better, and so it was kind of intimidating and I was telling her like you'd be surprised, like like I love the steve jobs quote where he says like it's really powerful when you realize that the people that have had the most effective change like on the world are no smarter than you are. Completely agree, you know what I mean. So like there are talented people I'm not like discrediting anyone, but like the bell curve is very true.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you can, yeah, have a really strong effect if you just like put a good game plan together and consistently work at it exactly so what I did with my interview, because I did go to like a few interviews and they were like intimidating I wanted to cry.
Speaker 2:But with this one it was like they know who I am. And so they were kind of like OK, tell me about yourself and stuff like that. So one thing I told them was I have no experience in working in any field. Like I don't know how to use Excel, but I'm willing to learn, like, if you are willing to teach me, I am an empty glass of water. I will learn anything you teach me and I will do anything you tell me to do. That is all. And so they were like okay, we'll give it a try. And I was like, okay, yeah, sure, yeah, so I work with them for a year, um, while doing my youtube channel. At that point I already started my youtube channel, which cam also was the one who, um, kind of encouraged you to do it yeah.
Speaker 2:Cause I was like, well, I don't know what to do and he's like you could start a YouTube channel, like you have so many great ideas and people would love to hear about that ideas and people would love to hear about that. And yeah, I was like, really. So that's when I started doing that and it was great and part of me still love doing that. It's just right now I have no time how many subscribers do you have now?
Speaker 3:I?
Speaker 2:have 364 000 subscribers.
Speaker 3:Yeah that's going pretty well and did it grow Like?
Speaker 1:was it something that once you started it grew pretty quick? Or is this like just consistent effort put in while you're working at this PR firm and slowly grew?
Speaker 2:It grew pretty quick and it kind of it's kind of still growing and we, like I, have like a fan base right now that still is waiting for more videos.
Speaker 3:Yeah, like we will get to it, but we are, like the amount we're both working right now, like we have no social life. Oh yeah, we have no time for anything else right now. So and so thank you for working with our schedule here. Um, yeah, she's. There's a huge area of opportunity there, for sure.
Speaker 2:I just don't have the time right now, and so when the relationship part comes in is when I came here for the first time for Christmas to meet with his family and it was like either I move or he moved, and we never really have this conversation until like five months later.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so we were. I mean, you came to New York and I said when you come here in the next July? No, in July you came right before I moved home and I told you I was going to introduce you as my girlfriend. So that's when I was going to introduce you as my girlfriend. So that's when I was like, hey, I'm serious.
Speaker 1:Oh, is this the first time you came to Utah when I met you in person? No, this was in July in New York.
Speaker 3:Okay, okay, okay.
Speaker 2:And he said that he's going to introduce me to everyone as his girlfriend. So it was like. I was like okay.
Speaker 1:And does your family know about Cam? And like you talking so much, or is it still pretty hush h?
Speaker 3:No, you introduced me because I flew to Thailand.
Speaker 2:Well, my mom knows, my brother kind of know. My dad didn't know until like after, because I kind of stopped talking to him for a sec and so he had no idea about Cam. And I'm also not an open person about relationship to my family, unless I'm sure that like I'm the only boyfriend relationship person that San and Bank have ever met. Yeah, like, unless I'm sure I'm going to marry this person, like I'm not posting about anyone.
Speaker 3:Got it.
Speaker 2:Yeah so.
Speaker 3:And so I bought her ticket to come spend Chris and I got an Airbnb because I was living at my sister's house when I moved back from New York. And yeah, just how long were you in town?
Speaker 1:A week, week and a half, like two weeks, and so this is in July or this is over the. This is December. So this is where I remember meeting Ying in person, because I remember at Scott's and we walked to Cheesecake. Yes, so just to paint the picture, so I'm living in Seattle at the time I come and visit, and whenever I come and visit, it's always hanging out at Scott's apartment, because it's all in Wakanda, because it's always a nice central place, and then we can go out, and so we're sitting there hanging out and we have this great idea to go to Cheesecake Factory for dinner. It is 10 degrees outside, it is freezing, cold and me, coming from Seattle, I'm like you know, I don't want to drive. I love walking. Let's do this. So we start walking to Cheesecake Factory in the middle of December. I'm on high heels. Yeah, she's in high heels. We're all like it's freezing.
Speaker 3:It was a terrible idea.
Speaker 1:Well, I mean were uh in, we were under the influences of, of some substances, so our decision making by not at this forest, and so we, so we get there. It's like a 25 minute walk. Oh, it's just so terrible and like, and I could tell ying was a little, um, uh, shy, like I could tell that's when she was shy just like meeting all of her friends, different country, in a state that she couldn't put on a map, if you put a gun to her head, for sure, and but I always just like just kind of being intrigued about the situation because it's it's very unique, right, it's not like any of my friends are dating a girl from another country.
Speaker 1:The success rate of a relationship like ours long distance is very low, totally so, like I almost didn't be like okay, it's like, how much effort do I put into meeting this person? Like do I just kind of take it at face value and say, oh good, cam, to see you, ying, nice to meet you, and kind of move on because I'm just in town to see my friends. Last thing I want to do is put in a ton of effort for that, and so I remember that trip being really fun, but, like ying from that because, like that was your first time in utah yeah I mean flying home from there.
Speaker 1:What were your thoughts about, I mean cam utah, the future of that so at that point.
