Ann Vipamaneerut

Ann Vipamaneerut

Author: Shirley Wachtel April 6, 2026 Duration: 25:15

Ann Vipamaneerut is the owner of Rice Factory, a restaurant in Milltown, New Jersey featuring Thai foods. Her given name is Vilailuck Vipamaneerut, but all of the patrons and friends affectionately know her as Ann. Ann, who is 54 years old, has lived in the United States for over 27 years, and earned a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Saginaw Valley University in Michigan in 1996. After returning to Thailand, she came back to the United States in 2000 where she and her husband Paul worked as servers in a restaurant. On November 4th, 2014, they decided to start their own business and opened the Rice Factory. They have been serving customers with their unique dishes ever since.


You might pass them on the street or sit next to them in a cafe, never knowing the depth of their journey. EXTRAordinary PEOPLE is built on a simple, powerful idea: remarkable stories are held by everyday individuals. Host Shirley Wachtel sits down with people from all walks of life-entrepreneurs, artists, community organizers, teachers, and quiet heroes-who have chosen to leverage their unique talents to impact the world around them. This isn't about celebrity; it's about the substance of lived experience. In each conversation, guests share their narratives in their own words, detailing the specific hardships and obstacles they faced and, more importantly, the resilience and choices that allowed them to rise and create change. Listening to this podcast feels like being part of an intimate, revealing dialogue where vulnerability meets triumph. Shirley guides these discussions with empathy, drawing out the nuanced lessons within each story. The result is a collection of authentic accounts that collectively explore themes of perseverance, innovation, and human connection across society, business, and personal growth. Tune in not just for inspiration, but for a genuine sense of what it means to contribute something meaningful, and how ordinary moments can build an extraordinary life.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 44

EXTRAordinary PEOPLE
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