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When you find something you’re passionate about and that you love, shouldn’t you try to emulate it?

I am the first in my immediate family to graduate from college. While my mother completed secretarial school, she did not pursue a college degree. She was not encouraged to do so. She is one of ten children who was raised in a time when was not always an option. Out of her siblings, only one obtained a bachelor’s degree. 

Being raised in a large family, food was central to every event. From an early age, I became curious to know how my mother’s delicious peanut butter cookies were made. She would let me watch and sometimes help make them. My aunts and my grandmother also inspired my culinary curiosity. Food was something shared which brought love – the love of those who made it – during times of not only happiness but sadness as well. I can still see the sad expressions of my family change to smiles at our gatherings. 

When you find something you’re passionate about and that you love, shouldn’t you try to emulate it? Since childhood, I’ve been curious about creating elaborate meals and desserts. I began to watch Julia Child and later found inspiration through Martha Stewart. These are two amazing women who began the careers they became known for their late 30s/early 40s. These women are inspiring to someone such as myself: they lived the first part of their lives doing something else. I can relate to their stories. I spent the first part of my adult life being a mother and a wife but always kept my own interests close. My son, who recently turned 20 and is a graduate of an electrical program, has been a part of my educational journey. I became pregnant with him during the last semester of my associate’s degree program. I tell him he graduated from college even before he was born, as I was eight months pregnant with him when I walked at Commencement in ’98. I’ve tried to teach him the importance of education, no matter where your journey in life has led you. 

The inspiration for my current journey, Sassy Mama’s Delectable Cupcakes, was a weekend away with my husband. He returned from a tour of duty in Afghanistan and we wanted to go somewhere remote for a weekend. On a rainy day, we decided to stay in and watch television. The only channel we could get was the Food Network, playing a marathon of Cupcake Wars. As the shows came on, I thought to myself, “I could do this; I could create something unique to share.” And so I did. 

That summer, while working on my bachelor’s degree, I started developing my business. I focused on finding the right concept and strategy, arranged taste tastings to prove concepts, and outlined a launch plan. On October 27, 2012, I officially opened Sassy Mamas’ Delectable Cupcakes. Our most popular, unique creations are our Sassy Cupcakes, created by infusing the cupcakes with alcohol or liquors. 

My business has been a truly amazing journey. Each week brings new possibilities. As a dessert caterer, the orders I receive vary week to week. I meet amazing people and hear what vision they want to convey with our desserts. I’ve even been featured during the cooking segment of a local talk show. I’m currently creating new concepts, including a subscription service which is launching in September.

After completing my bachelor’s degree, I enrolled in ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ’s MBA program. The program is unique; it encompasses all aspects of business, not just having to choose one path. I learned how to run a business, understanding all of the components which make a business successful. The skills and knowledge I’ve acquired during the course of all three programs at ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ University have inspired and influenced my perception of everyday life, too. I find myself utilizing my education every single day. 

As a multipotentiality, my knowledge and skillset have led me to recently creating another business, JMFR Consulting. It’s a way for me to help others develop their own business plans, marketing strategies, and provide them with insight. 

The success of where I am today stems from Bay Pay University. I’ve received support to
succeed through the programs, through the relationships I forged, through personal friendships with peers, and through the openness of the I’ve had. The ability to complete my bachelor’s degree through the One Day A Week program allowed me to work, be a mother, and be a wife, while still focusing on myself. Life brings challenges. Regardless of what they may be, my education can never be taken away from me. I was never certain I would become someone to inspire others, but I have and I’ve exceeded my personal goals tenfold.