We recently connected with Lakesia Williams and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Lakesia , thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
My work ethic is a direct reflection of my mom and life choices/circumstances. My mom was the hardest working woman I knew. I always looked up to how strong, determined and dedicated she was, all while raising 4 children, working two jobs, and going to college.
I didn’t always have this “strong work ethic.” I started working as a cashier at the age of 16 and I’ve been working ever since then, but I didn’t want to work too hard. I wanted life to be sweet and easy. I only wanted to make money to be able to afford my simple lifestyle as a teenager. Which included, buying clothes, shoes, getting my nails and hair done, etc.
Fast forward to my adult life, everything was going great. I was happily married with two children, working a full-time accounting job, just finished my graduate courses and about to start my internship. Then, my husband died. My world had literally been turned upside down. So now here I was, 37 years old and left with two children to raise on my own. At some point I realized that I had to keep going. It took a few months to get myself together, but once I did there was no stopping me.
I went back to college, started, and finished my internship and practicum. I graduated with my Master’s degree a year later. Obtaining my Master’s degree wasn’t enough.
In 2018, I started Beyond the Plate as a ministry to feed the elderly in my community. I’ve been cooking and baking since I was 11 years old. I decided to use my cooking skills to help others. I purchased food items, cooked, and personally delivered those meals, along with my children and other volunteers.
Later that year, I had a bake sale during the holidays, to help fund my ministry. The bake sale was a huge success and before long, people wanted to purchase cakes, pies, and cookies, even after the holidays. This promoted me to get a home-based bakery license and start a “for profit” business side of Beyond the Plate. It was at that moment I noticed those same work ethics in myself, that I had seen in my mom.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am a self-taught, self-proclaimed baker, chef, and caterer, but professionally, what I focus more on is the baking aspect of my business. What I do is simple. I bake, decorate/design all types of sweet treats, such as, cakes, pies, cookies, and other dishes. It’s something I love to do. I feel most excited when my customers love and enjoy my creations.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Planning and organizing, learning and self-management have been most helpful in my journey. My advice for anyone early in their journey is to learn as much as you can and never give up on your dream!
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
Although, I feel as though I work better under pressure, I do get overwhelmed at times. When I feel overwhelmed. I take days off to regroup, refresh and re-energize!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/beyondtheplate2022?igshid=NGVhN2U2NjQ0Yg==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064216716225&mibextid=ZbWKwL
Image Credits
Michael Moorer Photography
