Rebekkah Lamar Brunson on Eat Deliciously, Love Freely
Season 2, Episode 12
Summary:
“I knew I wanted to share this product with the community around me.” – Rebekkah Lamar Brunson
Rebekkah Lamar Brunson and Bobbi Jo Lamar Brunson created their company, Sweet Troo•Vī Waffle, as a vessel for good.
Not only do they serve up deliciously kind waffles and luxury sweetness, but they’re also committed to spreading love, encouraging change, and doing the most good within their community. Hear about their commitment to youth, partnering with other small minority/woman/LGBTQ+ businesses, and modeling being a TROO human (To Realize your Optimal Opportunities). Hope, love, and inspiration, all on this episode of Champions of RISK.
Links:
Transcript:
Michael Kithcart:
Hello, I'm Michael Kithcart. I'm a high performance business coach and entrepreneur who helps wornout super achievers move from stuck to unstoppable. Welcome to the Champions of RISK podcast, where we examine the many aspects of risks, so we can all face uncertainty with more strength, courage and humor together. Travel is a full body experience. It heightens all of our senses creates lasting memories, shifts perspective, and it can even bring up business ideas. Rebekah Lamar Brunson is an assistant coach with the Minnesota Lynx, the same team she played for as a WNBA basketball star, she happens to be the only WNBA player who has won five championships and she's here in Minnesota, which of course also makes her like the winningest Minnesota athlete ever. She played college ball at Georgetown University. Let's go Hoyas. And she holds the record as the all time leading rebounder. She also played on the US team in the 2003 Pan-American Games. During the WNBA offseasons, Rebecca played basketball overseas. She played in Italy, Russia, Prague and Belgium. And it was during her time in Belgium, that she had a food experience that would eventually turn into a business with her wife, Bobbi Jo Lamar Brunson. It's called Sweet Troo Vi Waffles. Their mission, eat deliciously, love freely, extends beyond the products to include community youth programs, and collaborating with other small minority owned women, LGBTQ plus businesses in the Twin Cities. Rebecca, welcome to the podcast.
Rebekkah Lamar Brunson:
Oh my gosh, thank you so much for having me. That was amazing. I'm happy to be here.
Michael Kithcart:
We also have some Hoyas fans over here in my household, long standing. So I had to give a shout out.
Rebekkah Lamar Brunson:
I love that.
Michael Kithcart:
Rebecca, take us back to that time that you were playing in Namur, Belgium, and what were you going through playing abroad? And how did the local food inspire you?
Rebekkah Lamar Brunson:
Well, yeah, you know, I think food always lifts our spirits. But I went over all the way over to another country. And I tried, I really tried very hard for as long as I could to stay as close to home as possible. I mean, I'm from Maryland, I went to Georgetown, I didn't really even weigh a lot of other schools, because I was like, this is right here. This is it. Alright, so that was my decision. And then, after school, I got drafted to Sacramento. And for me at that point, that was already a world away, like going from the east coast, to the west coast. In my, in my small mind's eye, I didn't feel like I could get any further from home. So when I decided to go overseas, I feel like it was already a little bit of an anxious experience. And then I got there. And it was basketball was a great experience. But, you know, Belgium is is really kind of gloomy winter country. And for someone who leaves the comfort of their home in their country to go to another place where you're, you're really decently isolated. I mean, for me, I felt pretty isolated. I'm someone who is more on the introverted side of things. So I really was trying to figure out how I was going to be confident in this experience. So one day, when I was out with some of my teammates, you know, we were walking, and the first thing that hit me was like, the smell of these waffles. And that just, it brought me it brought me a little bit of comfort, you know, so you're going through all of these things are overseas, the language is different, the people are different, the culture is different going through all of these little experiences. Then I just, I just kind of was reaching for something that would give me some comfort and I find that in the waffles, but aside from, you know, coming across that the European experience, the experience in Belgium itself was really an amazing experience. The people were great. The food was great. The French fry with Mayonaise introduction was amazing.
