Today we’d like to introduce you to Micki Bey.
Micki, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My story began just like any other story… in the kitchen. I was raised by my Nana and my mother, who is also a chef by trade. They both taught me so much about food. Being raised by two culinary gurus had its perks. My siblings and I stayed in the kitchen, eating. Eating good food is still my favorite thing to do. I grew up Seventh Day Adventist so I was vegetarian most of my childhood. Being vegetarian in the ’90s meant creating a lot of non-traditional meals. My Nana cooked with no recipes and no measurements. Every meal or dessert was a special creation. Following in her footsteps is how BeyNana’s was born. Our name is formed from our last name Bey and homage to our Nana, as well as its similarity to the word banana. My husband and kids always tell me how I just make stuff up in the kitchen and every time, they are pleasantly surprised at what I’ve created. I grew up making and eating old fashioned banana pudding. Yes, the kind with the double boiler and egg white peaks.
The banana pudding was amazing… for about three days when those ripe bananas became brown and mushy. I remember having to push the brown bananas around to get to the good stuff. I loved banana pudding too much, so I made it a personal mission to create a great tasting bananaless banana pudding. I started with a base, which is now OG Original. We begin to add fruit to the pudding. Strawberry was our first fruit flavor. We now have seven fruit flavors, including my favorite Ga Peach, which has peaches cooked in cinnamon in our original pudding base with Nilla wafers. I begin to research foods that complement bananas. After a couple of test trials, I was a pro at creating a really good bananaless banana pudding. It just went on from there. I remember thinking, wow, the possibilities are endless. We now have 20+ flavors and growing! We also offer other homemade sweets like red velvet cookies and banana pudding ice cream.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Becoming BeyNana has been life-changing. Of course, we’ve had some struggles along the way but not enough to keep us from pushing forward. I’m so proud of how far we’ve come in less than a year. I remember giving pudding away for free just so people would try it. I still do! I think everyone needs a taste of BeyNana’s banana pudding. When I go to other businesses, I’m taking pudding to share. I take pudding everywhere I go because I want everyone to taste the love and positive energy that comes free with each purchase! I enjoy the hustle and I favor the push to work hard every single day for my business.
It is extremely rewarding to overcome obstacles I would have never thought I’d be facing only a year ago. I believe our biggest challenge has been changing the perception of what banana pudding should taste like. It’s hard to believe that banana pudding can taste so good and can be blended with so many awesome flavors all without bananas. My customers’ first taste is always so special because I know I’ve changed their minds about an old-time favorite. I strive to create a brand that my family will reap the rewards for generations to come and welcome any challenges that come my way.
Please tell us about BeyNana’s.
BeyNana’s is a specialty banana pudding and sweets company. We specialize in the custom flavored banana pudding with no bananas. We have 20+ flavors and growing. Some of our sweets include red velvet cookies and banana pudding ice cream. We also offer treats for furry babies. We offer vegetarian options as well. We deliver in the metro Atlanta area and are hoping to begin shipping in the near future. We have been in business since November of 2019 and have grown tremendously through the support of everyone who has ever supported us through follows, shares, and word of mouth recommendations. When people taste BeyNana’s pudding, I always ask, “Have you ever had flavored bananaless banana pudding before?” Their answer is always no and my response is always “Yes, I know cause’ I’m the only one who makes it” and that’s what sets us apart. You can get banana pudding from literally everywhere and because you can buy anywhere, I stand firm on no bananas.
If we add bananas, then what makes us different? One of our mottos is “No Bananas Were Harmed.” We are proud of all of the reviews and stories our customers tell us all surrounding BeyNana’s banana pudding. We’re proud to share our love and creativity with others and we’re extremely proud of the joy that being business owners bring us. It took a lot of hard work and focused on building BeyNana’s but we’re most proud of our success and we look forward to serving you in the near future however, before ordering, please remember “This Not Yo Grandma’s Banana Pudding.”
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Becoming a black female entrepreneur in 2020 was a lesson all its own. I’ve learned that success is earned and not given and requires endless hours of dedication and hard work. I’ve had the opportunity to meet so many awesome and dedicated business owners that have taught me so much and never asked for anything in return. I’ve learned that remaining genuine and treating others with respect goes a long way. I’ve also learned to take this new business one day at a time but also prepare and plan ahead. I’ve been able to set a standard for my brand based on the lessons that I’ve learned in only ten short months. I’m continuing to set goals for my business and I’m very excited about our future. If I had to start over, I wouldn’t change a thing. I firmly believe in God’s plan for my family and my business and I’m not messing with anything he already has his name on.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.beynanassweets.com
- Phone: 678-355-8582
- Email: beynanassweets@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/beynanassweets
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beynanassweets3/
- Yelp: https://yelp.to/qTKq/ru3p1uTQBab
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