Speaker 2:So I love him, but at like. But dating him was like, okay, we'll probably break up at some point because, you know, I don't think I can move because I have a job, I have my youtube channel without being in thailand. It kind of just doesn't work. Like being an influencer, you have a base in thailand, moving to america is just hard to get sponsorship. It's just, it just doesn't work. And so cam part of him also thinks that it won't work as well, because he would talk to me and be like will you be able to, like, just sacrifice this lifestyle?
Speaker 3:I tried to talk about it, bring it up, and Ying just wasn't ready to cross that bridge.
Speaker 2:It's a big deal, yeah.
Speaker 3:Or just like to even address, like eventually one of us has to move. Let's just like she's, like, let's just keep the status quo, I'm happy. I'm happy with you Totally. It's not ideal, but FaceTiming's fine. And then like we're both making enough money where we can travel across the world to see each other every couple months Because at this point.
Speaker 1:Like you've spent a lot of time in Thailand, so you can you have a pretty good picture of what life would be like there for you, definitely Granted. Like you have this business you're starting in the US, especially in Utah specifically at this point. Yeah, so you could do that, but it would take a lot of sacrifices for that to make it work. Yeah, and Ying's experience. I mean she's been to Vegas, she's been to New York, she's been to kind of like the hotspots of the US and spent like a week in Utah to see what it's like, but not necessarily be able to see what life would be like for her.
Speaker 2:So when I went to so when I I love New York, it's just the vibe for me, and I feel like when I went to California, I was like, oh no, everything's so far from each other, like I have to drive and it's just so. When I come to Utah, I was like, oh, it's like the west side of America which I don't like. There's only one Zara, there's two sephora. And so my mind back then was like, okay, I don't know how I'm gonna like stay here. Like taifut's not good here. Like what am I gonna do?
Speaker 2:so I just kind of like put that topic off with cam, because at point before I came here for Christmas, he sent me a long text saying I let her know the plan. Yeah, I was like I want to make this work so he sent me a long text and said hey, babe, here's what I think is going to happen. If you come to America, to Utah, and we spend Christmas together, if you like Utah, we should get engaged.
Speaker 3:And then we should think about like moving here and you know, plan all the pictures, which is a lot. I'm a very analytical planner.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it'd be overwhelming I know, but that's a lot of like big life steps, a lot of big words and you're like and my friends saw the text and they were like holy crap, ying red, red red.
Speaker 2:And so I was like, okay, never mind, I'm just going to avoid this topic altogether. And so it. So just to get the timeline.
Speaker 1:So this is like 2019-ish, yeah, this is 29. No, this is the end of 2018.
Speaker 2:Okay, and so 2019,. We went to Coronado, so chief of back.
Speaker 3:It was at.
Speaker 1:Coronado when it was with. I mean, I was there. A lot of our friends were there. It was really like the first time I got to sit down with Ying and be like, okay, now I know this is someone important to Cam we have this time together.
Speaker 2:We have the different point of view. At that time I was like don't invest too much time in these people. You'll never see them again.
Speaker 3:I have that impact on people, but she enjoyed that time so much.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but with Cam it's like he wants to see if we could go on a road trip together. Yeah.
Speaker 3:Testing out with friends. Yeah, so he won't let her go from Salt Lake to San Diego. Yeah, because I was thinking like the four seasons and, you know, the road trip.
Speaker 2:And then let's have the talk.
Speaker 3:And so when I left from that trip going and I tried to have the talk in san diego and in utah and she just was, she just didn't want to talk about it, she wasn't ready. And then we're on facetime and I'm just like we have to talk about this and so we set a time to talk about it and so yeah, and I said I am not moving to thailand, my business, like, like I'm making, like I'm making six figures for the first time and it's growing yeah, yeah and so I'm gonna provide for a family.
Speaker 1:It has to be here yeah, and like you have a good idea, like because you can see the vision of like life would be here, like, hey, like things are starting to come together. Yeah, my, like my dream from especially thinking back when you were in thailand, of like hey, I've done this growth, I figured out who I am, I figured what I want, and like this life is starting to come together. And like like Ying has I mean her life in Thailand as well. She has her influencing, she has her PR job, she has her family, like everything is there.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and I was like, if I go back to Thailand, I'm back to square one and I won't be able to, you know, provide for the family that I like. I'll just say I'm not doing it. Yeah, so can you move here?
Speaker 2:for me it's not just the career, it's more like okay family friends who you still like yes, yeah the biggest part was friends. Yeah, like, what am I gonna do here? I have no friends here, and so I said no to him as well, and and so we broke up for like six hours.
Speaker 3:I was expecting like months or weeks. No, so she's like it's over. And then it was on a Sunday.
Speaker 2:No, it was on a day. It was on a weekday because I go to work the next day.
Speaker 3:No, because I went to family dinner. Oh okay, yeah, sorry, maybe it was a weekday for you and it was a Sunday for you?
Speaker 1:No it, I went to family dinner. Oh okay, yeah, sorry, maybe it was a weekday for you and Sunday for you. No, it was your Monday. Both can be true in this situation, yeah.
Speaker 2:And so I started crying until like 3 am my mom came over and she was like why don't you just go and try it out?
Speaker 3:Like, try living with them for a few months you don't have to commit to anything yet.
Speaker 2:Just go and try it out for like three months. Yeah, just go, and if you like it, or if you think you could stay there, then stay. If you can't, then come home, that's it.
