Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rhonda Jones. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Rhonda, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
I learned to have a strong work ethic from watching my dad who was an entrepreneur. His businesses involved selling everything from comforters to reclining chairs to his own cross country tours! As if that wasn’t enough, he was also a public speaker, poet/author, musician (piano/organ & accordion) and singer. Everything he did, he did exceptionally well. I watched him get up early, stay late, strategize and more! He taught me to always do my best, go above & beyond and take pride in whatever job I was doing.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I definitely took after my dad and his side of the family as I come from a long line of entrepreneurs. I have a home based specialty bakery in Durham, NC. I started this business as a hobby in 2005 and ran it part-time until 2015 when I finally took that leap of faith & left corporate America. My bakery is known for Brown Sugar Vanilla rum cake as seen on PBS in A Few Great Bakeries, but I also make other items, such as, lemon curd and carrot cake. I took a cruise to the Grand Cayman & Cozumel in 2004, brought back quite a bit of rum and decided to bake a rum cake. Friends & family loved it and encouraged me to start a business. Growing up, I baked with my Easy Bake Oven while my mom was baking her amazing yeast rolls, apple pies and peach cobblers. Before the pandemic, I operated as a dessert food truck for 7 years, but I now focus on whole cakes which are shipped nationwide, available for local pickup & delivery and can be found at a few local coffee shops, restaurants & specialty stores in Durham. My lemon curd, lime curd, blueberry syrup and greeting cards have been sold in 4 locations of a local grocery co-op since 2020. Fun fact: my parents met in Philadelphia at my dad’s ice cream truck. It’s funny that I ended up starting a dessert food truck! I’m currently developing a cake mix for an old-fashioned pound cake. The mix will bake two small loaves, be a clean label product and something you can even make during the week. I’m naming it after my grandmother who baked each of her children their favorite cake during Christmas. My hope is it’ll be used to create memories with loved ones, to provide a relaxing & delicious moment and help others reminisce about baking with their own grandmothers.
In 2020, I started Rhonda Jones Photography which specializes in macro photography. Currently, I have seven designs which are sold in 6 stores in my area and on my website. I’m adding a couple more designs this year along with a few more products. My dad wrote quite a bit of poetry so I have plans to combine the two, to be used on greeting cards & posters.
I love being creative! I have a laundry list of ideas I’m slowly but surely implementing. Next up? I would love to write a children’s book about being a food entrepreneur.
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?
I feel three important things an entrepreneur should have is being capable of having vision on different levels/seeing a pivot, knowing how to implement a plan efficiently and organization. My vision & ability to pivot was tested in 2020 when the pandemic started. I was a dessert food trucker with an events calendar which was booked 6-9 months in advance. Within two weeks from the start of the pandemic, my calendar was wiped clean! I had to decide if I was going to find new places to set up (with everyone at home) or try something new. Since things were happening so fast, I made a list of things I knew I could implement immediately along with a list of things I’d always wanted to do. I then made a plan on how to execute and worked my way down the lists.
I feel some people aren’t comfortable sitting quietly with themselves. Find that peace so you can think through your thoughts & ideas to figure out what you’re truly passionate about and what makes sense within your business plan.
Implementing a plan and organization almost go hand in hand as implementing a plan works best when you can clearly see all that’s needed. There are many tools to help you with organization in various areas. This may be a bit of trial & error as you figure out what works best for you.
How would you describe your ideal client?
My ideal client is the dessert lover who prefers a high-quality dessert with no additives/no preservatives and that’s made in small batches. If they enjoy a good rum cake or a good rum cake is something on their list, they should definitely order! They’re always looking for a unique food gift to give (nationwide shipping available). Their preference is to support small businesses whenever possible!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.iloverumcake.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chezmoibakery/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChezMoiBakery/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/chezmoibakery
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/chezmoibakery
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/chez-moi-bakery-durham
