We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jamilia Thomas. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jamilia below.
Jamilia , so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
There was a time in my life where I felt like life was drowning me and there was no way of escape. It was as if I was gasping for air; gasping to breathe and gasping for God all at the same time. Have you ever felt that you were destined for more than your current reality? You feel a tug but you’re not quite sure what it is. Although I was feeling all these emotions and all of this pain, I could not quit. There was purpose in my pain. Romans 8:28 states, and we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Here’s the key, it’ was never about me. I had to “grow” through to bring the next person out. After all, I owed to myself to see what the fight was all about.
Jeremiah 29:13 NIV states, you will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. It wasn’t until I begin to seek God wholeheartedly is when I found my purpose. Spending time with God and building a relationship with him allowed me to discover who I was in Him. Purposely gifted, that is.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
My name is Jamilia S. Thomas and I am the baker and owner of It’s Cookie-tastic Bakery. Our goal and mission is to provide an unforgettable experience by ” making every bite count”. We strive to provide great customer service and a quality homemade/made from scratch product utilizing high end ingredients. We specialize in gourmet and regular cookies, brownies and rice krispies.
Baking was a purposeful yet needed outlet. I have always had the desire and passion to bake/cook. In my younger days, I also used to binge watch cooking shows on the weekends. Not to mention, I had an awesome example to glean from. Watching my grandmother, the late Mrs. Rosie Smart in my adolescent years, allowed me to discover what was already on the inside of me.
The exciting and special things about Its’ Cookie-tastic Bakery is that it is “BIG” on practicing safety and presentation. It’s Cookie-tastic Bakery operates as a Food Establishment which means that our baked goods are made in a Commercial kitchen in which it has been inspected and licensed by the State of Georgia. Not only do we provide a quality product, we provide excellent packaging and if you need it personalized; we can provide that too! We love that our customers get to experience both.
Our most recent proudest moment was when we got the opportunity to be the only bakery vendor at the 2023 Forbes BLK Summit in Atlanta, Georgia. What an absolute honor!
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 most impactful in my journey was to first seek and Trust God wholeheartedly, second, to believe in myself and third, to embrace the process. My advice I would give to those who are on this journey, You have to know that nobody can do your craft like you can. Your are purposely gifted be all that God has purposed you for. Additional advice I would give is to practice your craft, study where you want to “grow”. Make sure you have a strong support system behind you to encourage you when you cant encourage your self. Also, set small goals for yourself and to never ever stop believing you.
What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?
My biggest area of growth was learning to embrace the process. Learning to except the good, the bad and the ugly side of business with poise and grace. I would get so frustrated when things would not go as planned. In business, you have to learn to just roll with the punches. Know that things happen beyond your control but it shouldn’t detour us from our end goal. I’ve grown so much in that area simply just by taking moments to just breathe.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.itscookietasticbakery.com
- Instagram: itscookietasticbakery
- Facebook: itscookietasticbakery
- Youtube: It’s Cookie-tastic Bakery
- Other: Tiktok: itscookietasticbakery
Image Credits
Professional photos: Mel B. Elder Jr.