Speaker 1:Which is a pretty endearing moment for you and your mom, I imagine, because, like thinking back to when you guys first met, it's like here's this little monk boy.
Speaker 3:Yeah, nothing there he's notone ideal person, but what she thinks is she can't stay there well, she'll go and her mom has a really close friend who's like her fortune teller, and the fortune teller told her that it won't work out.
Speaker 1:Between us there's nothing to worry about see if the monk saying you guys are gonna get married, you have this fortune teller saying no.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and so my friends were thinking we lost her. Like she goes, like it's done, she's not coming back, and so I moved here. I quit my job, I moved here.
Speaker 1:And what month and year was this?
Speaker 2:It was 2018, in August.
Speaker 1:Okay, so that's right. So there's the first time 2019 in August.
Speaker 2:Yes, oh yeah. 2019 in august. Yes, oh yeah. 2019, yeah, yeah, sorry. 2019 in august. Uh, I quit my job, I moved here and the plan was to stay here for three months and then go home for a bit, because I have, like some trips that I need to go with my mom and so, after living here for a bit, cameron kinda tried to like impress me with everything that he can all the malls, all the parks, all the you know, whatever he can hiking, which he doesn't like hiking, which I hate, and for me, I started to think that it looks like a good place to raise a family.
Speaker 2:There's not a lot of things to do back then, but it's a good place for the kids.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I thought to myself friends, they're still going to be my friends. Thought to myself friends, they're still going to be my friends, and once they start a family, everyone will be busy. I won't see them as much anyway. So I made the decision. So I told him I'll move, I think I can do it, but not yet.
Speaker 3:Got it. So our plan was to kind of go back and forth. For another year I was opening up Boise, so I moved to Boise in October to open up the store there, and so the plan was okay, I'm going to open up Boise and then I'm going to come see you in like February.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and then our plan was to get married at the end of 2020 in Thailand, and then I will get a marriage visa from Thailand and wait another year to like move Got it. But you know COVID and everything.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so everything went according to plan. As far as like opening up Boise, we got that open. I went and saw her for a little bit in Bangkok and then she came back with me to the us and we thought that I was gonna be here for like two months, because I haven't and and what month and year is this this? Is 2020.
Speaker 2:Yeah yeah, and so, um, it's, either I go home and I won't be able to come back again, because during the so yeah, so COVID hit.
Speaker 3:Everything got locked down, no travel back to Thailand, and then it was long enough that she overstayed her visa. We were living, colin Tuttle was my roommate and his girlfriend had moved in with him, and now Ying was there with me. It got really crammed, full house, full house. So we moved in with my mom, who she wasn't even close with yet that summer.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I was. Basically I had a chance to go home. I could have gone home. It would be a hard process, but I could have gone home.
Speaker 3:But we didn't know how long it would be for us to see each other again.
Speaker 2:And my parents wouldn't want me to travel back here again if I want to come, so I thought I'm just going to overstay and force this man to marry me.
Speaker 1:What a power move yeah.
Speaker 2:So I stayed, even though I came up with all this thing that I would tell Cam that I can't go home. Yeah, I could. I didn't know that, cam, that I can't go home, yeah, I could.
Speaker 1:I didn't know that, but.
Speaker 2:I don't want to, so I stayed, even though I know that I don't have a job, that he will have to support me on many things. Yeah, pay him for everything, yeah.
Speaker 3:Totally. It's fine we were selling face masks at that point. I remember that.
Speaker 2:So we went to live with his mom in her basement. Most days I would just be in the basement.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I can't drive. I don't have a driver's license or anything. I can't go anywhere, so I would just stay there waiting for him to come back from work.
Speaker 1:I'm sure it was fine for a little bit, but then you got bored and felt like you needed to do something.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I was doing a YouTube channel, but it wasn't. Like I said, once you're out of Bangkok, it's hard to get sponsorship or anything, so I was still trying to do that To make money in YouTube Thailand.
Speaker 3:it's not like ad revenue from views. It's way less payout in Thailand for views and like that, the YouTube ad revenue. You get your money from sponsorship deals from other businesses.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So at that time I tried to like start like a shirt company because I love like embroidered shirts and cute sayings and stuff like that, because Cameron's mom has like a sewing room and she has all the tools. So I started that for a little bit and then kind of didn't work out, just because I'm kind of like a perfectionist, trying to find the softest shirt and like just going into details, we still have so many t-shirts we're gonna donate that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, um, anyway. So I was craving donuts and I was like I'm gonna order DoorDash because I can't drive.
Speaker 3:And we were in quarantine.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we were in quarantine.
Speaker 3:Yeah, because Colby got COVID and we had spent the entire day with him.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:And this is like early COVID, where it was like exposure, two weeks quarantine. Yeah, you know so.
Speaker 2:So I was. I got this donut delivery and I was so excited because it was $4. It must be so good and it just looks so good, anyways. So I had a bite and I was like this is not $4. So I had Karen Mom taste it and she's like this is not $4. So I had Karen Mom taste it and she's like this is not $4.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's like fine, but not worth that much for sure.
