VOA – CONNECT
EPISODE # 186
AIR DATE: 08 06 2021
TRANSCRIPT
OPEN ((VO/NAT))
((Banner))
Sharing Success
((SOT))
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
When I opened The Spice Suite, I almost immediately
realized that I needed to start to invite community into the
space. And so, I started to post on Instagram that I would
allow black business owners, who have a product that is
either uniquely sourced or handmade, to come in and sell
their products here completely free of charge. No fine print.
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
Women Who Build
((SOT))
((Kelly Kupcak, Executive Director, Oregon
Tradeswomen))
A lot of girls and women, even though we're in the 21st
century, are like, ‘Oh, I don't see myself as that.’ So, they
don't think that's an opportunity for them.
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
A Homegrown Business
((SOT))
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
Some of my customers send me videos. It makes me really
happy to see these videos and the customers loving the
peanut butter.
((Open Animation))
BLOCK A
((PKG)) THE SPICE SUITE
((TRT: 05:52))
((Topic Banner: Spice Suite))
((Reporter/Camera/Editor: June Soh))
((Map: Washington, D.C.))
((Main character: 1 female))
((Sub characters: 3 female))
((NATS))
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
So, typically I start with something familiar, and my most
familiar spice is sea salt. Salt is just as delicate as saffron,
and it should be treated just as such. And this is parsley,
onion flakes. This is smoked paprika, and this is rubbed
sage.
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
So, after we get everything all mixed in a bowl, this is like the
point where you are at home,
((Courtesy: The Spice Suite))
and you are standing in the mirror, and you’re trying to figure
out if you love that outfit, right? And I am like, okay, I think I
like this. I think this is it. So, you pull your camera out, right?
Or your whisk. And you whisk it. And as I whisk it, this is
when I really know if I’ve gotten it right because I would start
to smell it and I would immediately know if this smells good.
((NATS: Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
Hi, welcome.
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
I am Angel Gregorio, owner of The Spice Suite, a spice shop
and dream incubator located uptown in Washington, D.C.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
So, our motto here is ‘food is fashion’ because I really
believe that you should have just as much fun in your kitchen
as you do in your closet. You should go out into the world
with no rules when it comes to flavor.
((Courtesy: The Spice Suite))
And I take that philosophy into my spice creation.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
Not having any culinary background, it still kind of blows my
mind that I am a spice girl because I did not grow up going to
spice shops.
((Courtesy: The Spice Suite))
And when I saw this vacant space, I called the landlord and
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
had this like very like random serendipitous conversation
around like what I wanted to do with this space. I still don't
have any idea what made me say, ‘I would turn this into a
spice shop.’ But I said it on a whim.
((Courtesy: The Spice Suite))
Three and a half weeks later, I opened this spice shop. I left
my job a month and a half after that conversation and that
was almost six years ago.
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
So, when I opened The Spice Suite, I had no idea what I
was doing.
((Courtesy: The Spice Suite))
I was ordering spices online not really sure what was going
on.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Courtesy: The Spice Suite))
Now, I've been to about 26 different countries to source
spices. And so, that is really me like sourcing and me doing
research and me like this understanding this spice world. I'm
really like learning on the job, like this like on the job training.
Right now, I have over 120,000 followers on Instagram. And
I have learned that my followers on Instagram like to see me
cook. And so, I do not like to cook on camera.
((Courtesy: The Spice Suite))
But I do enjoy cooking and I love the peace and solitude of
cooking. I am doing things that are fairly easy to do. I'm just
layering flavor in ways that folks never imagine doing. I use
my regular, old iPhone and I record everything in the
Instagram and then I upload it.
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
COVID has impacted our business positively
((Courtesy: The Spice Suite))
because everybody is at home cooking. They had time to try
those recipes. So, they wanted access to my products. And
so, our business has really grown a lot during COVID.
((NATS))
((Charita Armwood, Customer))
I have tried over 70 different spices. I really love her
products and it’s taking my food to like a whole another level.
I am getting really creative with my meals.
((Jerlene Matthias, Customer))
This is actually my first time here. I found her on her
Instagram and my sister brought me in the area. I am from
Boston. I can’t wait to go home and try it.
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
When I opened The Spice Suite, I almost immediately
realized that I needed to start to invite community into the
space. And so, I started to post on Instagram that I would
allow Black business owners, who have a product that is
either uniquely sourced or handmade, to come in and sell
their products here completely free of charge. No fine print.
We became known as a dream incubator.
((Ambrie Jones, Pop-up Participant))
I create all of my products by hand and blend and pour in
small batches at home. So, the cool thing is just being able
to be around all these women and be encouraged by all of
them and then continue to
((Courtesy: The Spice Suite))
grow with them, laugh with them. We have friendships
outside of being spice girls. So, it’s just fun to connect with
all of them.
((NATS/Music))
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
Prior to opening The Spice Suite and being a spice girl, I
was an assistant principal.
((Courtesy: The Spice Suite))
I’ve been an educator for oh about ten years. I went to
Howard for undergrad and grad-school. I got my degrees in
psychology.
