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Hire With Henry Street: Rawsome Treats

July 6, 2022

Watt Sriboonruang entered the culinary world through an unlikely outlet: competitive Muay Thai boxing. As an amateur fighter, Watt didn’t want to sacrifice her sweet tooth while training, and she knew that raw, plant-based food would be nourishing and sustain her energy. What began with making gluten-free and dairy-free desserts in her home kitchen became a full-time business, Rawsome Treats, in 2013. As a small business owner on the Lower East Side, Watt has been working with Henry Street Settlement to find enthusiastic candidates to help out in the kitchen. We sat down with Watt to discuss what it’s been like running a small business during a pandemic and creative ways to hire and retain employees.

 

Photo: Watt (front center) with employees in the Rawsome Treats kitchen.

How did you get connected to Henry Street Settlement?

I believe they reached out to us to host interns [through the Summer Youth Employment Program], and I said yes. I also have taught workshops to Henry Street teens on how to eat healthier food with simple recipes. Eating healthy doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive.

The pandemic has been hard on small businesses. How have you adapted your business?

The first lockdown in 2020 was very stressful. I was thinking, “How can I keep my business?” Luckily, we were considered an essential business so we could stay open, but we had to downsize. We used to do a lot of corporate catering, and orders were canceled. We started shipping, but our product is hard to ship because it has to be kept cold the whole time. Two months after the lockdown business started picking up again. We have a lot of regular customers who wanted to support us and make sure we would survive. In New York the community really comes together to help each other. Customers started buying gift cards for themselves or for friends. We also eliminated some retail items and focused more on wholesale, supplying to restaurants and cafes. That’s when we were ready to start hiring back on. In 2021, Henry Street sent us two interns who were extremely helpful.

Considering that you run a unique business, what are some of the creative ways you’ve found new employees?

Like many other businesses during the Great Resignation, we can struggle to find employees. We try different online hiring platforms, but over the last six months, the most effective has been having a hiring sign on the window and folks drop off their resumes. We do reach out to culinary schools, but because I didn’t go to culinary school, I am primarily looking for kind, generous people to work with. Having a resource like Henry Street step in is extremely helpful. I love working with you because the candidates are willing to learn. It’s a win-win strategy because we have extra hands to help in the kitchen and interns gain experience to put on their resumes. We always make sure interns gain something from us; there’s a mutual exchange happening.

What do you recommend to others who are looking to hire new employees, especially in the food and beverage industry?

I would highly recommend just being more openminded and realistic about your expectations. I care so much about the energy and harmony among my team members. Over time as a manager, I have gained a better understanding of what kind of person is the best fit for what tasks. I have learned that everybody has something to offer, you just have to find their strength and utilize that.

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