Speaker 2:So I told her I think I could do better, I think I can just make something out of this. So I started grabbing some stuff from the stores flour, whatever searching recipes, and then just started baking out of her kitchen and until it was like a good dough. And then, after I feel like, okay, the dough is great. Then I started thinking what flavors should I do that would stand me out from other donut places and I was like maybe I should do coconut, because it's where I'm from. Like coconut is a big thing. And at that point I've never chopped coconut before. Like I've always had someone chop it up for me, and every time I shop it I was like am I gonna like cut my fingers or something? But turns out great, it was really good. And I started giving out to people like his colleagues and they were like whoa, this is good. And so that's when I brought it over when we were hanging out and then I knew that we got it from Chinatown and I will never forget that moment.
Speaker 1:So we met for dinner at Hall Pass and Gateway and you have this box in tote and I didn't know what it was anything much of. And you're like, hey, I just picked up these donuts from the Chinese market, thought you guys would enjoy them, and so I eat one. I'm like, because I'm a huge coconut fan, Like if you take me to any sort of I mean smoothie place, boba place, I mean anything I'm always gravitating towards, I mean coconut, mango, pineapple, et cetera. And so all of a sudden I'm like downing these donuts, thinking it's just from this Chinatown store which I'm like where is this?
Speaker 2:from Give me the address I need, need more, and you're like actually, I made these, I made these, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:so after you guys approve that. I had a big stamp of approval by because I love the way she did it, because if you were to say, hey, I made these, try these, there would be some bias. I tried to give like feedback when people ask for it, but the raw, unadulterated, like yeah I want more please we got these from chinatown, yeah we got these from Chinatown.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we got these from Chinatown. And so after I got the approval from a few people, I got more confident and thought, okay, I'm just going to start Instagram, just like how I did with Garrett Popcorn. So I started Instagram like my Instagram. Chubby Baker created like a simple logo and started reaching out to food influencers. I made a list of food influencers that ended.
Speaker 1:So just to kind of like think of getting your head of this process in, in your idea of reaching out to influencers, did this come through your experience of the YouTube channel, through experience of the PR agency, or just your own doing?
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was like it comes through from the PR company, for sure.
Speaker 3:That's what you did.
Speaker 2:You reached out to influencers and because I'm also an influencer, so it's like you know how influential it is to have them promote your stuff.
Speaker 1:It's not just a catchy name.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So I made a list, start reaching out to them. If they say no, it's no, it's fine, whatever. And a bunch of them were really generous to say yes and I just drop it off to them, explain to them what it is and why like, why it's coconut and not just, like you know, a Boston cream donut. Yeah, and I don't know how, maybe it's luck, it just got crazy. People were like reaching out and I have like a set system Okay, I'm going to sell it on Monday, wednesday, friday only, so that way I have Taking orders on Instagram.
Speaker 2:Taking orders on Instagram, frying them in a pan at my mom's, frying in a pan at his mom's house, and just started creating more flavors Back then. I have no baking skills, everything was from Google and testing it out and seeing if it's good. I have no idea how to use like an oven or anything at all.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so it just started that way and then it like there's a lot of learning curve totally um, meeting other people in the industry, them kind of helping out with, like maybe you should get a different fryer the one that's more for frying fries or donuts, and it has like a thermometer and it's just like a lot of things and I never thought that I would be opening like an actual store until it started to make money. It started to make money and I talked to my dad and he was like well, he could invest in this, but at that point I'm in a limbo because Cameron has no sign of proposing at all and I in my defense she had not expressed any of these feelings to me.
Speaker 3:That she wanted to get married like right away in my head is I had to somehow make this elaborate, expensive wedding in Thailand happen. And it's COVID. So I've got my head down. I'm opening up Miami. I'm like I need to be able to get out of my mom's and provide and give her a ring in a wedding that she wants so I did express, said I don't need a wedding, let's just go to the courthouse.
Speaker 2:But in his head was whatever. Even until these days, whatever I asked of him, he wants to make it happen. He wants to make me happy in the way that I wanted it to happen.
Speaker 3:So even though she said, we can just do this in my head.
Speaker 2:It was like no, I don't need a ring, I'm going to do it, let's just get married. But he wants to provide, and so he was trying to put it off. But the way he put it off was like let's not talk about this.
Speaker 1:Like how the roles have reversed.
Speaker 2:I was just focused right yeah, and so I was at the point where I was like I it's coming to the end of that visa extension and so it's either I go home or I don't know. I don't know what to do next.
Speaker 3:So she said if you don't love me, just let me me go.
Speaker 2:And I was like oof, because I was talking to my dad and he was like it's, either we are moving forward with this business or you come home and start something, because there's a lot of things waiting for you in Thailand if you come home.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, there's so many things Like you have your channel that you could just go plug back into. You could check your job. Yeah exactly Like there's so many options, yeah.
Speaker 2:And so.
Speaker 3:I didn't know these conversations were happening. I was just like I need $40,000. I can see you with that yeah.
Speaker 2:And so I went into the bedroom and my eyes were red after talking to my dad and so I was like we need to talk, like I understand if you don't want to marry me, but if you don't love me anymore, you just need to let me go. I'm, I'm gonna get a ticket, like my plan was. If. If it's still, if the answer is still no, I'm buying the ticket tomorrow. I'm selling everything for Chubby Baker, or I would just give it to his mom and I would just leave and yeah.
Speaker 3:And what was your response, cam? I was like, well, you're not going anywhere. What are you talking about? She's like, like, do you still love me? Like, yes, do you want to marry me? Yes, then she's like okay, we need to do this now. And I was like what? Like what about the plan? She's like stop, just get married in a courthouse.
