Meet Janice DeMarti

We were lucky to catch up with Janice DeMarti recently and have shared our conversation below.

Janice, thank you so much for joining us and offering your lessons and wisdom for our readers. One of the things we most admire about you is your generosity and so we’d love if you could talk to us about where you think your generosity comes from.

My generosity comes from me knowing what it feels like to be without, to be hurt, to have lost, or to want something so bad but unsuccessful in receiving. Those feelings can be so painful that I knew that I would never want those feelings for anyone else. So, I’ll go out of my way to be generous with my time, money, and love for someone or something, in the hopes that it takes away from any of their burdens.

Starting a small business is no easy feat. Marketing my cookies and getting an order here and there after so much time and money was put into felt defeating. I decided to shift gears and just give my cookies away to loved ones, and to their loved ones. Their gratitude and big smiles truly gave me that extra pep in my step to keep going forward. In addition to that, I would meet with other small vendors and order their products, sign-up for their services, and volunteer my time to people and organizations that advocated for children, women, and the elderly. As I gave more of myself to the greater good, eventually I found myself receiving more than I had ever expected in sales, love, and in friendships!

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I am the owner and artist behind Sprinkled Cookie. I customize cookies to any theme of your event. Although I can decorate beautiful sugar cookies for you, I’ve come to see that learning how to decorate your own unique cookie has been the latest craze! So, through private events, workshops, and the only mobile cookie decorating cart (that I’m aware of) here in LA, I give everyone the opportunity to decorate their very own set of cookies with guidance from me!

Teaching runs through my veins still and I believe in the fun and therapy in cookie decorating. After leaving the classroom of over 20 years, I found a way to still teach and make cookie decorating accessible for anyone and everyone.

My Sprinkled Cookie Cart can hold up to 4 guests to decorate their own cookie with me at their own leisure. All of the supplies are laid out for them on my cart for them to use and when they are done, they may take their cookie home in a personalized box as a party favor. Hosts give their guests an unforgettable fun and unique experience, as well as a yummy treat to take home… if it even makes it to the car!

Aside from my fun cookies, what really sets me apart from others, and what I truly take great pride in, is the yumminess of my cookies. I’m over the moon hearing that my non-sugar cookie lovers, actually love my cookies! Hearing that my cookies not only look good but taste really good, has always been the biggest compliment for me! So, you’ll find me telling everyone, EAT THE COOKIE and see for yourself!

As far as anything new in the horizon… I do have a surprise launch coming in the Summer that will excite small businesses in the event arena and party hosts. I believe that “when the tide rises, all boats float!” It’s something our community needs and I’m in the organizing phase to make this spectacular and unforgettable. Can’t wait to share that soon!! Stay tuned…

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?

The three areas of knowledge that were the most impactful in my journey were confidence, networking, and social media. It is imperative to believe in what you are doing. If you’re not confident that you have something that everyone should find value in, then no one will find value in what you have to offer. That confidence will help to keep you going forward and into those uncomfortable areas of business that you’d rather not take part in… like networking.

No one talks about it much, but networking and meeting a ton of new people will have a huge impact in your business journey. It would be safe for me to say that it catapulted my business to the next level, and I only realized it after. I attended one Come Brunch with Babes with Shelby St. Clair here in the South Bay, and many members have become very good friends of mine, introducing me to many other new friends, and customers.

Meeting new people, and if you’re lucky enough to transform them into friendships as I have, allows you to build a strong community where everyone looks out for one another. You see, when you network, more than half of those people you meet will not need your services or product, but chances are, they will know or meet someone down the line who will need you. And the more you connect with your community the more confident they are to recommend you. Love on as many good humans as you possibly can.

You may have a love/hate relationship with social media, but being present on it definitely gives you the validity and confirmation that you are the real deal. It’s the one thing that the general public can access to connect or learn about you. You’re not only posting about the wonderful things you have to offer, you’re also connecting with other small businesses and cheering them on. Whether you’re sharing out their info or telling them how awesome they’re doing, you’re continuing to build your own personal safe and happy community.

Decorating cookies can be very isolating, but through social media, I’ve made real-life friends and personal connections that continue to boost me up in every possible way. Show up with as many likes, shares, comments, and posts that you possibly can and don’t look back.

How would you spend the next decade if you somehow knew that it was your last?

I would spend my last decade of life being with family and friends, eating all the yummy foods life has to offer, crafting fun projects, and travel to wherever my heart desires… Maui several times, I’m sure of it.

Having 3 children (26, 24, and 16) and a husband, I’ve learned that they are what I am most passionate about and laugh the most with. And if not them, my extended family and friends. The humans in my life are like no other! Each of them are perfectly woven into my heart and make me feel the safest and happiest. Give me my people, the tastiest foods, and an airplane and I will tell you that I’ve won the lottery.

Bottomline, I would choose to make the time to do all the things that I want to do, not what I need to do… all the time.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

CorRi at Lenn M. Photography

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