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ccording to Brandi Turney, founder of Jo Jo’s Dozen, the
inspiration behind the company comes from wanting to capture the beautiful memories of her childhood, and make it a part of her daily life. It's the nostalgia that comes from the smell of her mother baking her great-grandmother's 7 Up cake, remembering the comfort of a warm kitchen (especially on a rainy day) and the irresistible smell of something baking, that simply keeps her going.
“My mother, Jo Jo, who experienced love, inspired laughter and suffered a life gone too soon, motivated me to open this business. Plans for a shop in 2011, will fittingly be named, "Jo Jo's Dozen", offering delectable cupcakes and comforting homemade desserts. This is truly a dream come true!”
Thank you for taking the time to speak with SPMG Media about your companies Jo Jo's Dozen and Sweet Clutch Factory!
SPMG: Let's start at the beginning. What were you like as a child? Did you like to bake then?
Thank you, thank you so much for having me. I am more than grateful for this opportunity to meet your readers. Ok, the beginning. As a child I was very creative and imaginative, always wanting to create or build things, like tree houses or go carts. I used to BEG my grandfather to add a second story onto his home, and then I would give him a rough sketch and blueprint of how he should do it! I actually started cooking and baking around 6 years old. My parents and grandparents trusted me in the kitchen and I was able to assist and experiment a lot. At the age of 7, I remember baking cupcakes for Thanksgiving.
SPMG: You named the company after your mother. Obviously you and your mother were close. Tell us about that relationship. It was so organic to name the business after my mother, Jo (affectionately known as Jo Jo, to family and close friends). Even though her physical body no longer walks the earth, her remarkable energy surrounds me daily. She taught me a great deal about love, life, family, having a giving spirit and being a responsible and intelligent woman, in our brief time together. I am self taught in honing my many crafts, however, every creative gift I have, she introduced to me at a very young age. My mother's light was and is very bright; her spirit - much bigger than her small frame could contain. Mother Jo and Brandi By nature she was warm and embraced every person she met. Being that she was a woman way ahead of her time, her sense of style and fashion was impeccable and often imitated. Since she was such a FANTASTIC dancer, we'd always dance together when the popular songs came on the radio. I'd teach her all the latest dance moves and we'd practice, then she'd show me the dance moves from her era. I learned to sew because she made a lot of my clothes growing up (Easter dresses, stirrup pants, dance performance costumes, etc...) and I would pick up the scraps and create dolls clothes or clothes for myself. I have many fond memories. We were very close and I miss her immensely.
“The creative impetus of everything we do is the story – behind it.”– Grant Achatz, Chef, Restauranteur SPMG: What was the journey to birthing Jo Jo's Dozen. The following statement really embodies my journey and how I operate:
"The creative impetus of everything we do is the story - behind it" - Grant Achatz, Chef, Restauranteur and Owner of Chicago's Alinea
You know, the journey of Jo Jo's Dozen started more than 17 years ago. I started selling cakes, by the slice or loaf, in high school. I'd pack my picnic basket full of several flavors and aimed to sell out by homeroom. I repeated this several days a week. This was my strategy to raise money and purchase my very first car. My dad made a deal with me that, if I brought him the money, he'd make
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sure I got a car. At the time, I was a full time honor student, full time cheerleader, on student council, had a part time job at Hot Dog On A Stick and came home in the evenings to take care of my younger brother and make my cakes, just before bed. Needless to say, I did earn my car. Fast forward to life beyond school, as an adult, being happily married and a proud mother of 2, I started moonlighting as a caterer. While working full time, I operated a small catering company, "Some Like It HOT!", in my spare time. I catered various events (graduations, birthday parties, school luncheons,, etc...) and even contracted with a preschool to provide hot lunches for children. Being laid off abruptly in 2009, was the catalyst to being a full time entrepreneur, and ultimately birthing Jo Jo's Dozen.
