One-on-one with New Orleans eCommerce business owner Le Voir Lewis
“My own business?” It’s easy to dream about, still, it takes more than guts to woo intergenerational wealth.
Success awaits you. You can tell that Louisianan eCommerce businessman, Le Voir Lewis is a believer. Vision seeps into any setting and into any circumstance.
“Most of my family says it comes from church.” Throughout his life, the opportunity to open a business teased him. After the launch of his eCommerce business, he saw how each of his past jobs put him along the pathway to this moment.
Lewis stitched his entrepreneurial vision into the digital fabric of an online store. And through this, Braised and Blanched eCommerce store, he’s brought a smorgasbord of items. Customized clothing, candles, kitchenware, and wine glasses, make up a sliver of what B&B has to offer.
So, how do you move from idea to online?
Lewis is center stage to tell his story.
Get Cozy
Sit alongside bachelor and businessman, Le Voir Lewis. Step onto his New Orleans front porch, brave the mosquitos and soak in the Irish Channel sunset. Listen in as we talk about what’s most important in business today, the why behind your passion.
What does it take to run a successful eCommerce business in 2022? This interview arm wrestles with the motivation, foundation, leadership, structure, and start-up process.
Also, it surveys swamplands of ambiguity to find the digital oasis of sales and marketing. Yet above all, let this Q&A guide you to the summit of success.
(Q)-Question
(M)-Me
(L)-Mr. Lewis
Sweet Welcome
M: I appreciate you so much spending some time with me?
L: Sure, this is an all-access exclusive interview into me, and I’m ready.
The Braised and Blanched Why Story
M: Can you tell me about that motivation and how it happened. Was it that you belonged to a million-dollar club?
L: No, I don’t belong to any club. With Braised and Blanched, (eCommerce) it’s actually the description of a journey. Are you familiar with cooking terms?
M: (I nodded) This was the moment I was waiting for…The Braised and Blanched why story. Lewis’s golden circle was forming.
L: Braised and blanched is a cooking term. A slow process of changing the texture of certain foods. By tightly sealing it with a slow process of cooking. Of course, with blanching, you have the quick process of trying to purge toxins from nutrients.
And this actually signifies what I have gone through in my life. So, of course, my first venture, my first business is going to be named after that.
It’s going to be named after my life, it’s going to be named after my journey. My life which is purging, which is a slow process.
I look from (this view) as this business is being built from the ground up, (and) add at least ten times to myself. I could have done this in my 20s, I could’ve done this in my 30s, but it wasn’t time. And God didn’t want me to do this back then.
(I agreed about my copywriting business. It seems we’re all led at the right time on our business ventures.)
Question of eCommerce Braised and Blanched Timing
L: There’s a time and a place for everything and this was the time and place for me to do this. And that’s why the name Braised and Blanched stuck out. As the name of my first business and as the name of this store because it talks about a journey.
M: You’ve got me as far as I’m guilty, I did look up braised and blanched before.
(We both laughed as Lewis praised my research efforts with, “I tip my hat off to you.”)
Additions to Parent Company?
Q: Is there anything you’d like to add to your why story behind The Braised and Blanched or The Drinking Glass Inc.?
L: No. Of course, it was inevitable that I would start a business that was customer-service driven or sales driven. I mean because of my (restaurant industry) background. The drinking glass…good name based off of bar supplies…the bartender.
Braised and Blanched of cooking, but like I said there’s the story behind it. I think the names speak for themselves.
Something that’s memorable. Like when you go home…you’re going to think The Drinking Glass or Braised and Blanched. Names that stand out.
Why eCommerce?
Q: Let’s go into this research as it flows into your eCommerce business. Why did you choose eCommerce?
L: I chose eCommerce because it shows the state of the world we are in now. I know people are rushing out to get out of the house because a lot of us have been stuck in the house over months and days because of the lockdown that happened in 2020.