Michael Kithcart:
It doesn't sound like it's going to be, but
Rebekkah Lamar Brunson:
It doesn't. And it's so funny it is. because my wife always says she can see when I'm like in vacation mode. I pull out some mayonaise with my ketchup with my french fries. Now that's vacation Brunson right there. There were so many really really cool experiences in Belgium and the first of many because then it turned into going to other countries as well. But Namur, for the first two years of me being overseas was really a good experience.
Michael Kithcart:
Now when you first kind of got that waffle scent, is it like Cinnabon is In a mall, kind of thing, where like the pump, like that smell just drew you to the stand and you didn't quite know why but you just had to have it.
Rebekkah Lamar Brunson:
Oh my god is the exact same thing like that smell like as soon as you get a block away, then you start to smell this waffle and it's like, oh my gosh, what is that? And then you come across it and it's so cute. The first experience was because there was like this older woman sitting behind this little cart. A couple waffles press, just like pressing them out. No problem for like a Euro, and yeah, I always say, no knock to Cinnabon or anything, Um, if that's your thing, that's your thing. But when you smell a Cinnabon, I feel like every time I taste it, it's kinda like it wasn't what the smell was. Still good, but wasn't what the smell was. But when I got this waffle, it was exactly what the smell was. There was no letdown. It was, all of my senses were happy. Oh, it was it was a really cool experience. And even from there, I just was like, I want to share this, I envision me, my older lady self behind the similar waffle cart. Just cranking these waffles out.
Michael Kithcart:
That is a great visual. And as one who has had your waffles. They are delicious. Like
Rebekkah Lamar Brunson:
Thank you.
Michael Kithcart:
And they they're they're comforting, and they're yummy. So I can only imagine I'd probably multiply that times 100 actually being in Belgium and being able to get one on the street. So how did you turn that food memory into a business?
Rebekkah Lamar Brunson:
Yeah, I think immediately when I had it, I was like, This is different. Like, this isn't what I think a waffle is. And this isn't what I say at home. We think waffles are kind of like, wow, other people need to experience this. We can't be stuck in this waffle realm where we just have an Eggo. like that can't be our alternate universe.
Michael Kithcart:
So oh my gosh, what a comparison.
Rebekkah Lamar Brunson:
I was just like, I have to bring this back in, I have to share it. And I never really let that go. I always held on to that. It's funny because Bobbi and I always laugh at the fact that when she asked me what I wanted to do when I stopped playing basketball, I was like, I want to have a waffle cart. She was kind of like okay, your dreams stop after basketball? I get it. I get it. No worry.
Michael Kithcart:
Is it fair to say that Bobbi Jo is the business side of the family?
Rebekkah Lamar Brunson:
That is very, very fair to say. I had a vision of what I wanted to do a small business. Of course, obviously, now we've kind of scaled that out. But I knew that I wanted to share this product with, you know, the the community around me. And she was the one that kind of figured out. Okay, how are we going to make this happen? How do we do this? Okay, now, how do we not just bring the idea to life? But how do we allow it to continue living? So yeah, I just I mean, I had a cool idea. She is the mastermind behind making sure that everything gets out there and everything runs smoothly and being able to allow me to see my vision come to fruition.
Michael Kithcart:
Okay, there's one thing to have a vision, right, and to have this idea and to know that you want to to make it happen. And then there's the actual doing of it. So where are you today versus where you started? What were some of the early concepts and ideas like how did you actually get this to become a business?
Rebekkah Lamar Brunson:
Honestly, I just started with a cart. That was it. I was like, Look, I want this really took some determination. Like I don't care how silly this dream sounds to you, I don't care what you think about it, I don't care what your vision is of it, this is something that I want to accomplish. So I'm gonna figure out how to make it happen. Right. So if that didn't mean, there was nothing that you can say to me about my little waffle dream that was one deterred me from wanting to make sure that this happened. So it just was like starting with the small idea. And then just really connecting with as many people as possible that we're going to help us get to where we want it to go. And then really persevere through it. Oh, I don't know. Like, it's cool to walk up to a food truck and order your food and stand outside and and chat with your friends and walk away. But there's, I mean, it's it's hard work. And there are a lot of days that you don't want to be in that small hot space. But you do anyways. So there, there were so many moments that we went through within our first year of trying to figure out just how to run a truck. And then now moving forward trying to figure out well what can this be what can we turn this into? What's our ultimate vision? So it's just continuing to like we're at this place where we're continuing to alter the vision of what we saw it as in the beginning and where we want to go, and a lot of that changes, I'm sure every business owner or anybody who's ever stepped out in any type of entrepreneurial spirit knows that, it's not gonna be exactly what you thought it would be, it's gonna be some alteration of your original vision. And you just keep, keep moving, keep plugging away and keep keep, you're taking the hits, and figuring out learning from all your mistakes and figuring out how to move forward.