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
So, I decided I wanted to work at the youth jail. And I
became familiar with the youth jail because
((Courtesy: The Spice Suite))
my younger brother has spent a substantial amount of time
at this youth jail. Because I saw myself in them. I saw my
brothers in them. I saw so many people I loved in them. And
so, that is what, kind of, set me on the path to become an
actual teacher.
((NATS: Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
You are all set? Please set your basket here.
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
So, business has been absolutely amazing. I, I mean, we
have gone from like, you know, making just enough to pay
the rent to this being like a thriving business in such a short
amount of time. My accountant is who sent me an award
saying like, “Welcome to the seven-figure club”. I didn’t even
pause so like recognize that as an achievement on my own.
((Courtesy: The Spice Suite))
I’ve done a lot of community service. I’ve given back. I
continue to reach back.
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
I do not believe that, as a business owner, you can expect
community to show up and support you financially, and you
not show up and support your community.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Courtesy: The Spice Suite))
You know, I have two brothers serving life in prison.
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
If ever my brothers are given an opportunity to come home,
I'm the only person that will hire them immediately.
((Courtesy: The Spice Suite))
They’ve been locked up for so long for so much of their lives,
this spice shop will be the lifeline for them to be able to thrive
and succeed and be contributing citizens again.
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
I am currently living a dream I didn’t even know I had. I just
hope that my life feels like less of a dream and more just like
this really cool reality.
((NATS))
Cheese.
Thank you.
((NATS/MUSIC))
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up…..
((Banner))
Creating Equality
((SOT))
((Kelly Forbes, Founder, LOVE Painting Company))
So, I was just young, and I was a woman, and I just
generally got paid much less than other people. Like I was
going in people's houses, doing the whole entire job, was
making 14 dollars an hour and the foremen were making 25,
30 dollars an hour.
BREAK ONE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK B
((PKG)) FEMALE PAINTER
((Previously aired December 2020))
((TRT: 04:56))
((Banner: Women in Business))
((Reporter/Camera: Genia Dulot))
((Map: San Diego, California))
((Main character: 1 female))
((Sub character: 1 female))
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Kelly Forbes, Founder, LOVE Painting Company))
I was painting at a high-rise, not so great apartment building,
actually right in this neighborhood. And I was working
alongside this cleaner and she was crying. She was like,
“How are you able to do this?” Because we make a lot more
money than cleaners. “You know, it's a man's job. I wish I
could do this and all these things.” And I was really moved
by that. And I was like one day like I'm going to get my
contractor's license so I can hire women and they can make
more money, you know. And so, that's what I did.
((NATS))
((Kelly Forbes, Founder, LOVE Painting Company))
I was in contractor license school and I was like nine months
pregnant. I was the only woman and I was like wobbling in
there. I was really uncomfortable.
((NATS: Kelly Forbes and her daughter, Maya))
Can you wave at the camera? Hi.
((Kelly Forbes, Founder, LOVE Painting Company))
It's very masculine. It's very sexist. It's very ageist as well.
So, I was just young, and I was a woman, and I just
generally got paid much less than other people. Like I was
going in people's houses, doing the whole entire job, was
making 14 dollars an hour and the foremen were making 25,
30 dollars an hour.
((NATS))
((Courtesy: LOVE Painting Company))
((Kelly Forbes, Founder, LOVE Painting Company))
Well, I created my own company when I was 16 years old as
soon as I learned to paint a room. I just came up with the
name Love Painting Company because I love love and I love
the word love. But I started a physical, real like live company
that has a contractor's license and all of those things in
2017.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((NATS:
Kelly Forbes, Founder, LOVE Painting Company;
Jennifer, Employee, LOVE Painting Company))
I'm also impressed that you know that painters wear white.
Well, a lot of it's to hide like plaster and product instead…..
Yep.
…..of landing on the clothes.
Yep.
…..and white matches everything and so any paint
splattered…..
Yep.
on your clothes, it matches.
((Kelly Forbes, Founder, LOVE Painting Company))
You’re carrying like five gallon [19 liter] buckets of paint.
They're extremely heavy. You're carrying heavy ladders,
going up and down and up and down all day. So, it's pretty
physically demanding.
((NATS))
((Jennifer, Employee, LOVE Painting Company))
So, I think that's a common misconception in society that like
women can't do these like hands-on jobs that might take
physical labor. And I think that, you know, women can do
anything a man can do.
((NATS))
((Kelly Forbes, Founder, LOVE Painting Company))
Like, we hire men as well. It’s not a sexist thing or people
who identify as somewhere in between both genders, like
we're very encompassing. But also, a lot of women, people
really trust them. And they come in their home and they feel
people with families or say like an older woman who lives
alone, like they feel very comfortable with that. And women
are really great painters as well.
