Claima Stories with Bimma

On today’s show, recorded live at Claima Stories: Feast Portland edition, we meet Farrah Jesani, owner of One Stripe Chai. Born and raised in Georgia, Farrah is first generation Indian-American in a family of entrepreneurs. Her dad owned an accounting firm, while her mother ran a cafe that their family owned. As she headed off to college, Farrah was drawn to Art History but was deterred because of a lack of representation in the art world. So, instead she decided to study accounting, following in her fathers footsteps. But she learned pretty quickly that accounting wasn’t for her and changed her major to business. 

About Claima Stories with Bimma:

Former Nike Marketer, Bimma Williams interviews leading and emerging BIPOC creatives about how they were able to break into the notoriously guarded creative and sneaker industries. From these stories, listeners will learn how to claim their dream careers. Featuring Melody Ehsani, Jeff Staple, and James Whitner. Listen and Subscribe now.

Subscribe: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claimastories/

Kai shares a story about transforming and rebuilding community through sustainable plant based ice cream and restorative local food production practices, all with a vibrant fresh look.

That was Kai Nortey, Owner of Kubé Ice Cream based in Oakland, CA.

The Claima Stories with Bimma: Community Stories series is presented by 99designs by Vistaprint, as part of the 99 Days of Design initiative.

Learn more at

99designs.com/99daysofdesign

Farah Jesani shares story about her parents encouraging an entrepreneurial path

About Claima Stories with Bimma:

Former Nike Marketer, Bimma Williams interviews leading and emerging BIPOC creatives about how they were able to break into the notoriously guarded creative and sneaker industries. From these stories, listeners will learn how to claim their dream careers. Featuring Melody Ehsani, Jeff Staple, and James Whitner. Listen and Subscribe now.

Subscribe: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claimastories/

On today’s show, recorded live at Claima Stories: Feast Portland edition, we chat with Tiquette Bramlett, President at Vidon Vineyards, who is the first Black woman in the states hired to run a winery, but her journey starts growing up in the  Bay area in an interracial family. 

Everyday was an adventure for her, especially when her family would hop in the car and head all over California. One area specifically was Central California, where her mother loved the wine. An inquisitive child, Tiquette always wanted to know why her mom loved wine, and showed an interest in the field at a really young age. 

She’d go on to study opera but after a health scare, she made a course correction and pursued a career in wine. While navigating wine as a Black woman, she received a lot of mentorship from winemakers like Bertony Faustin of Abbey Creek Wine. This sort of mentorship guided her rise in the industry, recently putting her in a position to become the President of Vidon Vineyards.

About Claima Stories with Bimma:

Former Nike Marketer, Bimma Williams interviews leading and emerging BIPOC creatives about how they were able to break into the notoriously guarded creative and sneaker industries. From these stories, listeners will learn how to claim their dream careers. Featuring Melody Ehsani, Jeff Staple, and James Whitner. Listen and Subscribe now.

Subscribe: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claimastories/

Tiquette Bramlett shares story about becoming knowledgeable of wine through tastings.

About Claima Stories with Bimma:

Former Nike Marketer, Bimma Williams interviews leading and emerging BIPOC creatives about how they were able to break into the notoriously guarded creative and sneaker industries. From these stories, listeners will learn how to claim their dream careers. Featuring Melody Ehsani, Jeff Staple, and James Whitner. Listen and Subscribe now.

Subscribe: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claimastories/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/claimastories

On today's show, recorded live at Claima Stories: Feast Portland edition, I speak with Megan Sanchez, Chef and Co-Owner of Guero. Megan grew up admiring her grandmother, who was a hustler, moving to the States with 5 kids and working in restaurants. She never had a master plan, but she walked through every door opened for her. Eventually becoming a landlord. Now, this isn't about Megan's grandmother. But let's just say the apple's apple doesn't fall too far from the tree. Megan moved to France after college to teach English but soon after gravitated towards food. Especially cheese. When she returned to the states, she'd work at Shelburne Farms in Vermont, where she'd become a cheesemonger.

But it was when she met her business partner Alec, that she would begin to go down a more entrepreneurial path. While selling food out of his apartment, Megan decided to turn his kitchen into a restaurant. They would go on to create a flourishing  bicycle taco delivery service. With some naive confidence, Megan and Alec packed up their bags to sell tacos in Portland and eventually sold Tortas. business was booming, and they transitioned from a food truck to a restaurant space called Guero. When recalling how she ended up down this path, Megan shares a story about the impact of her Grandmother on her life today.

About Claima Stories with Bimma:

Former Nike Marketer, Bimma Williams interviews leading and emerging BIPOC creatives about how they were able to break into the notoriously guarded creative and sneaker industries. From these stories, listeners will learn how to claim their dream careers. Featuring Melody Ehsani, Jeff Staple, and James Whitner. Listen and Subscribe now.

Subscribe: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claimastories/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/claimastories

Megan Sanchez shares story about being optimistic when starting a restaurant

About Claima Stories with Bimma:

Former Nike Marketer, Bimma Williams interviews leading and emerging BIPOC creatives about how they were able to break into the notoriously guarded creative and sneaker industries. From these stories, listeners will learn how to claim their dream careers. Featuring Melody Ehsani, Jeff Staple, and James Whitner. Listen and Subscribe now.

Subscribe: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claimastories/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/claimastories

On today’s show, recorded live at Claima Stories: Feast Portland edition, I sit with Chef Diane Lam, the creative force behind Prey + Tell, a Cambodian fried chicken spot in Portland, OR. Born and raised in LA. Diane was able to figure out parts of her confusing heritage by the food she ate, which gave her an understanding of her family history. While closely watching her grandmother’s cooking when she was younger, Diane always knew she wanted to work in hospitality, but was unsure if she wanted to cook Cambodian food professionally. 

About Claima Stories with Bimma:

Former Nike Marketer, Bimma Williams interviews leading and emerging BIPOC creatives about how they were able to break into the notoriously guarded creative and sneaker industries. From these stories, listeners will learn how to claim their dream careers. Featuring Melody Ehsani, Jeff Staple, and James Whitner. Listen and Subscribe now.

Subscribe: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claimastories/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/claimastories

Diane Lam shares story about flipping her family heritage into culture hub restaurants

Former Nike Marketer, Bimma Williams interviews leading and emerging BIPOC creatives about how they were able to break into the notoriously guarded creative and sneaker industries. From these stories, listeners will learn how to claim their dream careers. Featuring Melody Ehsani, Jeff Staple, and James Whitner. Listen and Subscribe now.

Subscribe: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claimastories/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/claimastories

On today's episode, we chat with entrepreneur, wine lover, and NBA star CJ McCollum as we talk about his venture into wine and creating McCollum Heritage '91. But CJ didn't grow up with a love of wine. In college, he was more of a hard liquor guy until his girlfriend (now wife) introduced him to a Merlot, which wasn't that great, but as he matured, so did his palette (and the quality). After CJ was drafted to the Portland Trailblazers in 2013, he got his lips on his gateway wine. Aware that being a Black man in Portland is rare, and being a black man in wine is even rarer, McCollum is making space in the wine world and making wine education accessible for everyone.

About Claima Stories with Bimma:

Former Nike Marketer, Bimma Williams interviews leading and emerging BIPOC creatives about how they were able to break into the notoriously guarded creative and sneaker industries. From these stories, listeners will learn how to claim their dream careers. Featuring Melody Ehsani, Jeff Staple, and James Whitner. Listen and Subscribe now.

Subscribe: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claimastories/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/claimastories