Michael Kithcart:
I think food too, is one of the hardest types of businesses to have. And not only has this been highlighted as a result of COVID, and all the struggles that restaurant owners have had, but also like in a food from a food production standpoint to be able to get it so that the quality of the waffles is going to be consistent, and and also the cookies that you make. So how, without revealing any trademark secrets, of course, what was something that you learned in how you have your waffles now? And how you were able to recapture that experience that you had in Belgium? Like what was something that you had to do that really surprised you, but you have to do it in order to make the waffles taste as good as they do?
Rebekkah Lamar Brunson:
Oh, man, there were a lot of steps in that process. I think that you know, you can't anybody who's comes to the truck will probably be able to tell you the difference of getting a waffle that's like fresh off the press. And then getting waffles that we have packaged both are delicious, but two very different experiences. So I think that we really had to navigate that me personally from being overseas and, and knowing what my experiences was and wanting to show that like when we initially had initially had the idea. I was stern no topics, like no, like, you will get this waffle with your powdered sugar. And that is it. Like go and go on with your life and be happy and merry. That was it. Like I was very, very stuck on that idea of my own experience. And then talking with Bobbi, she was kind of like, Okay, I understand that's your experience. But we have to give a different, maybe more enjoyable, maybe an experience with a little bit more variety to allow us to move forward with so then we ended up having our signature waffles and signature toppings but it really started with no, no, no, this is the waffle and this is what you get
Michael Kithcart:
You're a purist
Rebekkah Lamar Brunson:
Yeah, exactly. That was me. And I was I was very, very stuck on that. But we we brought in. And then another thing you know, that was hard for us to get away from was we didn't move into packaging for a while because we knew the experience of having the waffle fresh off the truck. We just were like, Oh, we can't give somebody else a different experience than that this is the way it should be. But I think that when COVID happened, I think everybody had to no matter what you did, especially with flu, like you said you had to make some adjustment, right, you would not survive. And a lot of restaurants and a lot of food industry didn't survive because they weren't willing to adjust their their daily business model. They had what they had, and that's what they were going to do. So we have been toying with the idea of packaging for a while, but we just couldn't give up having waffles fresh off the truck. We just switched, we decided that packaging was the way to go. And this was the time for us to make this jump. Regardless of what we felt about our own experience. Someone else could have an amazing food experience with this waffle package. It whether you eat it, like you grab it and you eat it or you warm it up and you talk whatever it is. Everybody's food experience is different. Everybody's life is just like life experiences there you everybody tastes something just a little bit different. So by us not packaging, we were not allowing ourselves to share this waffle experience with everybody we wanted to. So we had to adjust with the times it kind of pushed us into that and pushed us down that road. But I think it was the right thing just like the purist in me wouldn't give up the plain waffle and that's the only way that you can have it waffle. The waffle, the Sweet Troo Vi truck wouldn't give up the idea that a packaged waffle was just as amazing
Michael Kithcart:
And it is I can vouch for it. What made you make the waffles and the cookies that you offer vegan?
Rebekkah Lamar Brunson:
Oh absolutely. Well, we tried to make the waffle vegan for a very long time. We do have a vegan option for the waffle, but it's different. It's not the same as the traditional liege waffle, because there's something about that dough that makes it special. But being people who tend to stay away from any animal products, by-products, we felt like we were doing a little bit of a disservice to the community that we care so much about we will constantly get asked about our vegan waffles on the truck and we wouldn't have them. So we really wanted to dedicate a space for our vegan friends, our vegan community. So what we did was we took that our traditional, or our signature waffle, and we just put those into cooking like the Dutchess cookie that we have out. Now that's a play on the Dutch waffle, which was one of our favorite signature waffles. So you still have the same flavor profiles, you still have similar ingredients, but it's just in a vegan cookie that everybody can enjoy.