Again, the concept came to my mind. But it wasn’t the right time to do it. And as far as the storefront is concerned, it takes a lot of either money, credit, or some type of financial stability prior to opening a storefront or a brick-and-mortar building.
M: (I nodded)
L: eCommerce is the way to go because it is fast and quick, and a lot of people don’t want to have to socialize either.
They want to easily select what they want and get it, checkout, and move on to the next activity in their life. And that’s why I chose eCommerce as opposed to a brick-and-mortar store.
M: That’s important. So, convenience had a lot to do with it.
L: Yes.
M: You are kind of moving with the times?
L: I think every entrepreneur and every business owner and every successful business owner, they have to move with the trend. They have to keep up with the times. I feel bad for a lot of the restaurants in New Orleans that have closed.
You know what I did is research some of those restaurants and I wondered why did they close? New Orleans is like the Mecca of good food.
M: (I agreed)
L: And it seems like any place would be able to survive, even if there was a drought financially because of COVID. But I found that a lot of those restaurants did not want to keep up with the times.
Either they didn’t want to do some type of delivery service (Ubereats) that allowed them to not have to worry about people coming into the restaurant but the food comes to them (or not?)….
M: (I nodded)
L: I noticed that a lot of those restaurants didn’t keep up with the times. I don’t want to be like them. Or be archaic in thinking. I’m still old school. But I understand that you do have to cater to certain changes in the world. And I think eCommerce is the only way to go.
M: I do agree. I’ve seen a lot of businesses just go away because of the inflexibility of their business, their structure.
Now of course there’s a little research that goes into the (study of the market) I don’t want people to think that there’s no research involved. Of course, there’s research involved. It would be very foolish not to research anything before diving into it. And so, I did a little research.
Differentiation of Starting eCommerce: Smart Customer Service and Personalization
Q: Can you tell us more about the responsibilities you’ve taken on as a business owner to get this thing off the ground? Like you’ve done your own copywriting I know on your site. You used a skeleton to help you try and put everything in the right place. Can you tell me more about that?
L: So, of course being a business owner you are not only secretary, receptionist, You are website manager, you are accountant, you’re payroll manager, you are bookkeeper, I mean you have so many roles.
And even when the business becomes successful you know I’ve thought about different avenues I would take.
I’ve already started planning, ok I want to make sure that I have a sales rep because a business can only thrive if it has incoming sales. So, I’ve already thought about hiring a sales rep who will actually go out into the community so we can sponsor sponsorships.
So, we can seek out opportunities to sponsor events and get our brand into the community.
I’ve also thought about having a customer service rep. Actually, I do have a part-time person who does customer service for me. It’s just they’re not round the clock.
He’s a very good customer service rep. I’ve already received some good compliments from our reviews on the professionalism (of our rep).
And that’s what it takes. You’re in competition with so many online stores. Pretty much it’s survival of the fittest. Which one stands out the most. Is it the one where you may get the fast delivery but the customer service stinks?
M: Yes.
L: That’s not us. Our delivery may not be fast. But you better believe our customer service is going to be top-notch or we’ll do whatever it takes to make sure that the customer is happy.
Braised and Blanched eCommerce…Now That’s Customer Service
M: Absolutely. I like how you had shared with me how that customer had called in and had said that the merchandise was defective, and you immediately stopped with that supplier because you didn’t want your name attached to that experience.
L: Right. One of the things I do every night after my regular nine to five, I run reports for multiple businesses. And one of the things that I look at of course is I look at sales and I look at bank statements. I look at if there’s any accounts that have been applied.
I look at refunds.
So, for this particular situation.
And I remember this woman because she stood out. She was very nice. And I reviewed the chat between her and ****** my reps. Of course, he was very professional.
And one of the things she stated when she informed us about the product. She said, I know you have been very nice and very grateful but I’m sorry I can’t receive this. I can’t accept this. And I could tell she was being very genuine about it. Because she had always been nice throughout the whole conversation she had with my rep.
M: Gotcha.
