Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Tran.
Rachel, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I was born and raised in the city of Los Angeles along with my three siblings. Growing up, I watched my mom work endlessly, from morning to night, just to provide what she could for us. She is the epitome of the kindest superhero you’ll ever meet and the reason I do everything that I do.
Since my mom always worked, I shadowed my older sister. She was involved in non-profits and of course, I made her take me to all the different volunteer events. From this, I grew an enormous love for the non-profit world. Every event, every person I encounter, and all the beautiful, positive energy that radiates around non-profits makes my heart so happy. If you meet me in person and talk non-profits, you’ll definitely see my eyes sparkle ☺. I spent a lot of my life volunteering everywhere and anywhere I could; from beautification’s within the community to build houses in the Philippines to working with pandas and animal conservation in China. After graduating from college, I joined AmeriCorp and worked in schools of neighborhoods that were poverty stricken. I learned to live on food stamps and about $800 a month and I loved every moment of it because I knew I was making a difference even if it was just with one child. To say, I have love non-profits, it’s probably an understatement. Lol!
Volunteering could have definitely been my end all be all, but I kept thinking about my mother and the crazy sacrifices she made to just give me and my siblings a chance at life. So, I knew that I needed to do more, do something that my family could call our own, something that would give us the “American Dream,” something that could fulfill my own dream of opening a non-profit and something my mom would be proud of. From this, The Poké Point was born.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I don’t think any roads are smooth unless it was a road already paved out specifically for you. The road to your dreams will always be a bumpy one and I truly believe those bumps make you appreciate your journey that much more. I feel like the hardest step about being an entrepreneur is just taking a risk. Taking a risk and believing in yourself. You are going to get a lot of no’s, don’t let those no’s get you down! You are going to hear a bunch of people says that you need to do things a certain way. Let it go in one ear and out the other and believe in yourself! You are going to have those days where you are tired, you are crying and you just don’t want to do it anymore. It’s okay to feel like this, it passes and you keep on keeping on! It’s hard as a woman. We have to speak up, we have to repeat ourselves and sometimes people just don’t take us seriously. This is why we need to truly believe in our abilities and believe in each other in order for us all to succeed together. And lastly, reach out! Reach out for help, for advice, for a shoulder to lean on, please reach out when you need it because you are not alone. <3
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about The Poké Point – what should we know?
The Poké Point is the hidden gem located inside the 99 Ranch Market in Carrollton. We serve to build your own poké bowls, spam musubis, Hawaiian drinks and more. The best way to explain what we serve is that it is like Chipotle sushi. I am extremely proud of what my family built. Every aspect of our business is done in-house through the help of our family and friends. From our logo to our sauces to the color choices on our walls, we created every aspect of our business out of love and family.
So much of the media coverage is focused on the challenges facing women today, but what about the opportunities? Do you feel there are any opportunities that women are particularly well positioned for?
This generation gives us all a very unique ability to create our own opportunities. The advancement of technology has given us many social media platforms to take what we love and turn it into a possible business without such high risk and overhead. It allows more of us to take a chance on pursuing our dreams!
Contact Info:
- Address: 2532 Old Denton Road (Located inside 99 Ranch Market)
Carrollton, TX 75006 - Website: www.thepokepoint.com
- Phone: 972-242-2016
- Email: info@thepokepoint.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepokepoint/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepokepoint/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/thepokepoint
Image Credit:
https://www.instagram.com/thepokepoint/, https://www.instagram.com/_rachelann_/
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