Michael Kithcart:
Yes. They are aweomse I can vouch they are super, super good. That's my favorite cookie. I'm just gonna say
Rebekkah Lamar Brunson:
Thank you. I'm glad that you enjoyed it.
Michael Kithcart:
How did you come up with the name Sweet Troo Vi waffle?
Rebekkah Lamar Brunson:
Well, we actually had to go through a name change. We had a name that we felt like was very fitting to us. But it wasn't perceived very fitting or for everyone. And we are a company that really wants to be inclusive. On like I said, we want to make sure that we have something for everybody. When it comes down to our food or our messaging or how we introduce ourselves personally to the community around us. We always want to be inclusive, and we always want to make people feel better when they leave where we are then they felt when they came. So we went to a company here in Minneapolis, and we started talking to them try to dig a little bit deeper about our name and Troo Vi came up. If we kind of shied away from it for a little while I won't be able to pronounce it doesn't look too fancy, it's French, you know, frou-frou. Are we that company? But we The more we listened to it, the more we thought about it, it seemed like the perfect fit. Because trouvaille is a French word. And in Belgium, actually, half of the people in Belgium speak French. So it was perfect. And it means lucky find, or something stumbled upon. And that is exactly how I found the waffle. That's exactly how people find our truck. And though the waffle itself has pearl sugar in it, so it has little, little lucky finds of sugar, in the waffle itself! So we felt like it was perfect. And then we also love the play on the word trouvaille. We spell it phonetically. And when you break up the trou and the vaille, the beginning of that is "true." And we felt like that so relevant to us as a company and how we want people to perceive themselves like be your true self, be authentic, be real, be be all of those things that that true encompasses. So we just thought that it was the perfect name for us,
Michael Kithcart:
I can see to how you are taking the true part of the name and expanding it. So people who know you and start to learn about the business can quickly see that it is about more than waffles and cookie. So share with us what else you are trying to accomplish with the company
Rebekkah Lamar Brunson:
We're really, I think we really believe that. I think that, you know, other people say this too. But food is just a vessel for community. Right? It's a reason to gather, it's a reason to talk and to be with other people. So it's not this, I don't think it's really a shared experience, not this thing that's meant to be done by yourself. And community is a shared experience, right? So we want to make sure that we're doing the most good and in the community around us and our our vessel just happens to be waffles or cookies. And that's how we kind of break down those doors and those barriers and we would like to continue to be a impact a positive impact on the people around us. So we don't want to just feed you food, we don't want to just feed your your stomach, we want to try to figure out how we can feed the rest of you as well. Your your body, your spirit, your your soul, it feeding you at one moment means clothing you then that's what we want to do as well.
Michael Kithcart:
So beyond true being about truth, you created another definition for it to what's the meaning behind true
Rebekkah Lamar Brunson:
The meaning behind true for me, is for you. just authenticity. Really. It's funny we always talk about that we would like to produce some things that use the word true more. Being, whether it being true love or true, some of the things I said, community, but just a really is it really is authenticity, you know and openness, as well. So truth of character, all of them Those things are kinda encompassed in that.
Michael Kithcart:
Yes, and I love to, I think I saw some more that the way that you spell true, the TROO also stands for, it's like an acronym. Yeah, you want to bring into the community.
Rebekkah Lamar Brunson:
To Realize your Optimal Opportunity. And that is something that we think is important to teach to young people, I think that we're, we really want to be a gateway for opportunity for the youth in our community. And if not us being the gateway, just figuring out how we can let them know that there are opportunities out there that they may not see. And success really is taking advantage of those opportunities. That's really what it is all along, whatever path you're on. From the time that you're young into adulthood, there are always opportunities that they may be missed, they may be be taken advantage of, they may be taken for granted. But you have to realize how to make the most of the opportunities that you're given to be able to find success. And for us, we just want to be able to provide opportunities for the young people in our community, whether it be resources that we might have, whether it be an opportunity to work in a kitchen, or work on the truck, whether it be going out and being a part of the Boys and Girls Club, all of those things, just to be able to guide the young people in the community. And if you can't guide them, help them, you know, one of the things that we do with our apparel is that for everything that someone buys from us, we donate or match that and give it to the young homeless community. So whatever we're doing, it's really to better the people around us.
