We had the good fortune of connecting with Matthew Ma and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Matthew, we’d love to start by asking you about lessons learned. Is there a lesson you can share with us?
The most important lesson my business has taught me is that to stick to the plan, set goals, and persevere until the very end.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Happy Bao’s is a family owned business. What sets Happy Bao’s apart is that the recipes were inspired by tradition and passed down from older generations. It started out as a family tradition, then turned into passion and now its made with love which we want to share with the world. We are where we are today because we supported each other in order to make this restaurant successful. It was difficult in the beginning especially through the difficult times. We had to learn to motivate each other and emotionally support one another so we can get through it together. The biggest lessons we learn was to adapt and adjust during the pandemic time. We want the world to recognize Happy Bao’s brand, that our dumplings, noodles, and baos bring comfort to their stomach. Happy Bao’s makes Happy Mouths!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If some of my friends are visiting me, I would definitely take them to my restaurant to eat. Some other places I would take them are the bars and nightclubs in Scottsdale. Karaoke at YZ karaoke and BBQ. Some of the food places I would take them are Ocean 44 for good seafood, Jin BBQ for Korean bbq, Joes Real BBQ for some good American bbq, Thai Corner, and Sicilian Butcher for authentic Italian food. I would take them to Flagstaff to hike and zipline. Also Sedona for some kayaking and Horseshoe Canyon as well. My favorite spot I would take them is K1 Speedway for some intense go-kart racing. If there is a basketball game, then definitely take them to watch the Suns play or Cardinals depending on the season. Downtown Science museum if they have their kids with them.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to dedicate this shoutout to my parents and my business partner. Without them, Happy Bao’s restaurant would not be as successful as it is today. My parents have put in a lot of passion and hard work into making quality recipes and my business partner helps me with mentorship and leadership guidance.

Website: www.happybaos.com

Instagram: #happybaos

Facebook: @happy_baos

Yelp: HappyBaos

Image Credits
Tim Chow Studios

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