Conversations with the Inspiring Anita Dangerfield

Today we’d like to introduce you to Anita Dangerfield.

Anita, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was born in Laos, a country in Southeast Asia between Thailand and Vietnam. We arrived in the United States when I was at the tender age of two, after seeking refuge in Thailand from the Vietnam War. After learning English, my third language (I also speak Lao and Thai), I matriculated through school to ultimately earn my Master’s Degree from the University of Arkansas. I spent over ten years in Retail Project Management at Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., then pivoted into my current career in Commercial Construction Management. Yes, I proudly own a hard hat and construction boots.

Food was a big part of my culture at family gatherings. One of my fondest memories during childhood is hand rolling spring rolls with my family. My father used to make them for his co-workers, with my sister and I helping him roll. Mai Eats launched in March of 2018 when my husband Marcus pushed me to share my Lao cuisine with the people of Dallas. The Mai in Mai Eats is the name of my older sister who taught me the secrets of the perfect roll and who has always been one of my biggest supporters. At the start of Mai Eats, we only had spring rolls and dessert tea, and since have added our Lao Coconut Curry and fresh juices (pineapple, watermelon, orange, and grapefruit). We hope to add more of our favorite dishes in the future. As a self-proclaimed foodie, I work hard to prepare the “Taste of Laos” in every bite.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
For me, a journey with no obstacles is probably one not challenging enough. I believe you have to be challenged outside your comfort zone to continually grow, both personally and professionally. One of the challenges I faced when starting my business was time management. I knew starting a business means a lot of sacrificed weekends of lounging, brunching, and shopping, but I truly believe the sacrifice is worth it. I’ve learned how to better prioritize my time between my day job, Mai Eats and my very limited personal life. On weekends spent away from the Dallas Farmers Market, I like to relax at home or hang out with friends and family.

The advice I’d offer young women dreaming to start a business of their own would be to dream big! Nothing is ever too big, or too hard for you to achieve as long as you put your heart and soul into it. Even if you fail, you’ll learn from it and move forward better prepared for obstacles in the future. Create your own story in life and surround yourself with different groups of people of all ages and backgrounds. You might be surprised by how much you can learn from all the different walks of life.

What should we know about Mai Eats? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am the co-owner of Mai Eats, our family business, that brings Lao cuisine to the DFW community one bite at a time. We currently only operate during weekends at the Dallas Farmers Market but are excited to one day grow and expand. Mai spring rolls are hand-rolled and filled with beef & veggies, served with homemade sweet chili dipping sauce and topped with crushed peanuts. We also offer fresh juices (watermelon, pineapple, orange, and grapefruit) with Southeast Asian nectars to add a Lao’d kick of sweetness. All juices are custom made to order and served inside the fruit. Our newest item on the menu is the Lao CocoCurry, a red curry with fresh cut veggies over sweet jasmine rice, and served in a reusable coconut bowl. For our veggie-focused customers we offer our vegan lover, and add shredded chicken for the meat fans.

What sets us apart from other restaurants is definitely our friendly customer service. We make your experience one of a kind by allowing customers to select custom ingredients in their juice and the chance to see the fruit juiced right before their eyes. It doesn’t get any fresher than that! The juices look just as delicious as they taste. We also pride ourselves in our money back guarantee. Our constant effort to improve our green footprint is evident through the use of no cups, by serving the juices right inside the fruit and our curry in our reusable coconut bowls. Prompting the tagline for our juices: #JuiceSoFreshItNeverLeavesTheFruit.

Looking back on your childhood, what experiences do you feel played an important role in shaping the person you grew up to be?
Our family relocated to the US owning just the clothes on our backs. My parents worked 2 jobs each just to make ends meet, teaching me early the value of a dollar. Growing up, I had to work hard for what I wanted, making me more appreciative of the little I had. Seeing my parents work so hard to put food on the table and clothes on our backs taught me that nothing in life is free. You have to put in the time and effort to get to where you want to be.

Contact Info:

• Address: Dallas Farmers Market
  920 S. Harwood St
  Dallas, Texas 75201
• Email: maigoodeats@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maigoodeats/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maieats/

Image Credit:
Kathy Tran, Natasha Letap, Courtney Porkolab, Margarita Medina, Jennifer Price

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