Michael Kithcart:
That is great. And I love the wearables, the human with the MN, great.
Rebekkah Lamar Brunson:
Represent Minnie, right?
Michael Kithcart:
That's right. It's I love it.
Rebekkah Lamar Brunson:
So you know, there's, there's got to be a lot of truth within this community. And there's always been so much support for all those things that we do too.
Michael Kithcart:
That is great. And I don't want to overlook the fact that you and your wife work together. Like, okay, so how do you balance? And you have a toddler too? On top of this. So how do you do a separation between the personal, your personal life, and then also running a business together? What are some rules that you two have?
Rebekkah Lamar Brunson:
It's hard, it's like, the rules are, and I don't, I don't know, we haven't perfectly figured out what it is, it's definitely a challenge, I think you just have to have some type of space for communication, and you have to figure out how to have some space for yourself, you know, when you're, when all you're doing is giving, whether it be to your business, or to your kid or to your spouse, and you know, your cup gets a little empty, right, so you have to figure out ways to fill yourself up. So the overflow that you're giving to all of those things is something that's positive, because it's not gonna be perfect. And you can't, you can't have an empty cup going into a bad day at work. And then, you know, angry toddler, and you can't function that way. So I think self care is really important and communication, that that too. Not being afraid to say that you need something for yourself for not saying that you need a little bit more from from your spouse. So that that's really huge. And just making sure that you're clear with your dialogue and clear where how you're feeling. Because that's going to really interfere, have a have a role in everything that you accomplish that day, because there's not a situation where you're stepping away, and you're going this place, you're going that place together, and then you're going that place together, and then you know, I might go to the store, but then I'm gonna meet you back at home. So just talking, and making sure that you're respectful of what the other person needs.
Michael Kithcart:
And that's great advice, whether or not you're in business with your spouse, or your significant other partner, who whatever your living quarters are, but I'm taking notes over here on this is good advice, Rebekkah, i general. How do you think bein in business together has mad the marriage stronger
Rebekkah Lamar Brunson:
The same thing, I feel like that that communication factor, because when you when you don't when you're not forced to do it, sometimes it slips, but we're in a situation where we are absolutely forced to make sure that we're communicating all the time, you know, our relationships, don't get that extra, the extra tests, you know, so you kind of just roll with the tide wherever it takes you. You don't address certain things, but we know that we won't be able to figure out what we have to do at work if we're not talking and then that carries on over into communicating at home and then just going through different trials, like the way that we felt when we made it through our first food truck festival. It was like, we did that like, Man, you we we made that happen. We got through it and was like 12 hours of sweating over this iron. My arm is burnt cuz some hot sugar got on it, My feet hurt. But you know what? Pound me, because we just did that, right? So all of those little milestones, all of those things that we created together means it's I mean, the creation part that absolutely brings you closer because there's not like you, you have a franchise and they give you a menu and this is what you do. And you go and you serve it. No, as we are sitting back and we're talking and we're figuring out what's next. What can we create? What can we make out of nothing. So that definitely brings you brings you closer together. And then talking about how we want to make the people around us better how we want to uplift our community, we have all of those types of conversations as well. So the communication part of it and going through the fire together. Definitely. It'll build you up.
Michael Kithcart:
Love that. And when you're thinking about that creating peace, I'm curious, just like what's the vision for the business? And the mission going forward? What's on the horizon? For you?
Rebekkah Lamar Brunson:
It seems like cookies. Here we are, yes, everybody vegans everywhere Get ready, there shall be more cookies. But yeah, you know, I think we're just we're really figuring that out how to get our product, this product that we didn't want to package in the first place, it turned out to be amazing into as many places as possible. And then, after we do that, you know, figuring out, what we can create in the community around us, you know, I've really feel like the reason that we want to be successful as far as a company is concerned, because with success, you have more opportunity to to give more, and to impact more. And that is really what we're about. But, you know, being a successful company, it helps you get to those places. But yeah, we just, I would think we want to keep packaging and keep creating and have a variety of things and just see how far we can go.
