Nominees for the 2023 Small Business of the Year
TYLER’S GELATTE STONE
Grit, determination, and the desire to uplift the human spirit are what drives Ben Babauta to continue creating and serving unique handcrafted gelato creations at Tyler’s Gelatte Stone.
Babauta turned his childhood love of ice cream into a business venture about three years ago out of a necessity to provide for his family after losing his job from COVID-19 cutbacks.
It was a visit to a quaint gelato store in Japan in 2020 that ignited Babauta’s passion to bring the frozen delight back to Saipan. With a home gelato maker on hand, Babauta first began making his own gelato creations at home before finally opening the creamery at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Undaunted by the challenges of opening a business during a time of economic uncertainties, Babauta soldiered on and opened the Sugar King shop, which is now home to the Italian treat popular for its local twist and creative flavors such as bussin Chamolinian Chocolate, Leche Lantiyas, Mange Mango, Dudus Dragon Fruit Sorbet, Nutella Brownie, Pikaru Pistachio, and more.
What keeps Babauta’s business open despite the usual challenges he faces as a small business owner is keeping up the commitment Tyler’s Gelatte Stone made toward helping fellow small businesses and the community in hosting and organizing fundraising events, with the Autism Society of the CNMI, the Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Abuse, and the Division of Youth Services among the first groups to benefit from the business’ advocacy.
Two of the most impactful events the creamery hosted in 2023 were the Small Business Sundays and the Most Badass People award.
At the Small Business Sundays, which Tyler’s Gelatte Stone hosted twice last year, other small businesses were invited to sell products and network at their Sugar King Park location, giving the latter the ability to gain more exposure and customers.
This event paved the way for young professionals and some of the unsung heroes of the community to be recognized at the Most Badass People awards, which the creamery also hosted in 2023.
For 2024, two of the events the creamery will be involved in are the Marianas March Against Cancer and Miss Bikini Marianas.
Babauta draws his inspiration to do good from his son, Tyler, who is the namesake of the shop, as well as people’s energy to do something for the community.
“Personally, I am involved with the community because I want to use my platform to give back to the community. It makes me feel good. I feel like if I could inspire people to give back or make a difference. It’ll keep going and our community will benefit from it,” said Babauta.
SWEET LANE SAIPAN
Ashlyn Chae Young Lee, owner and pastry chef of Sweet Lane Saipan, has made it her life’s work to introduce the flavors and taste of French and Korean pastry to the local market.
Opened in 2022, this cozy patisserie located in the heart of Saipan’s tourist district is the place to go for light brunch and afternoon teas, romantic dates, and intimate get-togethers.
Creating French-inspired desserts are Lee’s passion, which she showcases at Sweet Lane Saipan. This spot has quickly gained a following with its hearty takes on savory café classics, famous macarons, tiramisu, and high-quality cakes, 30 flavors of macarons and sharing portions of Castella cake paired with specialty Illy coffee and fine Ceylon Dilmah T Series teas.
Further delighting its patrons is the charming and understated ambiance of the place, which feature detailed interiors, lush surroundings, and generous portions of desserts served in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.
The 28-year-old Lee, who is originally from South Korea, opened Sweet Lane Saipan at the encouragement of friends whom she delighted with her home-baked goods that reminded them of the taste of the sweet delights they enjoyed back in Korea. To create her authentic French and Korean desserts, Lee uses ingredients locally sourced on island.
Lee’s love for baking and creating tasty desserts began at a young age while watching her mom bake homemade goods. In college, Lee studied baking and confectionery at the Suwon Women’s University and honed her baking skills as a part of the pastry team at several 5-star hotels in Korea. She moved to Saipan in 2019.
Sweet Lane is located in the same building as the Naked Fish Bar & Grill in Garapan across the American Memorial Park parking lot. Open everyday, from 11am to 5:30pm.
THE ANGRY PENNE
It started with chef/owner Norman Chan Jr. making pizzas out of his apartment garage and selling them through social media. That dinky start is now a bustling, full-service restaurant known as The Angry Penne.
Located on the second floor of Victoria Plaza across the American Memorial Park in Garapan, this Italian-inspired restaurant serves fresh brick-oven pizzas, handmade pastas, salads, and other specialties.
Run by a core of young, Saipan-born-and-bred entrepreneurs, The Angry Penne was born at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when Chan quit his job to start making wood-fired pizzas from his garage and selling them through Instagram under the moniker Chef Chan.
Once good word of mouth spread and the business started to build a following, Chan took the offer to turn his venture into brick-and-mortar venture in 2022.
As for the restaurant’s unique name, Chan and his business associates like to give two versions of the story, both of which are quite amusing.
Depending perhaps on who is listening or who is asking, the first and shorter version breaks down the restaurant’s name—“‘Angry’ because the chef is always angry…and ‘Penne’ because we’re all a bunch of silly boys,” said Chan.