((Kelly Forbes, Founder, LOVE Painting Company))
It's just, it's a feminine process in general. You're like coating
unique things. It's not like carpentry where like carpentry
you're like cutting wood and it's like a measurement and it's
like a straightness and it's very exact, whereas like, so it’s
like a very feminine, like finesse process to paint things. And
then there's like the intuitive color consultation side.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Kelly Forbes, Founder, LOVE Painting Company))
This yellow and this purple will not be in the home on the
walls. It's a palette for them to work off of, to add art and
accents, throw pillows, blankets, stuff like that.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Courtesy: LOVE Painting Company))
((Kelly Forbes, Founder, LOVE Painting Company))
And I was just there one day by myself like working and I
was like I'm just going to raise the pay for everyone to 20
dollars an hour. When you walk onto the company, you're
going to make 20 dollars an hour
((Courtesy: LOVE Painting Company))
((Kelly Forbes, Founder, LOVE Painting Company))
because anything less than that is a joke in San Diego. If
people don't want to pay that, then that's fine. They can work
with other people that take advantage of people and pay less
but that's not what we're going to do.
((NATS: Kelly Forbes and her daughter, Maya))
Going to make you a little fort right over here. Get in your
secret fort. We're not going to tell anyone you're in there.
She loves painting. Maya, do you like painting? She loves
painting.
((Kelly Forbes, Founder, LOVE Painting Company))
There are weeks when I have projects where I feel like I
don't see her. And then I'm on my phone a lot or those
things. But I hope that what she sees is like anything that
she wants to do like she can do it, you know. And I think kids
mirror what they see more than anything. So, I hope that
that's what she sees, you know.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((PKG)) TOOLBELT TRAINING
((Filmed before the Pandemic
Previously aired April 2021))
((TRT: 03:20))
((Filmed before the pandemic))
((Topic Banner: Training for Toolbelts))
((Reporter: Karina Bafradzhian))
((Camera: Artyom Kokhan))
((Adapted by: Martin Secrest))
((Map: Portland, Oregon))
((Main characters: 1 female))
((Sub characters: 1 female))
((NATS))
((Kelly Kupcak, Executive Director, Oregon
Tradeswomen))
At first, everyone was like, ‘That's crazy. You don't know
anything about construction.’ And it was a whole new world
and it was really, really hard and really physically exhausting
but really interesting and really exciting and I loved it.
((NATS))
((Text over video: Oregon Tradeswomen offers free, eight-
week basic construction training for women.))
((Kelly Kupcak, Executive Director, Oregon
Tradeswomen))
You know, just helping so many women come through our
program and go out and after, you know, one year, two
years when they graduated, four or five years, they became
an electrician, a carpenter, a plumber, a pipe fitter, a heavy
equipment operator, like myself. They were able to no longer
have to survive on benefits from the government and they
could have pride in a job that was not just a job but really a
career pathway. And they could buy a car. They were buying
their first home and they had economic independence.
((NATS: Construction))
((Kelly Kupcak, Executive Director, Oregon
Tradeswomen))
In the construction industry, you're making really good
wages and if it's a union job, you're also getting a pension,
you're also getting health care. So, I saw the difference right,
of what was happening and what we also know is that a lot
of girls and women, even though we're in the 21st century,
folks still are like, ‘Oh, I don't see myself as that. I don't see
myself doing that.’ Or you know, they drive down the road
and they just see men working on a highway job. So, they
don't think that's an opportunity for them.
((NATS:
Jenna: And you take the bottom, so see that here? Take
that and turn this this way.
Woman: I was thinking it wouldn’t even be able to reach.))
((Jenna, Construction Worker))
It's definitely an old stereotype that I think we definitely need
to lean away from. It’s, for sure, a very physically demanding
job. You have to be in shape. You have to be willing to work
hard. As long as you're willing to put in the work and to work
for it, I don't see why women can't be in it. I don't see why
the stereotype was made in the first place. So, you don't see
very many women out there but more women need to be in
the trade for sure.
((NATS:
Jenna: So now, we’ve got to move this over a way, so we
can afford to…))
((Kelly Kupcak, Executive Director, Oregon
Tradeswomen))
I think the women that come through our doors, some of
them are women who have, you know, a master's degree in
engineering. And they don't want to sit behind a desk all day
anymore, and they want to do something more dynamic, and
they want to be outdoors, and they want to use their bodies
and their brains. Those women come through our doors.
Women in the community who are coming out of
incarceration, so, you know, leaving prison. We are in the
prison system. We talk to women there as well. They say,
‘Have you thought about this pathway?’ So, we work really
hard to make sure that the folks that want to do this, can do
it, and we give them the tools they need, the training they
need and the support they need. And I think that piece is
really important to underscore because while you're also
learning all the skills that you need, we're helping you get rid
of the barriers.
((NATS))
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up
((Banner))
Peanut Butter!
((SOT))
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
I actually absolutely love being in the peanut
butter business, even though I never envisioned that I would
be selling and making peanut butter for a living.
BREAK TWO
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK C
((PKG)) ARTISANAL PEANUT BUTTER MAKER
((Previously aired February 2021))
((TRT: 07:26))
((Topic Banner: Peanuts with a Twist))
((Reporter/Camera/Editor: June Soh))
((Map: Reston, Virginia))
((Main character: 1 female))
((NATS))
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
I normally make about 120 to 150 jars of peanut butter a
day. So right now, I am getting the spices ready for the Chai
Nirvana peanut butter. We start with cardamom. Then we
add a little bit of cloves, and just a touch of
cinnamon. And then last, we add a little bit of ginger.
