Meet Lauren Bebeau: Creator of SETXfoodies, Founder of Passion PR

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

Hi Lauren, what do you attribute your success to?
The most important factor behind the success of my brand has always been to support the local business owners in my area. It was too often that I would meet business owners who did not know ways to reach new customers. Without customers, they would not survive. Through creating SETXfoodies & Passion PR, I have given these owners a person to trust with their digital marketing efforts. By supporting small business owners, we are giving our community a chance at having more options. More options make communities and areas unique and worthwhile.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
As a child of the internet, born in 1987, I’ve always loved to share online. What was a common thing among people my age soon became a journey of storytelling, personal and professionally. Just after leaving the family biz, I needed to find a purpose. In 2015, I created @setxfoodies as an outlet to showcase what people, places, and things needed a spotlight in my area. I was fighting the narrative that there was nothing to be offered locally in Beaumont. A persistent effort of finding new restaurants led to building a professional network and my content creation skills. Since creating @setxfoodies, I have landed gigs in journalism, growth marketing, sales, advertising, tv and radio media and freelance photography. If you would have asked me 5 years ago if I would be Founder of a PR agency and working full time for HEB’s Favor Delivery, I never would have believed you. As of last week, I am now published in the Houston Chronicle. As a small town girl from Beaumont, every day is a dream to me. Challenges have mainly come in the form of naysayers. You can receive 100 positive comments on a photo, but its always the 1 negative comment that sticks with your mind. Unfortunately. that is the downside to working on social media. I have definitely worked hard to improve my mental strength — and that includes avoiding all things negative. With an optimistic mindset, anyone can fulfill their wildest dreams. After all, it was a Bravo reality show that inspired me to become a food figure in my area. It is up to ourselves to manifest our own journey. I want the world to know that its okay to help people and not expect a return. If we selfless use ourselves as a tool for good, then that will come full circle. A favor today, can be a job tomorrow. It’s important not to take yourself too seriously and that you can learn something new every day.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
The entire SETX area is pretty amazing. From Galveston to Houston, and even near the Louisiana border, there’s so much to experience here in Texas. HOUSTON For daytime fun, take a ride around downtown and look for murals. Then find The Melt on Wheels and order the birria grilled cheese! Since it’s crawfish season, we must visit Crawfish & Noodles. If It’s not a busy day, spend some time in Chinatown sampling from different restaurants. I’m always down for some Ramen Tatsu-ya. In the evening, take a stroll around the park and even some photos at Discovery Green. If the weather is cool, plan for a patio dinner at Coltivare in the Heights. The patio is within the garden, and everything is made from scratch. It’s fantastic! If we’re in a splurging mood, we will stop by Kuhl Lindscomb and eat brunch at Bisou; or shop at Galleria and eat at Musaafer! If celebrating a fancy dinner, we’re definitely going to MAD. Last time I went there, the entire “House of Ho” crew was there. BEAUMONT If you have time to leave Houston, head towards Beaumont. Just on the outskirts is an alligator sanctuary named Gator Country. The owner has been seen on Animal Planet and has a passion for swamp things. On weekends, they serve crawfish and have live music while you hangout amongst the gators! For a casual lunch, we’re getting Tacos La Bamba’s famous street tacos or mouthwatering brisket from 1701 Barbecue. And definitely, stop by Sachi’s Cakes & Dessert Lab for dessert! Watch the sun set at Cattail Marsh, a large boardwalk allowing for beautiful scenery. Beaumont is well-known across the world as a birding city because of the location between migration paths. There’s even place to walk around the marsh as well as a lush park on site. Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
After the passing of my father in 2017, I felt like life as I knew it was over. Thanks to the constant and neverending support of my mother, Lori, I would not be here. My mother has spent every waking minute to make sure the needs of others are met before her own. It’s selfless love like that which inspires me to be a better daughter, friend, sister, and human. She also has worked the same job since I was an infant and has been tirelessly dedicated to the success of the business. The book “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert also gave me much inspiration at a time when hope was very dim. My idea of existing became totally different. I learned to open up to new experiences–both good and bad, and also that positivity and finding peace within will help manifest dreams you never thought would come true. Also, my entire team at the HEB company, Favor Delivery, help bring me out of my shell and realize that it’s important to have your own identity in addition to functioning well within a team. The entire Houston team deserves credit for making me feel strong enough to have a voice in the organization and my home base.

Website: www.setxfoodies.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/setxfoodies

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurengbebeau/

Twitter: n/a

Facebook: www.facebook.com/setxfoodies

Yelp: n/a

Youtube: n/a

Other: Featured on: 12NewsNow, @VisitBeaumontTX, The Beaumont Enterprise, The Beaumont Examiner, Viva Southeast Texas Magazine, VIP Magazine, Beaumont-Port Arthur Visitors Guide, The Houston Chronicle, and HEB’s Favor Delivery.

Image Credits
Credits: Lauren Bebeau // Passion PR