Today we’d like to introduce you to Saroeum Path.
Hi Saroeum, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Before starting this business, we had a beauty salon in St. Paul called E & S Lashes, where I did lashes and permanent makeup. That business started in 2018 as an in-home salon at my residence for about two years. Later, we purchased a former dental building, renovated it, and turned it into a full beauty salon called E & S Lounge, where we continued offering beauty services and rented space to other entrepreneurs in the beauty field.
In 2021, we moved from St. Paul to Inver Grove Heights. One day, while visiting the Dairy Queen on Cahill Ave., we noticed there weren’t many dessert shops in the area. That inspired the idea for me to open a dessert shop nearby. Six months later, we found the perfect location, signed the lease, and began renovations, launching E & S SweetTreats. It was slow at first since we started around winter, so we struggled a bit, but business picked up once the warmer weather arrived. We’ve now been here for about two and a half years, and we’re super excited to see what this business will bring for us and for the community.
Alright, 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?
It took us about a year to finally open the business because of all the city requirements and delays. We had major issues with our first plumber and had to hire another one just to keep things moving. By then, our funds were running low, and we still weren’t open. If I hadn’t called the city myself to find out why our plumbing permit was never submitted, I might never have opened my boba shop and would have lost everything financially.
That experience taught me an important lesson. Be careful who you hire for your projects, some people may act like friends but secretly don’t want to see you succeed.
We struggled through that first winter, working long hours because we couldn’t afford to hire staff.
There were days we made zero dollars and nights with little to no sleep. We often felt like giving up, but we kept reminding ourselves that things would get better. There were moments we felt like giving up. We couldn’t give up in our first year, we had already invested too much money and hard work into this business to stop then. We’re excited to see how far our business can go and hopeful for continued success. Thank you.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’ve been a Licensed Dental Assistant for 21 years and love helping dentists with procedures from restorations and extractions to cleanings and X-rays. Patient care and oral health are my priorities, which is why I continue to work in a diverse community dental clinic.
Since 2018, I’ve also been a Lash Technician at E & S Lounge in St. Paul, helping clients feel confident and beautiful. In 2019, I trained in permanent makeup and opened my own tattoo establishment, where I now specialize in microblading, ombré shading, eyeliner, and lip blushing.
In 2022, we expanded with E & S SweetTreats, serving Asian and Latino-inspired desserts a few days a week. I love all three of my jobs because when you do what you love, it never feels like work.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
I came to the United States from Thailand in 1991, when I was twelve years old. I arrived with my dad, stepmom, and three siblings, sponsored by my aunt and uncle.
Learning English at twelve was difficult, but I took ESL classes until I graduated from high school. In 2004, I earned my Licensed Dental Assistant degree from Century Community College and have worked in the field for twenty-one years.
I’ve been happily married to my husband, Ely, for fifteen years. We have one child together and four daughters in total. In our free time, we enjoy road trips, family vacations, and keeping our garden looking beautiful.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.eandssweettreats.com
- Instagram: @eandssweettreats