((NATS))
So, we put all the peanuts in there, add the spices at the
same time, so they all get ground together. And then we
start.
((NATS))
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
I actually absolutely love being in the peanut
butter business, even though I never envisioned that I would
be selling and making peanut butter for a living.
((NATS))
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
My name is Radhika Murari. I live in Reston, Virginia. And I
founded a company called OmMade Peanut Butter.
((Courtesy: OmMade Peanut Butter))
I started making peanut butter when my son was about five
or six years old. He is 14 years old now. He is a swimmer
and he wanted easy to eat and tasty protein, which normally
peanut butter is. But a lot of the peanut butter in the
marketplace has many unhealthy ingredients, including a lot
of chemicals and added oils. And so, I
((Courtesy: OmMade Peanut Butter))
started to make my own peanut butter, which is really
delicious. It’s all natural and it’s really healthy and my son
loves it.
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
And then one day, someone was helping me do
a fundraiser, and she tried my homemade peanut butter,
and she said, “You need to start selling this because you're
sitting on a gold mine.” And so, that's how the business
began.
((NATS))
I have a home-based kitchen that's been inspected by the
state of Virginia. And they come routinely to do
inspections. And we have a list of procedures we have to
follow.
((NATS))
So now, all we do is pour it very carefully into the gift jars.
((NATS))
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
So, that's it. We just made Chai Nirvana peanut butter. I
know it seems very simple but when you have good
ingredients, you can just put them together in a good ratio
and you'll have magic like Chai Nirvana.
((NATS))
But it starts with good peanuts and Virginia peanuts are the
best peanuts out there.
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
We have 10 different flavors right now. I am of
Indian heritage. I am actually an immigrant to America. And
so, I took a lot of the influences of cooking Indian style when
I was a kid, and I just combined them. So, I just love peanut
butter and I love everything to do with peanuts. So, I took the
chai spices from my Indian culture. I make Vibrant Turmeric.
I took that from India as well.
But the bestselling peanut butter is not my idea. My friend
kept telling me, “Put coconut in your peanut butter. Put
coconut in your peanut butter.” And I didn't listen to her for
many months and then I finally listened to her. And I came
up with Coconut Bliss and that one is my best seller.
((NATS))
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
My business has been quite successful. And people outside
my community always say, “Oh, Radhika, you’ve done such
a good job.” And I always say, “This is not my business. This
is a business of a village of people, especially women
behind me.” In fact, even the name of my company,
OmMade, my mother came up with the name because she
said, everything I do is homemade, and then she put the
Indian symbol Om in front of it. So, even down to the name,
it’s other people’s great ideas, and they give them to me,
and I implement them.
((NATS))
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
I sell my peanut butter through the Whole Foods chain of
grocery stores, and through some select museum stores in
the Washington, D.C. area, and also online through our own
shop.
((NATS))
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
Until COVID struck, one of our main places to sell was in
farmers’
((Courtesy: OmMade Peanut Butter))
markets in this area, and actually my son and
his friends, because they grew up eating the peanut butter,
they are some of my best employees.
((Courtesy: OmMade Peanut Butter))
They run farmers’ market booths. And they're very
enthusiastic about having other people share in their love of
the peanut butter.
((NATS))
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
Because we are in the middle of the pandemic and so many
people are stressed out, I am seeing more and more orders
from people who want to use this as a gift to comfort their
family or their friends or, in this case, their neighbors.
So, during COVID, I am even more grateful that I am running
this company.
((NATS))
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
We have actually sent our peanut butter to 41 states in
America so far. And we’ve also, on special order, shipped to
three countries internationally. So first, I would like to hit all
50 states, and secondly, our online business is really robust.
((NATS: Radhika Murari))
Have a good day. Thank you.
((NATS))
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
Recently, the state of Virginia and Fairfax County, which is
the county I live in, gave me a grant to support the
agriculture industry in Virginia. And all of my peanut butters
are made from locally-sourced Virginia peanuts. And the
grant is for 50,000 dollars and it's to start a storefront and a
commercial production facility within Fairfax County. And
through that grant, we are also going to create jobs in Fairfax
County and have a storefront in front of our
commercial kitchen, so that we can sell our products and
also have pop-ups for other small businesses to get
exposure to potential customers.
((NATS: Customer))
A perfect peanut butter. I cannot stop eating it and I never
liked peanut butter before.
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
Some of my customers send me videos. It makes me really
happy to see these videos and the customers loving the
peanut butter.
((NATS))
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
I measure my success in two ways. One is, of course, a
business-oriented way. And since I founded the company,
our sales have increased 80 percent year-over-year. But the
true measurement, for me, of success is the joy that my
peanut butter brings people. Today, I am delivering peanut
butter to the grocery store.
((NATS: Radhika Murari))
These are heavy.
((NATS))
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
In five years from now, I hope my business is a roaring
success. I hope we’ve created lots of jobs inside
Virginia. And I hope we’ve sold peanut butter, not only
across America, but around the world.
