Today we’d like to introduce you to Mini Panyavong.
Hi Mini, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Mini Fusion sauce was originally created in the summer of 2006. Mini had always had that natural ability to cook and entertained. The idea came from the desire to please her then-boyfriend of the time, who is now her husband. He had asked her to marinate meat for him to grill.
She decided to flavor it with as much love as she could, and people later remarked ironically that it was the doing of his work. But the person behind the sauce was actually a woman. In the fall of 2018, Mini finally decided to start her own sauce business, Mini Fusion, LLC. She wanted to share her unique blend of Asian flavors, herbs, and spices with others who enjoyed an all-in-one cooking sauce.
Mini designed the sauces so that it flatters all manners of the Asian cuisine palette: tangy, sweet, salty, and of course, umami. It can be used to flavor chicken wings for the kids or for a quick weekday stir-fry meal. It is practical for a stay-at-home mom with fussy kid(s) as well as an urban professional with limited time.
She hopes that it is a wonderful addition to your meals as well as your life.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it has not easy. There’s not a book, direct resources, or a roadmap on how to start a sauce company. A lot of it was trial and error. I learned from my mishaps while continuing with perseverance in what I set out to accomplish.
My relentless passion for what I do also keeps me going when things get tough, at times. The obstacles/challenges are more of my opportunities to overcome. Like they say “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a wife to my wonderful husband, KP, of 15 years and a mother to two beautiful, caring, and smart kids- Lily, 11 years old daughter and Liam, my soon-to-be 6 years old son. They are my world and my constant fuel to my daily grind.
I recently had the opportunity to return back to the corporate world after taking a 3 1/2 year break to take care of my youngest child.
I am a Senior Manager, Sales Enablement for Inovalon. A healthcare technology company. I really enjoy my role because I feel like I’m making a difference for our sales teams by creating processes, tools, and training to help them accelerate in their jobs. I feel like I’m an entrepreneur within the wall of a big thriving and growing organization like Inovalon.
In the evenings and weekends I am the CEO/Founder of my own company, Mini Fusion, LLC. I’m proud to put all my hard earn sweat and tears to see how much my business has grown through the years. Especially through the uncertainty of the pandemic. I’ve been blessed to had the opportunity to expand my business model to not just be a sauce company but more. I want Mini Fusion to be a household brand and a brand that my family is proud of.
Mini Fusion, also offers local cooking classes, business consulting, and speaking engagements. I think that sets me apart.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
It’s simple, seeing other people happy. I believe that our happiness is somehow connected to other people’s happiness too. Especially from my love ones.
When I’m working my 9-5, it makes me happy to be a part of the team solving the problems that impacts our healthcare industry.
As for my other side, I love watching my customers smile when they try and purchase my sauces. Or when I have my cooking class, I see them having fun while they learn something new.
It’s all worth it when you love what you do and others see the value and dedication you put in making the sauces and/or creating recipes for them to cook up.
Contact Info:
- Email: Minifusionsauce@yahoo.com
- Website: Minifusionsauce.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/Minifusionsauce
- Facebook: Facebook.com/Minifusionsauce
- Twitter: Twitter.com/Minifusionsauce
