HUMANS OF THE ISLANDS: CELINA YANDALL
Celina Sosefina Yandall
Entrepreneur / Personal Trainer / Radio Host
Samoan
My name is Celina Sosefina Yandall. I’m a Samoan girl born and raised in Long Beach, California. I’m a personal trainer, a radio host for Island Block Radio, a singer and aspiring actress, and the baker and owner of Sweet Nina’s Cookies.
How did your business Sweet Nina's Cookies start?
2008. I was a junior at a private high school when I started baking cookies. I was playing volleyball year round and private school was already expensive, so my mom made up a cookie recipe for me because she wanted me to sell cookies to sort of help out with the funds for school and volleyball. She said "Sell cookies, or you won't be able to play volleyball", and volleyball was my life at the time so I felt obligated to do what ever I needed to to play.
Over time, it became somewhat of a small trend on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook! Over time, this business has helped me pay for my college classes, books, bills, my vocal lessons, acting classes, and more. I never thought of turning it into an actual business until 2017.
I dropped my cookie website in June of 2017 and I'm so happy to say that my business has been progressing since! In retrospect, thank God for the circumstances that I was in during high school and thank God for my Mom and her innovative ways.
How does your Pasifika culture affect the way you work / live?
Growing up Samoan taught me how to be respectful towards everyone I come across, especially people I’m serving. Since I am in the field of customer service, I have learned that applying what the culture has taught me about respect, good service, and hard work gives me an advantage in my entrepreneurial journey.
Any time I receive compliments on my work ethic, I think about how natural it actually is for me to work harder and smarter thanks to my Samoan culture. All of the qualities that most employers look for when hiring are instilled in most Samoans at a young age. I am forever grateful to be fully aware that I have these qualities because I know I can use them to better my mentality, my business, and anything that I choose to pursue.
What has your experience as an entrepreneur been like?
It has its ups and downs but I've learned to always acknowledge my achievements, big or small, and grow from my mistakes. I’ve learned that I will have to sacrifice a lot of sleep and energy in order to feed the momentum of my business. However, I’ve also learned to always make time for myself by countering my lack of sleep with extra rest whenever possible. I’ve learned that nothing and no one around me will be able to function if I can’t, so I invest time in good mental, physical, and spiritual health.
It's been a such a humbling learning experience and I'm just getting started. Being an entrepreneur taught me patience, confidence, resilience, and more.
Do you have any advice for those wishing to start their own business?
You will always have to prepare yourself for the worst, but always work smarter to make sure you get the best results for your business. Wherever you are, remember you are always representing you business brand, so whether we like it or not, how others view you will be how they view your business. Work SMARTER, not harder. You need money to make money so if you need a 9-5 to support your business from the get, do that! Just never let your 9-5 deplete your energy so much that you can't spend time on your business.
Learn what works for you and find balance! If you really believe in your business you will never give up on it. Acknowledge every achievement, big or small, and don’t downplay any mistake but surely learn from them. Always make time for yourself and invest in good health because you are the core of your business. It is vital to realize that it is in your best interest to strive for a healthier lifestyle because you will need all of the energy you can get to run a business of your own.
Feed yourself physically, mentally and spiritually by staying active, eating healthy, and investing in personal development. I like to sing out loud, workout, pray and meditate, watch Ted Talks back to back, read personal development books, find deeper meaning to quotes that speak to me, and write thoughts, songs and poems in my notes. Anything good that can help you grow mentally, I’d suggest you do it because it will help you in more ways than one. What ever you do, don’t quit because there is always a way.
Website: SweetNinasCookies.com
Instagram: @SweetNinasCookies