((NATS))
CLOSING BUMPER ((ANIM))
voanews.com/connect
BREAK THREE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
SHOW ENDS
EPISODE # 186
AIR DATE: 08 06 2021
TRANSCRIPT
OPEN ((VO/NAT))
((Banner))
Sharing Success
((SOT))
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
When I opened The Spice Suite, I almost immediately
realized that I needed to start to invite community into the
space. And so, I started to post on Instagram that I would
allow black business owners, who have a product that is
either uniquely sourced or handmade, to come in and sell
their products here completely free of charge. No fine print.
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
Women Who Build
((SOT))
((Kelly Kupcak, Executive Director, Oregon
Tradeswomen))
A lot of girls and women, even though we're in the 21st
century, are like, ‘Oh, I don't see myself as that.’ So, they
don't think that's an opportunity for them.
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
A Homegrown Business
((SOT))
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
Some of my customers send me videos. It makes me really
happy to see these videos and the customers loving the
peanut butter.
((Open Animation))
BLOCK A
((PKG)) THE SPICE SUITE
((TRT: 05:52))
((Topic Banner: Spice Suite))
((Reporter/Camera/Editor: June Soh))
((Map: Washington, D.C.))
((Main character: 1 female))
((Sub characters: 3 female))
((NATS))
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
So, typically I start with something familiar, and my most
familiar spice is sea salt. Salt is just as delicate as saffron,
and it should be treated just as such. And this is parsley,
onion flakes. This is smoked paprika, and this is rubbed
sage.
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
So, after we get everything all mixed in a bowl, this is like the
point where you are at home,
((Courtesy: The Spice Suite))
and you are standing in the mirror, and you’re trying to figure
out if you love that outfit, right? And I am like, okay, I think I
like this. I think this is it. So, you pull your camera out, right?
Or your whisk. And you whisk it. And as I whisk it, this is
when I really know if I’ve gotten it right because I would start
to smell it and I would immediately know if this smells good.
((NATS: Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
Hi, welcome.
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
I am Angel Gregorio, owner of The Spice Suite, a spice shop
and dream incubator located uptown in Washington, D.C.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
So, our motto here is ‘food is fashion’ because I really
believe that you should have just as much fun in your kitchen
as you do in your closet. You should go out into the world
with no rules when it comes to flavor.
((Courtesy: The Spice Suite))
And I take that philosophy into my spice creation.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
Not having any culinary background, it still kind of blows my
mind that I am a spice girl because I did not grow up going to
spice shops.
((Courtesy: The Spice Suite))
And when I saw this vacant space, I called the landlord and
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
had this like very like random serendipitous conversation
around like what I wanted to do with this space. I still don't
have any idea what made me say, ‘I would turn this into a
spice shop.’ But I said it on a whim.
((Courtesy: The Spice Suite))
Three and a half weeks later, I opened this spice shop. I left
my job a month and a half after that conversation and that
was almost six years ago.
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
So, when I opened The Spice Suite, I had no idea what I
was doing.
((Courtesy: The Spice Suite))
I was ordering spices online not really sure what was going
on.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Courtesy: The Spice Suite))
Now, I've been to about 26 different countries to source
spices. And so, that is really me like sourcing and me doing
research and me like this understanding this spice world. I'm
really like learning on the job, like this like on the job training.
Right now, I have over 120,000 followers on Instagram. And
I have learned that my followers on Instagram like to see me
cook. And so, I do not like to cook on camera.
((Courtesy: The Spice Suite))
But I do enjoy cooking and I love the peace and solitude of
cooking. I am doing things that are fairly easy to do. I'm just
layering flavor in ways that folks never imagine doing. I use
my regular, old iPhone and I record everything in the
Instagram and then I upload it.
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
COVID has impacted our business positively
((Courtesy: The Spice Suite))
because everybody is at home cooking. They had time to try
those recipes. So, they wanted access to my products. And
so, our business has really grown a lot during COVID.
((NATS))
((Charita Armwood, Customer))
I have tried over 70 different spices. I really love her
products and it’s taking my food to like a whole another level.
I am getting really creative with my meals.
((Jerlene Matthias, Customer))
This is actually my first time here. I found her on her
Instagram and my sister brought me in the area. I am from
Boston. I can’t wait to go home and try it.
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
When I opened The Spice Suite, I almost immediately
realized that I needed to start to invite community into the
space. And so, I started to post on Instagram that I would
allow Black business owners, who have a product that is
either uniquely sourced or handmade, to come in and sell
their products here completely free of charge. No fine print.
We became known as a dream incubator.
((Ambrie Jones, Pop-up Participant))
I create all of my products by hand and blend and pour in
small batches at home. So, the cool thing is just being able
to be around all these women and be encouraged by all of
them and then continue to
((Courtesy: The Spice Suite))
grow with them, laugh with them. We have friendships
outside of being spice girls. So, it’s just fun to connect with
all of them.
((NATS/Music))
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
Prior to opening The Spice Suite and being a spice girl, I
was an assistant principal.
((Courtesy: The Spice Suite))
I’ve been an educator for oh about ten years. I went to
Howard for undergrad and grad-school. I got my degrees in
psychology.