L: And so, at the end of the day when she took the picture and showed us the product, I was like yes, this is not something…I don’t want to be associated with this. And I think that should be the case for every person that sells something.
And that’s what they teach us in the restaurant industry as well.
Do you want to put your name on that plate when it goes out the window to the table?
Would you risk your life for that plate? If your life depended on it.
I’m sorry. With that product if my life depended on it, I would not want to ever sell that product again. We eventually cut ties with that vendor. And found another vendor that sells something similar. And we’ve moved forward.
But that’s just the price you pay and those are those hard decisions you make from time to time. But you make the decision. You don’t ponder on it. You make it and then you have to move on.
M: Definitely. Your positive energy. I do think you give that off with every transaction.
L: I rarely have transactions with customers. Like I said. It’s mostly my rep. I’ve hired this guy part-time. And he’s done an excellent job. I wish I could afford him full-time. But right now, sales aren’t there. But they soon will be. I’m looking forward to it.
The Other Brasied and Blanched eCommerce Differentiating Factor? Your choices
Q: You mention that (your customer service) is your differentiating factor, do you have other differentiating factors with Braised and Blanched?
L: Custom-made shirts, that you will not get anywhere else. The sayings are sayings that I’ve either created or my family has created. You’ll get the uniqueness of that. A lot of the glassware, a lot of the bar stuff…there is common bar stuff…
But a lot of people don’t think to get it until they get to my website, and then, they’re like…Wow! This is some good lookin’ stuff.
eCommerce Structure Questions Answers
Q: Why did you decide on a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) over a sole proprietorship?
L: From a legal standpoint, it is always important to keep your personal (matters separate) from your business. And so, by doing that, I wanted to do something that was legal.
Not only that. Braised and blanched are two common cooking terms. And so just to make sure that everything was legit, everything was legal…I decided to do an LLC. Because once you come up with a name like that, you want to make sure it’s not copied.
Anything that you create from that point on is completely legitimate.
I’ve received questions many times why name a store that has clothing, that’s a plethora of many things…why would you name a store that? And the reason why is it is about the journey. It’s about the footsteps and the path that led to why it is what it is today.
I have the tax structure set up for what is best for my needs…whatever fits my financial status.
Q: I assume you used Legal Zoom for the LLC?
L: I did. And for the Corporation I used Swyft Filings. Both of them are legal and equally quick. Legal Zoom is round-the-clock care. And you pay for that support. Wills, powers of attorneys, etc. Swyft Filings is for corporations and business transactions. Forming a corporation, LLC, or Sole-prop.
L: I applaud Swyft Filings and Legalzoom for those installment payment plans. Budgets are very tight for business owners like us. Counting every penny…those installment plans help out a lot.
New eCommerce Launch?
Q: I saw the new name (The Drinking Glass Inc.) can you tell us about that?
L: (Added to the LLC). I actually created a parent company called The Drinking Glass Inc.
This one is solely committed to kitchenware, glassware, bar supplies…people like to entertain, people like to mix cocktails and mocktails, with no alcohol in them, (those) who like to feel important and like to play bartender sometimes.
So, the Drinking Glass allows that to happen. It allows people who love to cook to be creative. And there are some things on the website and in the store that allow people to see and be (who they want).
M: I like that imagination, that childlike fascination with it. You’re giving them (your customers) a place to play.
L: Yup. The Drinking Glass Company is actually going to be the parent company, the umbrella and of course, Braised and Blanched falls under that.
And the reason why I have that is because little do you know, I am also a cook. I am not a chef. I am not licensed. I am not trained. But I do a lot of cooking.
And one of the things I always get a lot of raves for is my cold foods like chicken salad, potato salad, and things of that nature.
And so, stay tuned there will be a food business that comes out of all this. Where I’ll possibly be at a festival. You know New Orleans is big on festivals. What they encourage is the small business owner, a small cook or chef to set up a tent and sell their food.
I’ve gotten a lot of good reviews on our foods. So, I’m thinking that the next step will be setting up a tent for next year. And maybe Jazzfest or the French Quarter Festival.
