Today we’d like to introduce you to Saraiah Vincent.
Hi Saraiah, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi, my name is Saraiah pronounced like a ray of sunshine. I was born and raised in South Metro-Atlanta, GA, and I’m happy to call it home. As a kid, I developed a love for helping others. In fact, my dad called me his “Helper Bee” because in his words, I was “always busy, with my helping hands.” I’ve worn many hats (and continue to do so), but in all I do my main objective is to help others.
I was born with severe food/environmental allergies, Eczema and Asthma. As I grew, I noticed patterns of limited accommodations for me and people with conditions like mine. I found myself consistently educating teachers, restaurant managers, and sometimes even my parents. It’s almost as if folks without allergies would rather see my allergic reaction rather than put in the work to prevent it.
And I get it, it’s hard for people without allergies to modify their way of life and thinking to shift to an allergy-focused mindset. Allergies are rarely talked about and when they are, it’s a joke. Someone’s face has swollen to the size of a beach ball in a TV show or movie – never any real-world consequences. For me and others like me, it’s literally life or death. Being in a constant state of fear that my next meal or outing would be ended due to an allergic reaction, I had a brave thought. What if I was the change I needed to see? What if I could help others by sharing my experiences?
So, in 2018, I launched my business, The Helper Bee, LLC. We offer many different services including allergy consulting, always with the goal of putting advocacy to the forefront.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The Helper Bee is the physical representation of my love of helping others. I desire to educate offer tools and products to better serve those with allergies. I’ll know I’ve made a mark in this world when it becomes common practice for restauranteurs to train their staff in food allergy safety. The opportunity to make a huge impact in a widely underserved demographic is monumental.
Unfortunately, right when The Helper Bee, LLC started getting its footing within the foodservice/restaurant landscape, COVID hit. We all have a similar stories when it comes to the pandemic; but with every obstacle, there is any opportunity for growth. I expanded the offerings of the Helper Bee, LLC. We recently created two new branches, So Glad You Are Here and Honeypot Picnic Co.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
The Helper Bee, LLC has three main branches, Consulting, Honeypot Picnic Co., and So Glad You Are Here.
Consulting includes both Allergy Safety Consulting and Project-based consulting. Allergy-based consulting includes information and tools to individuals and their families with food allergies by directing them to products, dining locations, and medical advice. We also provide expert, real-life training to restaurants, schools, and corporations through tailored training modules. In efforts to aid them in their service to allergic/sensitive audiences. Project-based consulting includes photography/videography, editing, voice talent, scriptwriting, and event planning/management.
So Glad You Are Here is my podcast. We focus on mental health and wellbeing. You can listen on Spotify and other main streaming services.
Honeypot Picnic Co is our luxury picnic branch. Honeypot Picnic Co offers the ultimate picnic experience, just let us know when and where you’d like your picnic to take place. Book and let us take care of the rest!
At this stage in my business journey, I have realized the overwhelming need for community support around small businesses and my generation as well as those coming up. Summer 2022 will be the launch date for my networking event in collaboration with other like-minded individuals. We are redefining what networking events look like and how our fellow entrepreneurs do business. Keep an eye out for more information on social media. I would love for Voyage Atl to cover this project and join the team.
What were you like growing up?
Being a sickly child puts a damper on fun but never stops the show. This was my mantra growing up. I felt that to combat the hardships I placed on my family and environment, I needed to take on a lot. I got to keep going, keep being busy, keep being everyone’s ray of sunshine.
It is really at this juncture in my life I’m learning to find balance. I will always have a passion for helping others and advocacy, but now I’m on the journey of discerning what is helpful, what is trauma response, and everything thing in-between. I have a podcast called So Glad You Are Here where we talk about topics like mental health, wellness, burn-out, and more. I loving call the listeners, Sun-RAIs. It’s all about finding warm and comfort in your current space, being your own ray of sunshine.
Contact Info:
- Email: thehelperbee2@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.thehelperbee.co/
- Instagram: @the_helperbee
