Today we’d like to introduce you to La Deira Jackson.
La Deira, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My love for cooking, baking and creating different desserts has been a passionate hobby stemming from my younger years. I can remember being around ten years old and my family saying how beautiful my plating was or how I use to make my own desserts look picture perfect. I never knew those creative moments would one day become my dream career and have a business I could call my own.
I attended Housatonic Community College, the University of New Haven and graduated from the University of Connecticut with a dual bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice in the Forensic Science field. As much as I enjoyed the Criminal Justice Field, I knew that it would demand too much time away from my husband and children, and that was not something I was willing to sacrifice. I decided at that point to pursue a career in something else I enjoyed doing, which was making amazing catering dishes and creating delicious custom cakes and desserts.
I started my catering business One’s Dream Cuisine, LLC in 2013 in Connecticut, before relocating to Georgia in 2017 and changing the name of the Cakes and Dessert portion to One’s Dream Cakes & Treats, LLC, so that each part of my business could individually shine and flourish in their own category.
I was blessed to have done extremely well with my business in Connecticut. I started receiving emails, comments and messages from people located in the Atlanta Area about shipping my cakes and desserts. A lot of the emails and phone calls asked if I would consider relocating to Georgia because everyone loved my cake designs and heard so many wonderful compliments about how moist and tasty everything was.
Seeing these responses were great, however, it made me nervous because this would mean that my family and I would leave everything we’ve ever known, and I would have to start over with my business in an Amazing State that was foreign to me. With the uncertainty in my mind, if people would support my business as much as they claimed they would and being unfamiliar with not only the people but the area.
My husband (who has a career where he is able to relocate) reminded me of how far I had come on my own as a Strong Woman, who started a small business based on passion. This inspired and encouraged me to push forward with my Goals and continue my journey of success to share my creative gifts with others.
Since relocating, Georgia has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. Not only do I have the support and encouragement from my Family and Friends, but the people and community here in Atlanta have also been phenomenal. Everyone wants to show love and support local small businesses. The majority of everyone is happy to see others succeed and to me, that type of environment is the best one to be in.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
For me, it has been a smooth road with some struggles along the way. I thought it would be a difficult process trying to figure out the differences in how Cottage Food License requirements differed from those I was previously used to in Connecticut. However, after doing additional research and asking questions, I have found that the process was easier to understand. The GA Department of Agriculture was also very helpful in answering anything that required further understanding.
I would have to say, the most difficult process for me would be trying to advertise my business other than by word of mouth. Transitioning social media followings, advertisements and shares to gain additional attention from those living in the surrounding areas of Georgia has definitely been the most challenging. I have read so many articles saying that a business owner should flood their timeline with constant advertisements every few minutes in order to get the desired response they want. Do I believe that? … Yes, to an extent.
I know that a business should post more frequently to stay relevant, however, a part of me felt like, if I show up on someone’s timeline too many times, they might delete me or report me as spam. After speaking to other small business owners, this is actually a common thought most of us have and no one seems to mention it. It’s a work in progress trying to figure out the social media aspect, but I am always on the grind and will constantly keep working to expand my brand and continue to help my business grow in any and every way possible.
Please tell us about One’s Dream Cakes & Treats.
My business, One’s Dream Cakes & Treats (ODC&T) focuses on providing excellent specialty cakes & dessert services for all occasions, providing the highest level of customer satisfaction. I try to ensure to go Above and Beyond to make sure I am doing everything I can to exceed my customer’s expectations. My cakes are creative, moist & spectacular, while my desserts are wonderfully delicious & will leave you dreaming about your next bite. My creative eye for detail enhances my ability to fine-tune the sharpest custom details to ensure my customer’s ideas truly become their reality.
What makes me most proud about my company is the fact that at the end of every hard working day, I have the peace of mind in knowing that the amount of work I put in for my business determines my own success, and so long as I keep pushing, my business has no choice but to accomplish greatness. ODC&T has gone through trial and error moments in the beginning, but it was the hard times and experiences that got me to where I am today. It’s an amazing feeling when I can be as creative as I want to be and my customers tell me they feel so confident in my work, they give me free creative control just because they trust my judgment and ideas. I have always had big dreams, but never did I ever feel that I could be on the road to living them to their fullest. Thinking about that drives me to grind harder and stronger every moment of the day.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
One of my favorite memories from childhood is sitting at my grandmother’s house and watching her make pies and cakes and then letting me have the batter spoon when she was done. She always knew what she was doing and always looked so happy seeing the smiles on others’ faces as they enjoyed the 1st bite of their food and desserts. Both of my Grandmothers are definitely a huge part of why I love baking so much!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.
OnesDreamCakesAndTreats.Com - Phone: 770-862-8664
- Email: Ladeira.
Jackson@ OnesDreamCakesAndTreats.Com - Instagram: https://
www.instagram.com/ onesdreamcakesandtreats/ - Facebook: https://
Facebook.com/ OnesDreamCakesAndTreatsLLC/ - Twitter: https://
Twitter.com/ODCakesAndTreat/
Image Credit:
Janelle Gordon of JFearon JFearon Photography
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