SPMG: Sounds like a journey of faith! Tell us what motivated you? Faith indeed! My husband, Damon, and I had just purchased our very first home just 6 months prior. I changed jobs to escape a plunging mortgage industry and after a week of being employed at my new job - I was laid off. Talk about being devastated? I saw my livelihood fly out the window and we had basic household needs that had to be met. But, like many other hurdles I've had to overcome in my young life, I made a conscious decision not to let that incident define me or confine me. All my energy went into creating a life for my wonderful family whether an employer wanted me or not. Months after the untimely layoff, the word spread to family and friends that I was baking full time. The number of people who knew I baked increased. In May 2010, on the exact day I laid my mother to rest just 19 years earlier, I launched Jo Jo's Dozen Sweets Boutique, at an intimate Mother's Day Brunch, dedicated to my mother.
SPMG: I understand you have a Vision Board. Tell us about this and how it's worked out for you. Yes! I have a Vision Board! (laughing) If you saw it you might call it a vision wall! It's about 2 1/2 feet tall and 6 feet wide! People who have seen it think it's a work of art. Just a very eclectic representation of everything I envision my life to be. It's actually outdated now, but the things I added to the board have come to fruition or are in process. Hopefully, my I can complete my next board in a few weeks.
you blog about your personal experiences and feelings on your "business journey". It really allows your followers to join the journey with you. What inspired you to do this? I have a larger vision for the blog to become a documentary or television show. We are all connected and more alike than we are different. To me, it is important that people see that I am a regular person. The things that happen to me happen to everyone. When the doors to my bakery open, I want to look back at what it took for me to actually get to that place and encourage others on their journey.
SPMG: I had ONE mini-red velvet cupcake and WAS HOOKED! Your recipes - are they family recipes or are they one's you found and loved? How sweet! Thank you so much. My recipes are a combination of family recipes and one's I've found. I enjoy the science behind baking and reinventing old favorites. One of my passions is making things from scratch. SPMG: Cupcakes are only one of your products. Tell us about your FABULOUS line of delicacies. My dessert line includes: pound cakes, icebox cakes, cookies, cobblers, pies and cake pops.
SPMG: Tell us about your husband, children and family. How have they inspired, rallied and helped you with the businesses? WOW. Okay, this question
definitely has me close to tears because my family is everything...each and every person in my entire family helps to see this BIG vision to fruition and pushes me forward on this journey this includes my husband and sons, my grandma, father, brother, aunts, uncle, cousins, "sisters", extended family, close friends and many, many more. My sons and my husband continue to make sacrifices to make these dreams come true. My husband, Damon, is not only extremely encouraging and supportive with the companies, but also my biggest fan. Quiet as kept, Damon is extremely talented and is my in-house graphic designer; he created the logos for my companies. This singular idea to start these businesses does not solely affect me, but the entire family unit. I need them now more than ever. SPMG: Jo Jo's Dozen isn't your only venture...tell us about your clutches. My newest business venture is Sweet Clutch Factory, where I create handmade clutch purses.
How has it been received? Actually it was launched a few months ago. Spring 2011, I taught a group of very bright middle school girls how to sew and design during an afterschool program. For Mother's day, I showed them how to make clutch purses. Once I posted the picture of the finished clutch on Facebook, I started to receive awesome feedback. In that moment, I decided to make it a sister company to my booming desserts business.
SPMG: Despite the challenges of starting a business, what has made you persevere? There are many challenges and obstacles but the reward is so much greater. Showing my children (and my family) that we can all live a life that is blessed, beautiful and fruitful and learning this life can surely be achieved by sharing your God given gifts, has made me persevere.
SPMG: Where can our readers find your products? We can be found at www.JoJosDozen.com & on Facebook searching under Jo Jo's Dozen or Sweet Clutch Factory.
SPMG: Where do you see your business in 10 years? Ten years from today, my business has successfully segued from a simple dessert company and purse production company, into to a leading brand for food, lifestyle, hospitality and entertainment.
www.JoJosDozen.com
other individuals that are passionate about starting their own business? Please don't wait until the ideal moment to begin, you will never get started. Find your gift, we all have gifts. Use what you have right now and take the first step. Keep making a plan for yourself (even if it's just written on notebook paper) and follow it.
SPMG: Lastly, what do YOU know for sure? If you persevere, after a while, what was once swirling around in your head becomes real and part of your everyday conversation. It's a fully staffed version of whatever you dream for it to be!
Learn more about Jo Jo’s Dozen and Sweet Clutch Factory at www.JoJosDozen.com and on Facebook at Jo Jo’s Dozen and Sweet Clutch Factory.