Speaker 2:And I was like just get married in a courthouse? Let's find a place that we like, it's in our range and let's just not worry about the ring and let's just put the money.
Speaker 3:And I still didn't like fully accept that. Yeah, you know, I was just like no, I've got to make it happen.
Speaker 1:Because you have this view in your head of this great Thailand wedding.
Speaker 3:All of this great thailand wedding, all of your friends from utah fly out, like the monk is there and I know I'm asking a lot of her and like just marrying in a courthouse sounded so sad. Yeah, if you move to america and for this guy and all he can give you is it like I was like no, that's not me, so she, uh, the next day she's like what are you doing de 20th? And I was like no, he had COVID.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, that's right. So he got COVID and he was out of COVID like November, like 20th, yeah, and so I was like you do anything December 10? That's it. Yeah, and he's like no, why. And at this point I already asked, asked everyone else, like his mom and his brother, to be the witness, and he was like no, why. I was like okay, we're getting married that day which and I was like what?
Speaker 3:like yeah, we're gonna get married already.
Speaker 1:Like research it's all scheduled your mom's gonna be there, yeah, and I also love that because, like, going back to when you first met him, as you're like, hey, I'm gonna'm going to be the one to make moves, I'm going to be the one to do this. So I love that she pulled this power move of like hey, are you busy this day? Because I kind of have some plans.
Speaker 3:So it kind of involve you, which you know, personal issues aside and it's like, okay, it's going to be small, we're just going to have a cup like my parents. That's it. Just sign the papers, get it done so she can stay. Yes, and we'll celebrate when this whole covid thing's behind us and the suit business has come back, when people start going back to work.
Speaker 2:Right, yeah, um but then I told his sister who lives in florida back then and she's like we're coming, and so it turned into like an action and we're gonna make it special and cute and do this thing and it actually it was really.
Speaker 1:It was a really great day that's so special, helene, to make it, yeah do her part and do that.
Speaker 3:So everyone was there. And then I didn't invite any of my friends because no one from her side was going to be there. And if I started inviting my friends it started turning into this big thing where it's just my side and I was like, okay, my family can be there, we'll make it cute, we'll make it special, and then we'll go do something in Thailand later, totally Um. So we got married.
Speaker 1:And so and so. Now you see, the first store hadn't been set up yet. You're still selling on Instagram.
Speaker 2:So what we did was we got married. After I got married, I was like, okay, I'm secured, visa check, husband, check, I'm secured. Now we applied for a visa for the green card and then, right after we got married, we got our house and then I, you got that condo 10 days after.
Speaker 2:And then register for the company right away, because back then Chubby Baker was not registered yet, it was just out of the house. Once I got married, company registered right away and then I was still doing it out of his mom's house and then I found a spot in. January.
Speaker 3:Which, ironically, is funny because it's like right by where your first store was, yeah, same street, yeah, the street, and what happened was that she was driving dropping up like she was doing drop-off donuts and there was this joey baker space. Now it's a cute little house and it had a for rent sign in the front. She takes a picture and sends it to me. It's like is this a good location? I was like, where is it? Like nine south, just above 30 east. I'm like, yes, that's a good location, yeah. And so she looks for it online and it's nowhere. It's not on, it's not on loop net, it's on anything.
Speaker 2:But back then. We already have a realtor like, so I sent it to her and be like, can you reach out to the landlord? And so we went to see it right the next day.
Speaker 3:And so it had just that sign had been put up that day. Yeah, and she saw it, contacted him and closed on it before it ever hit the internet. Love that it never hit the market.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and so that's when how Chubby Baker all started.
Speaker 1:And so, by this point, like, how many followers does Chubby Baker have on Instagram? I?
Speaker 2:think it was like 15K.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so like ruse and like so.
Speaker 2:between that date and the date you started, how many months had gone by? We started in like September, august, september, so like six months. I would say yeah.
Speaker 1:Before we started, before we got our space. So it goes from this idea of you knowing nothing about how to make donuts, frying any of this, to going through creating your perfect product, validate with friends and then, all of a sudden, you have this massive social media following, have this store being developed.
Speaker 2:Construction and contractors and city and everything like machines, fryer hood, electrical stuff, plumbing, health department, crazy, like from zero.
Speaker 1:Well then, I love like one of, I think and you can correct me if I'm wrong, but like almost a crowning moment of like the validation of that was that first I think it was the Donut Critic competition, where it was just, I mean head-to-head tournament on social media voting for the best donut in Utah. And I mean, if you knew from Utah, the sugar addiction capital of the world, like you know Banbury Cross, you know Dunford Donuts, you know all these big players that have pretty strong opinions, and then all of a sudden, ying's the one hoisting the trophy at the end.
Speaker 2:so to speak, and she'd entered another competition, won that one too yeah, we went to uh the dough show and we won that one and yeah, it was it was.
Speaker 3:It was a crazy year to like kind of start this thing yeah, yeah, it's like since we got married, life has been insane because, like then, you got pregnant yeah, and like before we got, like the grand opening which we opened on the 1st of October of 2021.
Speaker 2:Yep, I remember that, yeah.
Speaker 3:And I was already. It took 10 months to get this place going.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so fast forward. So it's so funny to like think of the timeline, because so you move to Utah again to try it out, you get stuck here, you figure out how to make these donuts, you secure a canon marriage, you buy a house, you get married, you create your first store, you get pregnant Like that's a lot of change, so quick, yep.