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
So, I decided I wanted to work at the youth jail. And I
became familiar with the youth jail because
((Courtesy: The Spice Suite))
my younger brother has spent a substantial amount of time
at this youth jail. Because I saw myself in them. I saw my
brothers in them. I saw so many people I loved in them. And
so, that is what, kind of, set me on the path to become an
actual teacher.
((NATS: Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
You are all set? Please set your basket here.
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
So, business has been absolutely amazing. I, I mean, we
have gone from like, you know, making just enough to pay
the rent to this being like a thriving business in such a short
amount of time. My accountant is who sent me an award
saying like, “Welcome to the seven-figure club”. I didn’t even
pause so like recognize that as an achievement on my own.
((Courtesy: The Spice Suite))
I’ve done a lot of community service. I’ve given back. I
continue to reach back.
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
I do not believe that, as a business owner, you can expect
community to show up and support you financially, and you
not show up and support your community.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Courtesy: The Spice Suite))
You know, I have two brothers serving life in prison.
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
If ever my brothers are given an opportunity to come home,
I'm the only person that will hire them immediately.
((Courtesy: The Spice Suite))
They’ve been locked up for so long for so much of their lives,
this spice shop will be the lifeline for them to be able to thrive
and succeed and be contributing citizens again.
((Angel Gregorio, Owner, The Spice Suite))
I am currently living a dream I didn’t even know I had. I just
hope that my life feels like less of a dream and more just like
this really cool reality.
((NATS))
Cheese.
Thank you.
((NATS/MUSIC))
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up…..
((Banner))
Creating Equality
((SOT))
((Kelly Forbes, Founder, LOVE Painting Company))
So, I was just young, and I was a woman, and I just
generally got paid much less than other people. Like I was
going in people's houses, doing the whole entire job, was
making 14 dollars an hour and the foremen were making 25,
30 dollars an hour.
BREAK ONE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK B
((PKG)) FEMALE PAINTER
((Previously aired December 2020))
((TRT: 04:56))
((Banner: Women in Business))
((Reporter/Camera: Genia Dulot))
((Map: San Diego, California))
((Main character: 1 female))
((Sub character: 1 female))
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Kelly Forbes, Founder, LOVE Painting Company))
I was painting at a high-rise, not so great apartment building,
actually right in this neighborhood. And I was working
alongside this cleaner and she was crying. She was like,
“How are you able to do this?” Because we make a lot more
money than cleaners. “You know, it's a man's job. I wish I
could do this and all these things.” And I was really moved
by that. And I was like one day like I'm going to get my
contractor's license so I can hire women and they can make
more money, you know. And so, that's what I did.
((NATS))
((Kelly Forbes, Founder, LOVE Painting Company))
I was in contractor license school and I was like nine months
pregnant. I was the only woman and I was like wobbling in
there. I was really uncomfortable.
((NATS: Kelly Forbes and her daughter, Maya))
Can you wave at the camera? Hi.
((Kelly Forbes, Founder, LOVE Painting Company))
It's very masculine. It's very sexist. It's very ageist as well.
So, I was just young, and I was a woman, and I just
generally got paid much less than other people. Like I was
going in people's houses, doing the whole entire job, was
making 14 dollars an hour and the foremen were making 25,
30 dollars an hour.
((NATS))
((Courtesy: LOVE Painting Company))
((Kelly Forbes, Founder, LOVE Painting Company))
Well, I created my own company when I was 16 years old as
soon as I learned to paint a room. I just came up with the
name Love Painting Company because I love love and I love
the word love. But I started a physical, real like live company
that has a contractor's license and all of those things in
2017.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((NATS:
Kelly Forbes, Founder, LOVE Painting Company;
Jennifer, Employee, LOVE Painting Company))
I'm also impressed that you know that painters wear white.
Well, a lot of it's to hide like plaster and product instead…..
Yep.
…..of landing on the clothes.
Yep.
…..and white matches everything and so any paint
splattered…..
Yep.
on your clothes, it matches.
((Kelly Forbes, Founder, LOVE Painting Company))
You’re carrying like five gallon [19 liter] buckets of paint.
They're extremely heavy. You're carrying heavy ladders,
going up and down and up and down all day. So, it's pretty
physically demanding.
((NATS))
((Jennifer, Employee, LOVE Painting Company))
So, I think that's a common misconception in society that like
women can't do these like hands-on jobs that might take
physical labor. And I think that, you know, women can do
anything a man can do.
((NATS))
((Kelly Forbes, Founder, LOVE Painting Company))
Like, we hire men as well. It’s not a sexist thing or people
who identify as somewhere in between both genders, like
we're very encompassing. But also, a lot of women, people
really trust them. And they come in their home and they feel
people with families or say like an older woman who lives
alone, like they feel very comfortable with that. And women
are really great painters as well.
