ALIST_Anniversary2017_Final (2)

Five Years Later:
Andrew Ly, CEO and Founder of Sugar Bowl Bakery
ALIST interviewed Andrew Ly in our Spring 2016 Issue, and we decided to follow up with him for our 5th Anniversary Issue. A
refugee from Vietnam, Ly serves as the CEO of Sugar Bowl Bakery, one of the largest family-owned and operated bakeries in Northern
California.
safety. That worries me a little because I do
not know what to trust and what to ignore.
ALIST Magazine: Looking back at where
you were when you started this journey,
where did you think it was going to lead
you?
Andrew Ly: At the time we started Sugar
Bowl Bakery, we initially thought it was just
to make a decent living for the family. We
were thankful that we had something to do
here that was completely ours and in our
name. We came here very poor and were
illiterate;, our intention at the time was just
to have something to rebuild our life and
restore our dream in living in this country.
AM: How do you define success and how
do you measure up to your own definition?
AL: There is a saying, “success is a journey,
not a destination.” I find it to be very true.
My definition of success is when you are
happy with what you do for a living and
able financially to take great care of yourself,
66 | ANNIVERSARY 2017/2018
your family and can afford things that
you need. You are able to take care of the
people around you with respect and dignity.
Also, having a good heart by giving to the
organization of your choice. The non-stop
process of the above, to me is a success.
DREW KELLY PHOTOGRAPHY/SUGAR BOWL BAKERY
AM: What do you worry about, and why?
AL: As I get older and wiser, I usually, if
not always, try to do my very best every
day on what I can and delegate the rest to
the appropriate people in my organization.
Then I go home without having anything
to worry about. I am blessed to have a great
family. My wife and my two sons are happy
and live moderately; they take care of their
health and are extremely disciplined. I do not
have much to worry about: personal, family
or business matter. As far as the world goes,
I am amazed to see and hear the irrational
noise from people who are in control of our
AM: If you won $20 million in the lottery,
what would you do with the money?
AL: I would either reinvest it to modernize
our company to build better products,
create more jobs, and take better care of our
people who work here. Or, I would create a
foundation to raise more money to take care
of those most vulnerable people; such as the
underprivileged children, the disadvantaged
women, the under-cared elderly or the
veterans who have no home to return to.
AM: If you could select one person from
history and have them truthfully answer
one question, who would you select and
what is the question?
AL: I would select God to ask him this
question: Why are there so many people who
live their lives full of hatred and lack human
understanding and ultimately just want to
have power and vengeance nowadays?
AM: What does ALIST Magazine mean
to you?
AL: ALIST Magazine means a ton to me
because it caters to the needs of people
like myself. As an Asian American food
professional, I am aligned with the culture of
this magazine. The contents of the magazine
are full of inspirational stories, and there are
many people I heard the names but never
had a chance to read their stories until I
read them in ALIST. Furthermore, in spring
2016, right after our story was published,
the Commissioner on President Obama’s
Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific
Islanders’ office reached out to me to go
to the White House discussing the issues
that are affecting Asian Americans in this
country. Due to a schedule conflict I could
not go, but this is one of the things that is so
meaningful to me.