Speaker 2:It was a lot of change, like I left Thailand single, went back home and I was married with a kid.
Speaker 1:And how long had it been from when you left Thailand to come try this out to going back and visiting, or going back to see?
Speaker 2:him again Two and a half years. Yeah, almost three years.
Speaker 1:And a completely different person.
Speaker 3:Yeah, she left to go see her boyfriend to spend a couple months with him. Came back two and a half years later, married with a kid and a business.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and so and like, obviously I don't want to diminish well, not diminish probably the wrong word but like in cam is also building his suit empire, and so at this point you have new york starting to do stuff because you set up out there. You have the utah store, you have the boise store, you have the miami store and so like things are going really well there. Um, and just kind of seeing this almost power couple put together these, these different things that they, I mean, had ground through and really built brick by brick up until they are today, and I mean it's nothing stopped, nothing slowed down, I mean just to kind of catch up to where we are today.
Speaker 2:I mean, ying, you're working on store three and four, one in Sandy, two and three, two and three sorry, yeah, there's Sandy, which is going to be our main like location, where we are going to move all our production there, and then there's oram, which is a smaller location with a drive-through, uh, which was not in the plan at all, because we thought I thought that, okay, I'm just gonna do sandy, let's get a stun, and then, you know, kind of slowly grow.
Speaker 2:But then when we came back from thailand last like this year, beginning of this year, yeah uh, michelle, my realtor, she sent me this location and I was like, michelle, I'm not ready to like open the third store. And she's like just take a look at it and call me. I took a look at it, I see the location and and I was like I want this. I called cam first. I was like do you think I'm crazy If I say I want to do this? If you say no, if you think that I am crazy, I won't do it Cause it's going to be a lot on, like both of us. And he's like I think we should do it. And I was like okay, and then it was just too perfect yeah very little.
Speaker 1:Build out back paint job, some tile, new signs especially like new market oram, where sugar is the drawed up choice already looking at something in oram and so well, you were looking to have a distributor in.
Speaker 2:Orem yeah.
Speaker 3:Like something super cheap, just a place to pick up in Orem and then and then this thing came up. That just kept turning into the person she was going to do it with, looking at bigger and bigger and more expensive spaces. And we were in Thailand talking about this and you're like, and we're just like, if, look, if you're, you're gonna spend that much money.
Speaker 2:Like, don't partner with anyone, just do it, chubby baker yeah, like I've been like before starting chubby baker, I've been at the point where I started like partner up with people so many times, but at the end I just thought like I can't do it, like I have too much opinion and I want to be the one who makes decisions. Yeah, so I can. I can't work with other people.
Speaker 1:Which is a good realization to have, instead of getting to the end of being like oh no, I'm too bossy, I can't do this.
Speaker 2:Anyways, um, I called the realtor and I was like okay, michelle, let's do this, let's put in an LOI, and she's like I knew it, let's put in an LOI, and she's like I knew it. And it was pretty tough because it was a really good spot that everyone wants it.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So I was really lucky to.
Speaker 3:Yeah, the landlord came up, tried all the product Like he knew, he knows he has a really good spot, totally and very picky.
Speaker 1:So we had to like multiple meetings to sell Chubby Baker to him. Him, so ying walks in. Hey, here's these donuts. I got them from the china market, do you like?
Speaker 3:he's like an old, older dude in oram, right. So it's like he high flavors aren't his.
Speaker 2:So it's like here's the chocolate, here's the oreo, here's the other really basics, you know but he has, he's really kind and he, but he just has his own way of doing things and he just wants things to be a certain way. So you just have to understand where he's coming from and why he wants things this way. And yeah, I kind of I'm pretty good with older people, so I kind of persuade him that, hey, older people, so I kind of persuade him yeah. That, hey, you know what this is great.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. And when are those new locations hopefully opening up?
Speaker 2:I am hoping that Orem will be open in a few weeks from now, which would be like mid-August. Okay, we're just getting, we're just wrapping up a few things and then we just have to get inspections and approval from the health department. Sick, but Sandy will be another like three months from now, just because it's a new construction and we have to build everything.
Speaker 1:Because that's going to be the main like hub of it actually.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the hub and big kitchen big kitchen, all these little new stuff. The main people will be working there and, yeah, I'm really excited for both of them. But also very stressful and with being pregnant right now.
Speaker 2:I usually deal with stress pretty good, but with pregnancy it's like anxiety just those hormones just creep in and makes everything more difficult yeah, the decision to have another kid was kind of interesting because we felt like we wanted to have another kid and we had so much going on and the plan was to try in december this december, yeah, but then it was like his sis, like LJ, is pregnant and I keep seeing lots of people being pregnant, yeah.
Speaker 3:And so you started saying like I want to be pregnant right now, so bad, but we're too busy and I was like. So my input on it was so my whole stance on whether when she's pregnant is when you're ready. I'll get you pregnant because I love kids and I want I'll. I'll take as many as you can push out, like you.
Speaker 2:Tell me when to stop, right, so and it was also his sister was planning to get pregnant in june. So I was like, okay, let's, let's do this together. That way we can go through this together. Yeah.
Speaker 3:Because they both had pretty rough first pregnancies. So and my thing was I was like, look, if you didn't have the stores and you didn't have all this work, would you want to get pregnant right now? And she's like, yes, I'm like, in my opinion, we'll never be ready.
