Bonnie Lau, founder and owner of @yoconutdf, shares her journey from working as an accountant to becoming a food entrepreneur. We love Bonnie's honesty, work ethic, and passion behind her brand and we think you will, too. 

We hope you enjoy our interview with Bonnie as we continue to celebrate National Women's Month. For more profiles like this one, click here. 

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CE:Tell us more about how you started your delicious dairy free yogurt brand, Yoconut!

Bonnie: I started Yoconut because my grandma, my superhero, passed away from the kind of diabetes you get from eating too much sugar. I promised her  I would take good care of myself and eat healthier. I love eating yogurt but the dairy in yogurt didn't love me. So I decided to take matters into my own hands and create an irresistible dairy free yogurt. Yoconut honors my grandmother and hopefully the superhero in each of us. 

CE: Before you started Yoconut, you had a very different career path.  Can you tell us a little more about it?

Bonnie: Prior to diving into the food world, I worked as a CPA, specializing in international tax. I loved reading and discussing tax code, regulations,  and rulings. Most of my friends were accountants and tax attorneys, and I thought most everyone in life was either in finance or law. Being a food entrepreneur really opened  my eyes to the world that was so vividly living in front of me. I felt like I discovered a playground for creativity. Suddenly I saw so many opportunities and possibilities.

CE: What life experience best prepared you for being a business owner and entrepreneur?

Bonnie: This is an interesting question. I don’t think there was a single experience that prepared me to be an entrepreneur. Truthfully, if I had known it would be this hard, I probably would have been more hesitant about starting. I think my pure passion to give people the power promised in good food and the joy that comes from pure indulgence is what really motivates me to keep pushing every day. 

CE: What advice do you have for other entrepreneurs who are just starting out?

Bonnie: If I can give one piece of advice is that you must know yourself enough to know you have the grit, intensity, and perseverance to fight for your dreams.You have to believe in yourself and your dreams enough not to waver in the face of adversity. You also have to be able to stand on both feet while being fluid and pivoting if necessary.

"you must know yourself enough to know you have the grit, intensity, and perseverance to fight for your dreams"

CE:Building a business is a lot of hard work and perseverance.  How do you maintain health and wellness in your lifestyle?

Bonnie: I love  the intense focus that is required to run a company. I also love to make time for self-care because I know it allows me recharge and continue to push forward. I go to ballet classes, take bubble baths, and eat Yoconut of course!

CE: What is your favorite way to eat Yoconut coconut yogurt?

Bonnie: I may be biased, but I just like them as it - peel and enjoy! Sometimes for mid-day snack, I will add some granola, and for dessert, I may add some shaved chocolate to our single origin dark chocolate coconut yogurt!  

CE: And of course...what is your favorite Love + Chew cookie flavor?

Bonnie: The Banana Bread flavor! It tastes just like banana bread, but it’s dairy and gluten free.