Stephanie Parra, Helping Women of Color Thrive as Food Entrepreneurs
Starting a food business from scratch can be a difficult and tricky endeavor. With over 17 years of experience in the food industry and 3 food businesses under her belt, Stephanie Parra demystifies the industry and empowers women of color (WOC) to become successful food entrepreneurs in The Food Entrepreneur Society program.
Stephanie never expected her career would land in the dynamic realm of food entrepreneurship. For a while, the plan was to enter academia and pursue a Ph.D. in Sociology. Her first experience in the food industry started casually in high school and continued gradually throughout her academic career, mainly as a way to support her and her family financially. Halfway through her graduate program, she realized academia wasn’t for her. “At that point, I had accumulated so much experience in the food industry. I thought - why not take that experience more seriously?”
After leaving grad school and pursuing culinary school, she deep-dived into her first business. “It was an absolute disaster. I had chef mentors, but they weren’t necessarily coaching me on the business side of food entrepreneurship. A lot of what I was doing was misguided, and I wasted so much time and money. I remember feeling burnt out and never wanting another WOC to feel that way.”
Fast-forward to today, Stephanie has launched The Food Entrepreneur Society, a safe and inclusive coaching platform for WOC food entrepreneurs. It’s a space to talk about identities, tackle tough topics, share business goals, and get monthly coaching.
One of the big topics? Family pressures.
“It’s hard to find mentors that talk about deeper issues. With so many WOC who do not feel supported and often doubted by their family, I want to empower them to create the food business they always wanted and find financial freedom on their terms.”
For Stephanie, it’s a dream come true to give back to a community of women entrepreneurs. She draws from her 3 businesses and teaching experience to craft a truly unique and accessible program.
“I love what I do. I get to work with a population that is 100% aligned. I want WOC food entrepreneurs to feel like they can show up fully as themselves, instead of compartmentalizing their identities. We all empower and rise together.”
As for her biggest advice to aspiring food entrepreneurs? “Invest in health and wellness first. Self-doubt and imposter syndrome are real. ‘Am I good enough? Am I built for this?’ Many struggles come from our minds and tend to be reinforced by what people around us say. Just take it one step at a time. Once you’ve created a foundation of personal health and wellness, invest in your business.”
Are you ready to become a food entrepreneur? Join Stephanie Parra’s Food Entrepreneur Society for WOC Food Entrepreneurs.