Speaker 1:Right, there's never a perfect moment.
Speaker 3:So if you want to get pregnant now, like we're not going to be less busy in six months, yeah, so if you want to get pregnant now, then let's at least like, try now, totally. And because we didn't know if it's going to take us like a few months because the second one's supposed to take longer or something, but not for us, it was right away so, hey, so we have two stores being built.
Speaker 1:We have a child being built. Cam just finished the Nebraska store pretty recently.
Speaker 3:Omaha and Des Moines I opened. So I opened up Omaha in February and Des Moines in March, so two this year. All steam ahead all cylinders, I had to completely rebuild Miami. I let my team go there and implemented a new one, so that's effectively opening a new store.
Speaker 1:So no one's has extra time to do whatever they want to, but but still just all steam ahead. Everything's working, that's. I mean, it's such an amazing story, but it's also a story that isn't even done yet.
Speaker 3:Right.
Speaker 1:And so, yeah, I mean I love everything that comes together. I'm so glad that we could sit down. But I guess, kind of pivoting the conversation, I mean, Ying, when you first visited Utah and kind of scoped it out, you're like this is a good place I would sort of raise a family, a lot of opportunity, I mean, is that kind of what keeps you here? And you still feel those same excitement of seeing that?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean, especially with having Elizabeth right now, my baby, I feel like this is a great spot for raising kids. It will be a safe place for my kid right now. Like, compared to being in bangkok, it's like you're living in new york, yeah, so it's like there's no, literally no park and it's just not an environment for a kid. So, even though I miss thailand a lot, but even when we went there for like a trip, it was like this is just not it was really hard with a kid totally it's not the place for us to be here right now like that was a huge part of why we moved.
Speaker 3:We wanted a home with a yard, because what's great about that? You just put the, put the baby in the backyard and she just runs around and we've gone to parks and stuff. It's just a really. And I love Utah. I grew up here, similar to you, so I'm on Team Utah. I love it here. This is home, so I think it's beautiful. It's quaint, it's got everything you need. The airport's great.
Speaker 2:Soon you'll have direct flights to korea from south like it's just a and without like restriction of traveling anymore. Like with covid, you can go anywhere on a trip. So we're just like this is great for being our home and we can always visit thailand, japan, anywhere we want to go. And like for sure, in the future, we're like we could retire in thailand yeah and like be here during like good weather time yeah, the book is not closed.
Speaker 3:on thailand yeah, like it's when our kids are older and in school and stuff like we've talked about. Like every summer we just go to Thailand, like you're we're going to go live with your family. Yeah, like you're going to like and give them that cultural experience yeah, like Thailand means a lot to us and we really want it to mean a lot to our kids too.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think that's a good way to go about it and I know that you, like a lot of your family, has come and visited since you set up shop here.
Speaker 2:My dad came here for a couple months. My brother was here for a bit. They love it here. It's just so cold.
Speaker 3:Yeah, they both came in the winter.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, a little different. My dad was like it's so cold.
Speaker 3:Like this is snow. It is cold, yeah, but he'd never seen snow like that before, like driving out to Park City. He's just like what? This is amazing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's cool. So what else does the future look like for Bespoke, for Chubby Baker? What excites you guys about what's to come and being here in Salt Lake doing it?
Speaker 2:I mean there were many plans or pictures that I thought for chubby baker it was. At first it was like, okay, maybe we should, after three stores, get everything systematic and then like, maybe franchise. But there's also part of me that's like I'm not like a business person, like I hate the difficult stuff, the financial stuff, dealing with contractors, all the numbers.
Speaker 2:You aren't enjoying being a business owner. I'm not enjoying being a business owner. I enjoyed creating new recipes and like the art of it, like making it look cute, making like boxes and just like just the creative part. So if Cameron cannot step in, I think that we are going to stop at three stores for now, just because I also want to just be a mom.
Speaker 3:Yeah, Like I want to. Once Elizabeth was born, she came to me and she's just like will you think less of me if I want to focus on being a mom? I was like, absolutely not. So like, if that's what you want to do, then that's what we do. So the plan on the Chubby Baker side is, once the other two stores are open, it's just like we're going to get it sustained. We're going to give the managers really good salaries to keep them yeah, to keep them there, work on, getting them benefits and get that systematized or systemized and like pause.
Speaker 3:And on the bespoke end, um, we are wrapping up a build out of our new salt lake store. It's gonna be on regent street, cool. Um, my business partners, daniel and hayden they own hm coal. Hm coal and bespoke are kind of just the same thing we operate. So right now we're choosing which name to go under so it. It might just be hm coal and salt lake, it might be just bespoke, we don't know yet. But a huge part of our business is we manufacture for over 400 companies that do what we do around the world.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:So the focus there is, like we I don't know if there's a potential that there's going to be an exit no-transcript bespoke stores open and just keep progressing in that and then see where we're at and then and then, like our long-term plan has, it's like coming up to the end of this year. Yeah, so we'll see, see where it takes us which has got to be.
Speaker 1:I mean kudos to you guys, for I mean it's so fun to hear both of your stories, to see where you're at now and see these long-term goals and visions and how much it's changed and all the wrenches that have thrown into it, to see where the success is now. And I mean obviously life has changed once you have a kid and the second kid's on its way. I mean priorities shift and you want to be so much more involved with that. But at the same time, this foundation you've built along the way only helps you invest your time and energy into that even more. So want to wrap, I mean anything else you guys want to talk through about the experience or anything before I wrap up with two questions, no. So first question for both of you if you could have anybody be interviewed for Small Lake City Podcast and you'd want to hear their story or what they're working on, who would you recommend?
