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

Hi Phyllis, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Well, I didn’t initially think about starting a business. Back in 2009, I graduated from CSUSM with a degree in Art, but after months of not getting any interest in my resume, I went to bed frustrated with my lack of prospects. I prayed & asked my mom (whom passed away 6 months before my graduation) for help & guidance.

She went into my dreams & took my hands & told me to do what felt natural to me. Immediately I knew exactly what to do. I’d make lumpia to sell.

That week, I registered my business & got a business license & started promoting my business using social media.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
As a caterer, with varied experience (Non-profit work, insurance & real estate agent, science, art, marketing, professional match-maker & lingerie designer), I take my experiences & use my skills to help in my new journey.

There is a lot of overlap in my career. And that is because I hate wasting time. I’m always on the move & doing things to innovate. Others may see it as a lack of clarity in what I want, but that’s not the case. I like to pursue my interests. I hate regret, more than wasting time. I don’t want to look back at my life & think, “why didn’t I at least try?”.

With this method, I have experience from many backgrounds & connections in each of these industries.

My life has not been easy & I have had struggle in each one of my paths, but it taught me resiliency & flexibility. I think this has helped me be innovative & creative in my marketing, recipes & food.

What I learned in all these areas is that people work with who they like. If you’re a straight-forward, genuine, hard-working & transparent person, people respond more positively to you. So regardless of what industry I’m in, this is my approach because it’s who I am.

What I want people to know about me… I put my love & energy in everything that I do. My work is important to me, especially now that I’m self-employed. It is all on me!

Some people may be terrified by this, but it can also be freeing. You know that you can control so much in your business.

In the past, when I worked for someone else, I didn’t understand why certain things were or were not done, but now that I’m the boss, I call the shots & I will always do what’s best for me & my business. And if that means taking time off to recharge & reinvent myself, I will do that.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I live in the Oxnard/Port Hueneme area, so the beach would be first on my list.

If my best friend (I have a few) came for a visit, I’d take them to…

1.) Kiddie Beach off Victoria in Oxnard. We’d grab food from the Strandwich or La Jenelle Natural Cafe for a delicious bite to eat. We’d enjoy the sun, sand & fresh air & yummy food.

It’s also a great place to see the boats go out to sea or come back from their trips. I have seen some of the most unique boats from this beach!

Dinner at the Haven at White Sails – Caribbean & Filipino food with instagrammable restaurant, food & drinks!

2.) Beach walk at Hueneme Beach. They have a long paved side walk that’s perfect for a beach walk with out being on the sand. There is also a pier so if we wanted to go fishing, we could easily go that.

For breakfast I’d suggest LaPlaya Soul afterwards, which is a family-owned & operated gem! They are only open for breakfast & lunch, so get there early. They have the best lattes & hush puppies!

For lunch we’d go to Pho Saigon down the street from the beach. They are literally the best Vietnamese food I’ve ever had! And they have vegan options!

3.) Hiking at Paradise Falls in Thousand Oaks. It’s perfect for beginners, but isn’t too easy. It’s about an hour hike. You can also take kids & there are several spots to stop to take pics & have a picnic. Once you get to the falls, all your efforts are worth it! It’s picture perfect!

Mouthful Eatery on Thousand Oaks Blvd would be the perfect end to a hike. They serve sandwiches, salads & Peruvian food. I’ve taken friends here & all have enjoyed their visit.

4.) Brunch at Cafe Nouveau- the BEST breakfast in Ventura County!

Thrift store shopping & vintage shopping in Downtown Ventura on Main Street. There are more thrift stores here than anywhere else I know! I’ve found awesome vintage finds here at affordable prices that I still own years later.

There are a number of great food options here, but I’d definitely come to Limon y Sal for lunch or dinner.

5.) The Collection in Oxnard is a great place to do some shopping!

We’d have lunch at Luna Grill.

Bowl & play video games at Bolero

Catch a movie at Century 16 Riverpark,

Dinner at Kabuki.

And a comedy show at Levity Live.

6.) Ventura Harbor… Lunch at Margaritavillle & a sweet treat at Coastal Cone

Dinner at the Cave – they have AMAZING wines & food!

7.) Massages at the Advanced School of Massage in Thousand Oaks

Pedicures at Paseo Nails

Lunch at Carrara’s Pastries in Moorpark. They have authentic Italian pastries, pasta & gelato!

Dinner at the Moody Roaster! The food is so good!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have owned & managed my business since 2009, but I didn’t start to find any real success until I decided to dedicate myself to my business, full-time, after being laid off from my local government job.

I did what I could with my marketing skills, but it wasn’t until I hired my business coach, Jay Aquino, owner of SMBG (Social Media Business Growth).

After getting more local recognition, I knew that I needed to do something to bridge the gap to where I wanted to go with my business. Coach Jay equipped me with the tools I needed to continue to my steady climb to success.

Through Coach Jay’s container (group coaching) I met & made friends with other amazing, hard-working & savvy entrepreneurs that blew open the doors to my network.

As I’ve quickly learned, “Your network is your net worth”.

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/Masarap_Lumpia

Twitter: @Masarap_Lumpia

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/MasarapLumpia805

Other: Let us help make your week more delicious! Masarap Lumpia is located in the Oxnard/Port Hueneme area. Don’t forget to text orders to (805)889-3177. We appreciate the continued support. Serving Ventura County since 2009. Please follow Masarap Lumpia on Instagram www.Instagram.com/Masarap_Lumpia & on Facebook www.Facebook.com/MasarapLumpia805

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutSocal is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.