We had the opportunity to Interview Dejai Thomas from St. Louis Missouri. Dejai is a 23-year-old self-taught baker who started her own business, Queens Confections. Being a mom of two and working another job, she shared her business journey with us and provided some tips for others thinking about starting their own business. Here’s what she had to say:
What inspired you to launch Queens Confections?
It all started when Dejai got a job at Walmart in the baking department. There she taught herself how to ice and decorate cakes and realized that she had a talent that she had to use. That’s when Dejai decided to start her own business. During college, a lot of Dejai’s peers referred to her as Queen and so when she started thinking of names, she came up with Queens Confection.
What did you do to become your own boss?
The first thing that Dejai did in starting her business was gain the courage to do so. Through encouragement from her boyfriend and her friend, she took the first step and developed a name. From there she created business cards and began building the brand. She created an Instagram page to feature her confection creations and it has taken off from there.
How has being a mom of two impacted your journey in starting your business?
Being a mom of two didn’t stop Dejai from moving forward with her passion. It’s challenging at times to maneuver being a mom, working at Walmart, and running her own business, but being a mom provides no reason to stop her. Staying focused and keeping your mind on the goal is what will help you to keep pushing forward.
How is the business going for you?
Dejai’s clientele has grown substantially since her launch. She is receiving three to four new orders each day. She recently recreated her social media page to change up her image and attract new customers and it is paying off. In addition to baking and decorating the cakes, Dejai offers a delivery service for her clients which is another great service that customers love.
What advice do you have for teens who want to start their own business?
Dejai’s advice is to go for it. Ask for help and advice when you are starting. Create a business plan that you can stick to and follow. Creating a business plan will help you reach the goal and vision that you have for yourself and business.
We thank Dejai for sharing her journey on starting Queens Confections and providing our followers with advice on starting their own business. You can check out Dejai’s page @QueensConfections. Make sure to tune in to our next IG Live Interview!