Speaker 2:It's tough for me because I don't know a lot of people.
Speaker 1:But you know donut people and fun stuff. You've got to have met some cool people along the way.
Speaker 2:I would say Mile High Food Fairy. Her name is Amber, but that's her instagram name. She is a pediatrician dentist yeah, she's a child, children's children's dentist, but she is her side hustle. Is the um the food influencer? Okay, yeah, and she's really good at doing that and she's just. She was one of the main person that helped out chubby baker a lot, yeah, as well as donut critic. Yeah, got it what about you?
Speaker 1:donut critic would be a good one, yeah because I think I met him at your grand open act he's a bundle of energy dude.
Speaker 3:He just he networks, he introduces people.
Speaker 2:He'd be a really cool he works for that cool building in Alpine Graphic design.
Speaker 3:Adobe, adobe, he works for Adobe.
Speaker 2:Yeah and yeah, it's just really cool. And he's so passionate about donuts, just so passionate.
Speaker 3:Or just sweets in general and Salt Lake City.
Speaker 2:No, like he's so passionate about donuts.
Speaker 3:He took the comment from Shaq personally.
Speaker 1:You know he's like listen, shaq, we'll get you donuts. This place is not boring. This is not someone I met, I think a lot of food influencers took that personally.
Speaker 2:Where it's like you don't think that Salt Lake has good stuff, here you go. Yeah, you know.
Speaker 1:Especially when you see how much growth there's been. Because, like I mean, I think if you were to pull people and be like what's Salt Lake food known for, it's like, oh, a bunch of like chainy restaurants and like family, exactly. And so now you have these people who have put in the groundwork of getting actually good food here and just have someone come in and make such a blanket, like ignorant comment.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's hurtful. Also have to admit that, like the past three years, like in like before three years ago, salt Lake wasn't like this. No, like the food scene has grown so much in the past three years that I've been here, yeah.
Speaker 3:I think it's because a lot of people have moved here and kind of brought that with them. You know, like one of my clients actually he opened up that new Mexican spot in Riverton. It's like ah what's it called.
Speaker 3:But like he's from California, he just came here to get away from some of the more strict restrictions in California, partnered up with someone, get away from some of the more strict restrictions in california, partnered up with someone, opened a restaurant and then moved to france, but he just owns this cool restaurant here. So, yeah, I think a lot of that happened. Um, who owns the jazz now? Ryan smith? Yeah, if you could interview that dude, I want to know his plans I have this golden list of people I want to interview and he's because he built Qualtrics, took it to a multi-billion dollar exit and he's got plans and he's not telling anyone what they are Totally.
Speaker 1:I mean he cause obviously bought the jazz. Yeah, obviously is very invested in bringing an MLB or NHL team here, but there's so much yeah.
Speaker 3:Like he's and like he's working on like, like the homeless problem has been a big vocal priority of his. I just wonder what his plan is. Does he have political aspirations, like, what? So, like, if you get it, yeah, he's someone that I want to know because I think he's going to be a big influence here for the long term.
Speaker 1:I mean I think he's going to go down in history as I mean a Larry H Miller. I mean that caliber of person and the impact they make on the Valley.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean Miller had a huge impact with the jazz getting here, and then the Olympics, all that stuff. Those might come back. Yeah, sounds like so. Yeah.
Speaker 1:So we'll wrap it up with one last question. If people want to find either you guys personally, or Chubby Baker and Bespoke, where do they find them?
Speaker 2:on social media, the stores themselves um, so chubby baker right now our instagram handle is chubby baker, usa, just because at first we were like, okay, we should change from slc to usa. Um, and we have a store downtown. It's's on 3rd East and 9th South, really close to Liberty Park. Sandy is going to be 9470 South Highland Drive 94 South Highland Drive, next to the Home Depot. And we share a building with Swig and Orem. It's going to be right in front of Trader Joe's.
Speaker 3:On State Street, on the corner of University Parkway. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Super easy to find.
Speaker 3:What's your Instagram?
Speaker 2:Oh, my personal Instagram is Ying Y-I-N-G-P-C-P.
Speaker 3:Yeah, okay. And then I'm Cameron with Bespoke, and the company is Bespoke CC in Salt Lake City. Our new store, which will be opening in a few weeks, will be on 135 Regent Street.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, thank you both so much. I'm so excited to everybody hear your story and inspire them to do the things that are hard.
Speaker 3:You got a lot of content to cut it down. I think we're going to have hours here.
Speaker 1:We might have to do a part one and part two, but Good idea. We're going to. I don't want to take anything away from this.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think this is a cool thing that you're doing, getting into the nitty gritty of what people are doing here, because I think everyone can tell something's happening here, but I can't really put your finger on what like who's, who's behind this exactly right, so that it that is exactly it.
Speaker 1:There's a new guard in salt lake that's changing into what we want it to be, compared to what it was, and for sure got another faces behind it yep yep okay, it's a wrap, that is a wrap thank you so much for listening to this week's episode of small lake city podcast. Don't forget to like, follow, review, subscribe and share this episode with your friends and we'll catch you next week. We'll see you there.