((Kelly Forbes, Founder, LOVE Painting Company))
It's just, it's a feminine process in general. You're like coating
unique things. It's not like carpentry where like carpentry
you're like cutting wood and it's like a measurement and it's
like a straightness and it's very exact, whereas like, so it’s
like a very feminine, like finesse process to paint things. And
then there's like the intuitive color consultation side.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Kelly Forbes, Founder, LOVE Painting Company))
This yellow and this purple will not be in the home on the
walls. It's a palette for them to work off of, to add art and
accents, throw pillows, blankets, stuff like that.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Courtesy: LOVE Painting Company))
((Kelly Forbes, Founder, LOVE Painting Company))
And I was just there one day by myself like working and I
was like I'm just going to raise the pay for everyone to 20
dollars an hour. When you walk onto the company, you're
going to make 20 dollars an hour
((Courtesy: LOVE Painting Company))
((Kelly Forbes, Founder, LOVE Painting Company))
because anything less than that is a joke in San Diego. If
people don't want to pay that, then that's fine. They can work
with other people that take advantage of people and pay less
but that's not what we're going to do.
((NATS: Kelly Forbes and her daughter, Maya))
Going to make you a little fort right over here. Get in your
secret fort. We're not going to tell anyone you're in there.
She loves painting. Maya, do you like painting? She loves
painting.
((Kelly Forbes, Founder, LOVE Painting Company))
There are weeks when I have projects where I feel like I
don't see her. And then I'm on my phone a lot or those
things. But I hope that what she sees is like anything that
she wants to do like she can do it, you know. And I think kids
mirror what they see more than anything. So, I hope that
that's what she sees, you know.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((PKG)) TOOLBELT TRAINING
((Filmed before the Pandemic
Previously aired April 2021))
((TRT: 03:20))
((Filmed before the pandemic))
((Topic Banner: Training for Toolbelts))
((Reporter: Karina Bafradzhian))
((Camera: Artyom Kokhan))
((Adapted by: Martin Secrest))
((Map: Portland, Oregon))
((Main characters: 1 female))
((Sub characters: 1 female))
((NATS))
((Kelly Kupcak, Executive Director, Oregon
Tradeswomen))
At first, everyone was like, ‘That's crazy. You don't know
anything about construction.’ And it was a whole new world
and it was really, really hard and really physically exhausting
but really interesting and really exciting and I loved it.
((NATS))
((Text over video: Oregon Tradeswomen offers free, eight-
week basic construction training for women.))
((Kelly Kupcak, Executive Director, Oregon
Tradeswomen))
You know, just helping so many women come through our
program and go out and after, you know, one year, two
years when they graduated, four or five years, they became
an electrician, a carpenter, a plumber, a pipe fitter, a heavy
equipment operator, like myself. They were able to no longer
have to survive on benefits from the government and they
could have pride in a job that was not just a job but really a
career pathway. And they could buy a car. They were buying
their first home and they had economic independence.
((NATS: Construction))
((Kelly Kupcak, Executive Director, Oregon
Tradeswomen))
In the construction industry, you're making really good
wages and if it's a union job, you're also getting a pension,
you're also getting health care. So, I saw the difference right,
of what was happening and what we also know is that a lot
of girls and women, even though we're in the 21st century,
folks still are like, ‘Oh, I don't see myself as that. I don't see
myself doing that.’ Or you know, they drive down the road
and they just see men working on a highway job. So, they
don't think that's an opportunity for them.
((NATS:
Jenna: And you take the bottom, so see that here? Take
that and turn this this way.
Woman: I was thinking it wouldn’t even be able to reach.))
((Jenna, Construction Worker))
It's definitely an old stereotype that I think we definitely need
to lean away from. It’s, for sure, a very physically demanding
job. You have to be in shape. You have to be willing to work
hard. As long as you're willing to put in the work and to work
for it, I don't see why women can't be in it. I don't see why
the stereotype was made in the first place. So, you don't see
very many women out there but more women need to be in
the trade for sure.
((NATS:
Jenna: So now, we’ve got to move this over a way, so we
can afford to…))
((Kelly Kupcak, Executive Director, Oregon
Tradeswomen))
I think the women that come through our doors, some of
them are women who have, you know, a master's degree in
engineering. And they don't want to sit behind a desk all day
anymore, and they want to do something more dynamic, and
they want to be outdoors, and they want to use their bodies
and their brains. Those women come through our doors.
Women in the community who are coming out of
incarceration, so, you know, leaving prison. We are in the
prison system. We talk to women there as well. They say,
‘Have you thought about this pathway?’ So, we work really
hard to make sure that the folks that want to do this, can do
it, and we give them the tools they need, the training they
need and the support they need. And I think that piece is
really important to underscore because while you're also
learning all the skills that you need, we're helping you get rid
of the barriers.
((NATS))
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up
((Banner))
Peanut Butter!
((SOT))
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
I actually absolutely love being in the peanut
butter business, even though I never envisioned that I would
be selling and making peanut butter for a living.
BREAK TWO
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK C
((PKG)) ARTISANAL PEANUT BUTTER MAKER
((Previously aired February 2021))
((TRT: 07:26))
((Topic Banner: Peanuts with a Twist))
((Reporter/Camera/Editor: June Soh))
((Map: Reston, Virginia))
((Main character: 1 female))
((NATS))
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
I normally make about 120 to 150 jars of peanut butter a
day. So right now, I am getting the spices ready for the Chai
Nirvana peanut butter. We start with cardamom. Then we
add a little bit of cloves, and just a touch of
cinnamon. And then last, we add a little bit of ginger.
