Vivian Kong Doctora ’96 finds it rewarding to start a new business and connect with people wherever she goes.
A successful entrepreneur, the Illinois State University graduate runs Bao Destinations, is a licensed real estate agent, wrote a children’s book, and co-founded community events like Beyond Social cooking classes and the Young Entrepreneur Market.
Despite moving from Bloomington-Normal after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, Kong Doctora has returned to her Illinois State University hometown three times. After living in Hong Kong, California and Virginia, she has been back in Bloomington since 2013 and is deeply involved in the community she calls home.
“I want my kids to grow up in a community where people feel empowered to do things for themselves,” Con Doctora said. “The more we build and create community, the more people will come and the town will continue to thrive.”
One of the ways Kong Doctora connects with the community is through Bao Destination, a steamed bun business that sells take-home bao packs that can be purchased at local grocery stores and the Downtown Bloomington Farmers Market.
Inspired by a visit to the Anaheim Packing District in California, she decided to open a similar food hall in Bloomington and run her own baozi stand. The venture failed, but her idea to start a baozi business remained.
“In a way, it was a blessing,” Kong Doktra says. “I had always wanted to be an entrepreneur, and I thought, ‘If I’m going to open a food hall and someone is going to trust me and help me start the business, I need to understand how to run a food business.’ So I started making steamed baozi at home.”
Kong Doctor began making baozi for his family, using his own twist on his mother’s steamed bun recipe.
“My mom loves to cook,” Kong Doktra said, “but her bao-making process is long and involves everyone. It’s a great time for family get-togethers. During the pandemic, everyone has been making sourdough bread, but I didn’t feel like I could do that, so I decided to make bao instead.”
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Kong Doctor grew up in an area where you could walk down the street and buy baozi from a food stall, but they were different from the baozi her mother made. For Kong Doctor, recreating memories in the kitchen with her children is very special, and her twins have a lot of fun doing it.
“My kids love rolling out the dough and they love eating it,” Con Doctora says.
Eventually, she decided to sell what she made, so she quit her job at State Farm after 21 years, got a ghost kitchen at the Park Regency Hotel, and started offering pickup and delivery services. She also began selling frozen take-out packs.
Kong Doctor is also working on a partnership between Bao Destination and Kobe Japanese Steakhouse to open a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant in October, where Kong Doctor’s bao, sushi and other dishes will be served to diners on a conveyor belt that rotates between tables.
“Food is a way to connect people,” Con Doctora said. “When we eat something, it can raise questions about the origins of that food and our personal culture. That’s why I created Bao Destination.”
Beyond Social was inspired by the same ideas of connection and learning.
“I wanted to create something fun that people could engage with, connect with and learn from,” Con Doctora said. “I love cooking and I want to share my culture with others, so I decided to start a hands-on cooking class called ‘Beyond Social.'”
The Young Entrepreneur Market was inspired by her daughter. When Cong Doktra started selling baos at the farmers market, her daughter also started making and selling jewelry. Watching her interact with customers and talking about her products, the idea was born to create a similar space for other young entrepreneurs.
Last year’s inaugural Young Entrepreneur Market, held in partnership with CO+LAB (Community Lab, LLC), attracted 26 participants, more than doubling this year to 55 young entrepreneurs. In addition to the opportunity to sell their products this year, attendees can also compete in a pitch competition with a $250 prize, participate in online workshops on relevant topics such as branding, marketing and financial management, and hear from experts on how to build a business and become a successful entrepreneur.
“This is a platform that gives young entrepreneurs an opportunity to sell their products, showcase their talents and learn a bit about being an entrepreneur,” Con Doctora said.
Connecting people through shared experiences is nothing new for Kong Doctora. While attending Illinois State University, Kong Doctora became one of the founding members of the Asian Pacific American Coalition (APAC). She and a group of friends decided to create an organization that would allow them to interact more frequently, participate in activities together, and share Asian American messages on campus.
“My sister Eleanor and I, along with a number of friends, started APAC,” Con Doktala said, “and I’m happy that it’s still alive and well on campus. I’m really pleased that they’re still carrying on the mission that we founded APAC for.”
In Illinois, Con Doctora met many people she still keeps in touch with, including friends she met through APAC.
“I met so many great people at ISU and I still stay connected with them to this day,” Con Doctola said.