Michael Kithcart:
Yes, that's great. And then as the weather starts to get warmer here, because we're recording in March, but now will you be back out with the food truck?
Rebekkah Lamar Brunson:
You know, what, we spoke about that is going to be very difficult for us to have the truck out this summer, honestly, because I'll be coaching with the Lynx. And you know, Bobbi will take on some new staff. But I really feel like we're going to use the summer, rather than just being on the truck every day to kind of figure out what we want to do and how many stores we can get into and how we can continue to grow this product and what it can turn into. So I think that'll kind of be our goal this season. But we do want to figure out how we're readily available. I know that people love food, truck season and love being able to get out and have those type of food experiences. And we want to be a part of that. For sure. We just don't know exactly what it will look like. But hopefully we'll have some pop up around the Twin Cities where our waffles a cookie will be available. And then hopefully we just continue to fill up all the markets around town so that we can get these great products to you all.
Michael Kithcart:
Yes, well, and I haven't had the opportunity to experience on the food truck. So I can vouch and say that having the products the packaged products are really, really good. And I love that you have an alliance, right? So I'm just going back to I ordered product online and then I picked it up. So right now you're making the products through Is it a community kitchen or tell us how you're, you're actually creating the products?
Rebekkah Lamar Brunson:
Yeah, well, I'll talk about when I talk about like the opportunities that can be maybe missed or taken advantage of we're over and Northeast at Dots Gray. It's a commissary kitchen. So there are different restaurants in here or bakers and all types of things is really coming with a good good energy in this kitchen. But you know, we met them I met them a couple years ago. Well actually Bobbi met them first and they introduced us and we became friends and they were like they had a food truck and they kind of took us under their wing wing as far as that's concerned. They opened up this kitchen told us that they would love to have this here and their amazing space so we got to sharing that with them but yeah, just kind of networking got us over here. And it's been an amazing experience. So that's where we do our pickups as well. So if you order online from us and you come over to Dots Great kitchen it is the community kitchen is where we bake everything we prep everything we make everything and you know we're able to have pickups here as well.
Michael Kithcart:
Yes. So that is great to tell people how they can order your products. And then also how can they follow you?
Rebekkah Lamar Brunson:
Yes, you can follow us on. I believe we have a Tiktok now, I'm an old person. (laughter) So I'm not sure how Tiktok works. But we do have an Instagram we do have a Facebook, and you could follow us @SweetTrooVi. And you can definitely go to SweetTrooViWaffle.com and check out all of our amazing products get some amazing visuals, you could look at our story learn a little bit more about us, my wife and I where we're from where we want to go. And you know our mission of what we want to do to change this community around us and make it make it as amazing as it could possibly be.
Michael Kithcart:
Love that you are tackling a lot of things all at once Rebekkah while providin Sweet Troo Vi waffles to the t the community. So I will mak sure that all the links are i the show notes. So for all o you listening who want to bu the products on there will b links in there too, so that w can just make it a little bi easier. So Rebekkah, thank you o much for taking time of being n the Champions of RISK podcast,
Rebekkah Lamar Brunson:
Thank you. Thank you so much for having me. This has been an amazing experience.
Michael Kithcart:
Hey, if you're like most people, you want this I look forward to continuing o watch the growth of yo year to be better than last year, right? You have some big goals on your to do list, but you're finding it hard to move forward on it. So maybe you're not finding time in the day to work on your business or find that next career move. Maybe you say you're committed to doing things for you, but you let other things take priority. Or maybe you're finding it hard to take consistent steps forward on that goal. Does any of this sound like you? Well, if so, check out Champion You Group Coaching because it can help. Each month other high achievers just like you meet virtually to learn necessary ways to break down current barriers and put action and momentum behind their goals. Members gain clarity and focus they raise their level of energy and they up their game encouraging influence. Members walk away each month with specific action steps they determined that they are going to put in place to reach their goals. They have expanded options and resources gathered from spending time with others like themselves. So discover for yourself how Champion You Group Coaching can support you in achieving your own version of an unstoppable 2021.
Click the button below if you would like a chance to be featured on the Champions of RISK Podcast.
Recent Posts
