Meet Lyndelle Sanjuanero | Owner and Head Chef | Olla Olla LLC

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

Hi Lyndelle, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risks are leaps of faith. I nor Olla Olla Crêpes would be here had I not quit my job working at a Walmart warehouse full time. I quit, didn’t really have a concrete plan, just a dream, and no money to my name. I took the risk of asking my good friend Jorge D.L.C. if he could loan me $100 so I could start selling crepes as a pop up. I took the risk of dedicating 100+ hours a week every week for a whole year and the results are astonishing.

My life has changed for the better. I was able to hire my friend FULL TIME! This continues to be my full time job, I’m able to give back to “2nd Freedom” and “Feed Phoenix.” I’ve been granted incredible opportunities like collaborating with local businesses; to name a few: “VIVRANT,” “PhxLocalista,” “ Señor Foodie,” Local Buzz,” “Cultivo Collective,” and “Frida Tacos y Birria.” My sincere gratitude to everyone that’s taken a risk on Olla Olla Crêpes.

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?
Olla Olla Crêpes is dedicated to selling 14in BIG French Crêpes with a Mexican Twist. I’m a college drop out making Arizona sweeter.

What differentiates Olla Olla Crêpes from other desserts and creperies are the size and Latinx influenced flavors. I’m most proud of our O.G. crêpe specialty “Chocoflan.” Chocoflan in Mexico is known as “The impossible cake.” It’s a homemade slice of triple chocolate cake with a layer of flan on top laying on beautiful homemade battered crêpe with Hershey syrup and honey from Mexico.

I’m most proud of being selected to represent my business on a reality show for entrepreneurs called “The Blox,” I participated in July 2023 for Season 11 on “the most educational bootcamp for entrepreneurs ever created”. Competing against 80 other entrepreneurs Olla Olla Crêpes won one of FIVE recognitions, “Most Investable.”

I dropped out of business school at ASU my senior year. I felt lost, confused, and uncertain about my future. It wasn’t until 2019 I took one Phoenix Community College class and I was selected to represent my school in the CEI Big Pitch, an award- winning business incubator located in Phoenix, AZ. Here I was able to finalize my business name, business plan, and gain the confidence to start. Not until June 3rd 2022 once covid restrictions were uplifted that I started selling crepes all over arizona.

Multiple challenges have crossed my path such as figuring out the accounting, hiring people, which events to accept or decline, and making time to eat.

But it’s a learning curve. Every trial and error, tear, sweat, and literal blood has been 100% worth it. I want anyone who has failed in one way or another to use their failures as fuel to pursue their true passions. I may have dropped out of college with 30 credits left to graduate, being a 2nd generation Latina with parents who literally came here to build us a new life but I’m more than a college dropout. You may feel a lot of pressure, self doubt, and uneducated but I promise you if I can do it with the power of asking for help, google, and YouTube…YOU CAN TO! Amigos SI SE PUEDE. (Yes, you can do it, friends)

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 my best friend was visiting the Valley and I wanted to show them the best time ever hold on to your seats because I got y’all. I’d first make sure we check @LocalBuzz to stay up to date on what’s buzzing in our beautiful city.

For breakfast you can never go wrong with green chilaquiles from “The Lunch Box Café” on Bethany Home. Lunch, a BLT sub with my wonder friends at “Frank’s New York Style Deli” on orange drive. Dinner, Birria ramen with “ Frida Tacos y Birria.”

I love to dance so of course we’re hitting downtown to take a salsa class with “Que Candela Dance Co.” After burning a few calories we’ll check out “@SeniorFoodie” instagram to see where to get a classic Mexican dessert with carne seca at “@KingChipsPhx.” I’ll make sure we also hit up one of “@V.ivrant” creative experiences like “To the Moon from Mars” with live Dj sets like “@PhukPicasso” and a fashion runway! We’ll of course have to make time for “@SecondEarthXperience” hidden underground show experience to dance the night away!

I wouldn’t have time to show them all of arizona but would make sure to hit those locations, people, and experiences no matter what! Phoenix is booming with small business and creatives of BIPOC and you can spend years connecting with each and every one of us!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
To my incredible friend Jorge Luis de la Cruz , MIL GRACIAS POR TODO. (1000 thank you’s for everything)

I remember discussing my passion for entrepreneurship and food with Jorge back in November 2022 amongst friends in my living room. I shared with Jorge this idea of selling crepes as a Latina in a city where entrepreneurs thrive, an idea that had been lingering in my mind since 2017! He immediately asked “Porque no lo haces? Si quieres te ayudo.” (Why don’t you do it? If you want I can help you.)

Fast forward to May 2023 I took him up on the offer and invited him to have a taste and look at what crepes I’m capable of making and why I know I can make this happen. Since then I had no other choice but to create a menu and execute the plan. June 3rd 2022 alongside my good friend Jorge I sold my FIRST CRÊPE as a private caterer for “Hozo Beauty LLC’s” grand opening!

I also want to express my gratitude to “@Phx_Localista602” she was the first person I reached out to as a brand new business in the market (May 2022). I asked for guidance and opportunities to show what I’m capable of. She didn’t gatekeep and because of this wonderful Chicana Blogger Olla Olla Crêpes is still standing today!

Lastly, to Tony and “@LocalBuzz” there’s not enough words to repay the doors you have opened for my business and I. He literally donated items for me to have a kitchen, he mentioned my name in rooms I never thought I could reach, and to this day still calls me to make sure my business and I are okay. Que diosito te lo multiplique amigo. (May God multiply what you’ve done for me for you friend.)

Website: OllaOllaCrepes.com

Instagram: OllaOllaCrepes

Linkedin: Lyndelle Sanjuanero

Facebook: Olla Olla Crêpes

Yelp: Olla Olla

Youtube: Olla Olla Crêpes

Other: Local buzz and TikTok @ollaollacrepes

Image Credits
All images taken by lyndelle sanjuanero iPhone