Again, the business setup is for multifaceted items. I don’t want to solely keep various things in one business. Especially if it does not relate. So that’s why I’m establishing different businesses under The Drinking Glass, Inc. And there will be a separate business for my writing.
Having the store, Braised and Blanched, gives me a place where I can sell my (upcoming) book also! I’m thinking ten steps ahead. I think that’s one of the necessary traits of a business owner and an entrepreneur.
It’s like playing chess you have to keep ten paces ahead. In order to be successful and stay on top. And that’s what I’m trying to do.
Above All It’s Leadership
Q: When you were talking about staying ten steps ahead that was reminding me of the 4 Hour work week when the author Tim Ferriss talks about how it sometimes takes many, many months before he makes a move. Can you tell us about some of the business type of books possibly that inspired you, that helped give you these tools you have to make the business that you’ve made?
L: To be honest with you, there has been very little leadership books that I’ve read.
Again, I don’t know where it comes from.
My family says it’s based off of church. When I was younger, I would be a youth leader. I would be one of the people speaking in the programs at church. And it followed me all throughout college.
Being a leader, I mean it’s one of those things that I guess people on the outside looking in can say it’s natural.
If you want things right. You always want to push for things that are right. And that’s what I have always wanted to do. Push for things that are right and things that are correct. Especially when it comes to people that are involved, customers.
I’ve been to many places and I’ve seen many things and scenarios. Coming from the company where I came from as a bartender and then I became a floor manager you see the good side of customer service.
And then of course when you go to other places you see the dark side of customer service.
And having that background, is why I’m a big advocate for customer service when it comes to my businesses. (In eCommerce) The customers don’t see the rep that’s answering their questions.
The Power of the Braised and Blanched eCommerce Smile
They don’t see him. But they can still feel his warmth, whenever he is replying back to him.
Same as on the phone with someone. You can feel their smile, feel their energy, and so that’s the things I try to portray as a business owner, as a person in general. Feel the positive energy. I don’t ever want to dump my negative trash on anyone.
We are living in a world today where there’s a lot of negativity going on. There’s been a lot of people who are suffering because of the times. And one of the things that I will forever want to leave in this world is a smile helps.
It’s ok to smile.
It’s ok to push forward and make someone’s day.
That’s what I’m teaching my rep for Braised and Blanched and what I want him to train employees (on) who come after him. Push through with a smile. And that will make a big difference for your customer.
And so when you bring up the subject on leadership books, I’ve rarely read any. Everything has come naturally either by observing other leaders in action or being a leader myself, being pushed into that role. Being a leader there can be a lot of pressure.
That’s if you allow it to put pressure on yourself. I don’t allow that pressure. Because I’m human like everyone else. I will make mistakes like everyone else. But the idea is how do you bounce from those mistakes.
M: Absolutely.
L: And that’s the measure of a man and that’s the measure of a woman. So, you can call me a leader all day. But I’m not an effective leader if I’m not honest. If I’m not growing from my mistakes or from my failures. And if I’m not passing that journey on to other people.
The Braised and Blanched Power of Exposure
Q: There’s a lot of talk today about how common people can not afford education, can you tell me how your education has gotten you to this point?
L: I’m thankful for my education. I went to Texas A & M in College Station. Fighting Texas Aggies Class of 2000.
M: Gig ‘em. (Word of agreement familiar to A&M students and graduates)
L: Gig ‘em right back at you.
Now, to answer your question, how has college prepared me for this moment here? The exposure. It would definitely (have) given me the exposure. Being around other people, it taught you how to socialize.
It taught you how to share. It taught you how to compete. It taught you how to definitely work with people. You get some leadership and management opportunities if you were involved in the university.
At A&M, I was a part of ExCEL. (That’s ExCEL-Excellence uniting Culture Education & Leadership) That is a student leadership program that unites all freshman and gets them acclimated to the A & M campus in a positive way.