((NATS))
So, we put all the peanuts in there, add the spices at the
same time, so they all get ground together. And then we
start.
((NATS))
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
I actually absolutely love being in the peanut
butter business, even though I never envisioned that I would
be selling and making peanut butter for a living.
((NATS))
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
My name is Radhika Murari. I live in Reston, Virginia. And I
founded a company called OmMade Peanut Butter.
((Courtesy: OmMade Peanut Butter))
I started making peanut butter when my son was about five
or six years old. He is 14 years old now. He is a swimmer
and he wanted easy to eat and tasty protein, which normally
peanut butter is. But a lot of the peanut butter in the
marketplace has many unhealthy ingredients, including a lot
of chemicals and added oils. And so, I
((Courtesy: OmMade Peanut Butter))
started to make my own peanut butter, which is really
delicious. It’s all natural and it’s really healthy and my son
loves it.
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
And then one day, someone was helping me do
a fundraiser, and she tried my homemade peanut butter,
and she said, “You need to start selling this because you're
sitting on a gold mine.” And so, that's how the business
began.
((NATS))
I have a home-based kitchen that's been inspected by the
state of Virginia. And they come routinely to do
inspections. And we have a list of procedures we have to
follow.
((NATS))
So now, all we do is pour it very carefully into the gift jars.
((NATS))
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
So, that's it. We just made Chai Nirvana peanut butter. I
know it seems very simple but when you have good
ingredients, you can just put them together in a good ratio
and you'll have magic like Chai Nirvana.
((NATS))
But it starts with good peanuts and Virginia peanuts are the
best peanuts out there.
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
We have 10 different flavors right now. I am of
Indian heritage. I am actually an immigrant to America. And
so, I took a lot of the influences of cooking Indian style when
I was a kid, and I just combined them. So, I just love peanut
butter and I love everything to do with peanuts. So, I took the
chai spices from my Indian culture. I make Vibrant Turmeric.
I took that from India as well.
But the bestselling peanut butter is not my idea. My friend
kept telling me, “Put coconut in your peanut butter. Put
coconut in your peanut butter.” And I didn't listen to her for
many months and then I finally listened to her. And I came
up with Coconut Bliss and that one is my best seller.
((NATS))
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
My business has been quite successful. And people outside
my community always say, “Oh, Radhika, you’ve done such
a good job.” And I always say, “This is not my business. This
is a business of a village of people, especially women
behind me.” In fact, even the name of my company,
OmMade, my mother came up with the name because she
said, everything I do is homemade, and then she put the
Indian symbol Om in front of it. So, even down to the name,
it’s other people’s great ideas, and they give them to me,
and I implement them.
((NATS))
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
I sell my peanut butter through the Whole Foods chain of
grocery stores, and through some select museum stores in
the Washington, D.C. area, and also online through our own
shop.
((NATS))
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
Until COVID struck, one of our main places to sell was in
farmers’
((Courtesy: OmMade Peanut Butter))
markets in this area, and actually my son and
his friends, because they grew up eating the peanut butter,
they are some of my best employees.
((Courtesy: OmMade Peanut Butter))
They run farmers’ market booths. And they're very
enthusiastic about having other people share in their love of
the peanut butter.
((NATS))
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
Because we are in the middle of the pandemic and so many
people are stressed out, I am seeing more and more orders
from people who want to use this as a gift to comfort their
family or their friends or, in this case, their neighbors.
So, during COVID, I am even more grateful that I am running
this company.
((NATS))
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
We have actually sent our peanut butter to 41 states in
America so far. And we’ve also, on special order, shipped to
three countries internationally. So first, I would like to hit all
50 states, and secondly, our online business is really robust.
((NATS: Radhika Murari))
Have a good day. Thank you.
((NATS))
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
Recently, the state of Virginia and Fairfax County, which is
the county I live in, gave me a grant to support the
agriculture industry in Virginia. And all of my peanut butters
are made from locally-sourced Virginia peanuts. And the
grant is for 50,000 dollars and it's to start a storefront and a
commercial production facility within Fairfax County. And
through that grant, we are also going to create jobs in Fairfax
County and have a storefront in front of our
commercial kitchen, so that we can sell our products and
also have pop-ups for other small businesses to get
exposure to potential customers.
((NATS: Customer))
A perfect peanut butter. I cannot stop eating it and I never
liked peanut butter before.
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
Some of my customers send me videos. It makes me really
happy to see these videos and the customers loving the
peanut butter.
((NATS))
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
I measure my success in two ways. One is, of course, a
business-oriented way. And since I founded the company,
our sales have increased 80 percent year-over-year. But the
true measurement, for me, of success is the joy that my
peanut butter brings people. Today, I am delivering peanut
butter to the grocery store.
((NATS: Radhika Murari))
These are heavy.
((NATS))
((Radhika Murari, Owner, OmMade Peanut Butter))
In five years from now, I hope my business is a roaring
success. I hope we’ve created lots of jobs inside
Virginia. And I hope we’ve sold peanut butter, not only
across America, but around the world.
((NATS))
CLOSING BUMPER ((ANIM))
voanews.com/connect
BREAK THREE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
SHOW ENDS