The second, and most likely, is the more official version of the story: “After brainstorming for days, my business partners and I started to translate things we like from English to Italian and vice versa to see if anything would stick.”
Eventually, the group chose the name of Chan’s favorite pasta dish, Penne Arrabbiata, which in English, translates to Angry Penne. And thus the legend was born.
Chan said they pride themselves in making everything from scratch, highlighting local ingredients and focusing on quality over quantity.
“Anyone who appreciates a pizza made from scratch—pizza dough [that’s] proofed and fermented properly; sauce made daily and not too sweet; quality ingredients for toppings and understanding quality over quantity; pizza crust with some char and character; pasta noodles made fresh daily; salad dressing that isn’t from a bottle—anyone who appreciates those things, is our customer,” he said.
Chan operates the restaurant guided by the philosophy of providing the best food and service that he and his team can possibly give at any given moment.
“…Knowing we didn’t let each other down, because we did everything that we could. … If we can live in that moment, and learn and grow from that moment, everything else will fall into place,” he said.
After recently celebrating its second-year anniversary, Chan is looking forward to continuing offering the food The Angry Penne has become synonymous with and serving its loyal patrons, both from the local community and visitors alike.
For 2024, Chan plans to continue adding more offerings that include expanding the restaurant’s line of appetizers and entrees—steak, duck, and fresh fish. There will also be some renovation work at the restaurant and the possibility of expanding its catering services and offering live pizza and pasta stations, salads and other at any gathering.
Follow or direct message The Angry Penne at Instagram at @angrypenne_spn.
GUAM MARIANAS TRAINING CENTER
The mission of the Guam Marianas Training Center is pretty straightforward: to help strengthen the Northern Marianas and Guam’s health care system through the advancement of certified healthcare professions.
In addition to its nursing and health care programs, GMTC also offers language courses and certificate courses in business and computer technology. Annually, an average of 130 students from GMTC’s Guam and Saipan centers graduate from the school’s diverse course offerings.
Founded in 1989 by Fe Valencia-Ovalles, it was initially known as Career Development Specialists. Just six years into its establishment, the school became GMTC after establishing itself in Guam as a leader in private vocational education.
In 1996, recognizing its commitment to workforce development, GMTC became an approved training provider by Guam’s Workforce Investment Opportunity Act and was designated the same in the CNMI in 2014.
In 2004, GMTC made a strategic decision to expand its curriculum to include Health and Allied career programs, garnering endorsements from the Guam Board of Nurse Examiners and the Northern Marianas Board of Nursing for its Certified Nursing Assistant Program.
GMTC bolstered its presence in the region with the launch of the Saipan Training Center in 2010.
Locally, GMTC partnered with the CNMI Department of Labor under then-secretary Edith De Leon Guerrero by receiving funding to introduce a specialized training program in Certified Billing and Coding. A significant number of employees working at the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp.’s Revenue Cycle domain are GMTC graduates.
Through this partnership, GMTC continues to assist CHCC in the many audits on the revenue collection aspect of its operation. In fact, CHCC hires graduates of GMTC’s Certified Nursing Assistant program, a testament to the robust and enduring relationship between the two.
In 2020, the CNMI’s Public School System Nursing Assistant Pathway program was created with help from GMTC. Since the program’s inception, an average of15 students per cohort has graduated from the program annually, further underscoring GMTC’s dedication to fostering skilled professionals in health and allied sectors across the region.
In the pipeline this 2024 for GMTC is its planned expansion to the Federated States of Micronesia and the launch of a hemodialysis technician course by the end of the year.
GMTC is also focused on standardizing its Allied Health courses to 160 hours to secure U.S. Department of Labor Apprenticeship approval for all courses, beginning with the Certified Nursing Assistant and Certified Pharmacy Technician courses.
In Guam, GMTC is located at 414 West Soledad Avenue Suite 601-A GCIC Bldg. Hagatna with phone numbers (671) 475-4682 / 475-1011 and fax at (671) 472-2210.
The Saipan Office is located at Unit# 105 Middle Road, Pangelinan Bldg., Chalan Laulau, Saipan, MP 96950, with the phone number (670) 235-8883. Email inquiries may be sent to guammarianastrainingcenter@yahoo.com and gmmsinc@guam.net.
GMTC is also on Facebook at GMTC671 / GMTC670
EUCON MEDICAL HEALTH SERVICES
EUCON Medical Health Services is a physical therapy clinic and Pilates studio tucked in an unassuming corner in Gualo Rai, Saipan, wedged between a travel agency and a car window tinting business.
Aside from preventative and rehabilitative health services, the clinic also offers small group classes with five or fewer attendees on Pilates Reformers, Chairs, or at its Barre gym.
Patients can sign up for beginners to advanced Pilates classes, which may be tailored to their schedule.
The clinic is part of the EUCON family and also offers weekly Bible studies taught by Dr. Joel Medasu every Friday night evenings.
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