There were also mentors where I actually had a mentor from the corps. We always set up a meeting every month just to see how things were going. And that was successful.
And again, it prepares you for other people. Especially if you come from a small town or a small state or anywhere things tend to be a little close-minded and old-fashioned. You’re exposed to a world where there are other people who are from different walks of life.
And you also are sharing their ideas or learning their ideas and their concepts. And either you agree with them, or you don’t. But you’re getting that exposure.
So, getting that exposure at A&M allowed me to do what I’m doing now. Not only A&M but also my experience as a bartender and a restaurant manager. It gives me some idea of operations and how that works.
M: And definitely, I think you touched on it. It’s that idea of relationship. And relationship at all levels. From like you already spoke about the customer, but of course you have relationship with your employee, and now you’ve got to have a relationship with other suppliers so absolutely.
M: I see a lot of things from Linked In of people that come from nothing yet they learn these people skills the harder way.
L: Yeah. It’s very important to learn those skills. It’s very important to actually learn in general. I mean if you’re not learning, you’re not growing.
M: Yeah, absolutely.
Sinek’s Mission Statement: Personal Motto
Q: Can you come up with a motto that guides your business?
L: If you’ve been on my website you already know my motto is fulfilling dreams without fear. That’s my motto. What reinforced that motto…there was a Facebook post of an older lady and I don’t remember her name. Her first album that she released…she released six months ago at the age of either 89 or 90.
M: Very cool.
L: And that was her first album. Who says you have to be in your 20s thin and beautiful and youthful to have an album? You can be 80, 90. You could be a 100 and release an album. If that’s your passion, that’s your passion (regardless of age).
But again, fulfill your dreams without fear. And when I saw that post…that is what…that motto rang out as clear as day when I was like…sitting there thinking…fulfill your dreams without fear. That’s it. That’s exactly what I’ve done. I’ve fulfilled my dream without fear.
I never thought about where my next meal was going to come from. Never thought about finances. Never thought about being a famous person. It’s doing what I want to do. That I know is going to be successful for me personally.
That way when I’m older I can look back and say…you know what… I wrote a book.
I own two businesses…That’s hey. I’ve done more than the average person. And because of that, I am thankful.
Upcoming Events
L: Just FYI for the Drinking Glass I am going to do a 50% off sale of the whole store. And the only people who are going to be able to seize the opportunity will be those subscribers.
And if people have not subscribed then they will not be able to receive notification that I’m having a 50% off sale. But it’s going to be a once-a-year Friends of the Drinking Glass 50% Off Sale. I will not do the same for Braised and Blanched because I want to keep those stores totally different, totally separate.
In fact, I want it so separate and different, I don’t want people to think is Braised and Blanched affiliated with the Drinking Glass?
Contact information
M: This has been great. Is there any way we can get in touch with you if we have more questions or want to come find you (online)?
L: Absolutely. I have a customer service email for Braised and Blanched and that is customer.service@braisedandblanched.com. And it’s the same for The Drinking Glass. It’s customer.service@thedrinkingglass.co.
Use sales@braisedandblanched.com for corporate sales or big quantities sales. Quantity over 50. For things such as custom-made t-shirts for a group. They can send their inquiries to the sales email address. And my rep will respond as quick(ly) as possible and get the information out to them.
So, let’s keep my rep busy! While he/she is working.
Lewis also has websites for his businesses and is web-accessible through social media channels such as Tik Tok, Facebook, etc.
Wrap Up
What does it take to run a successful eCommerce business in 2022? Mr. Lewis has shared the advice he’s discovered over decades. Let’s look at his journey in six takeaways. Get your dream eCommerce business Braised and Blanched for future success too.
- Select a business and a name that reflects your life’s journey
- Concentrate on growth above wealth
- Adapt to the change in your markets
- Be thankful and set small, calculated goals
- Create a business centered on the smooth customer experience
- Fulfill your dreams without fear
Accept the Braised & Blanched digital parting gift!
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Until next time, be your top-shelf you.