We recently had the chance to connect with Brandy Jackson and have shared our conversation below.
Brandy, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
I think that there are people that underestimate small businesses; not just my business but many small businesses. They don’t think a small business can weather the storm, afford the cost, or stand on their own. Sometimes it may appear that some take their own worries in life and cast it on a small business like oh, good luck to them but how will they ever survive the cost of ingredients, gas, employees? I think if there are those that feel this way, they should make every effort to support small; this does not mean they have to shop or spend money, but share a post, tell a friend, show up and meet the owners and staff. There are so many ways to support a small business and a little goes a long way.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Brandy and I am the creator & owner of 313 Cinnamon Rolls, A Vegan Cinntique. We are a vegan cinnamon roll company baking the cinnamon rolls of your dreams. We bake all of our doughs fresh every day, along with our icings, topping and fillings. We have over 40 flavors and with each season or holiday, we roll out a collection of flavors specific to that time.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
This question actually is in reverse for me, I was who I thought I was supposed to be before I was who I am meant to be. I spent a great deal of time trying to be what I thought I was supposed to be, college educated, corporate job, married, mother, etc and all of those things have a place and their cool but they are not a one size fits all. These roles are not meant for every woman; the pressure to prove yourself in this world is one that will break you if you allow it. I was around 25 when I knew I wanted to go another way, that one size does not fit all and that I had a uniqueness about myself that did not have to restrict. With that awakening, it was and is an every day walk to be purposeful in who I am. Sure I’m college educated, sure I held some amazing corporate & leadership roles, yes, I am a mother and wife and that’s all beautiful but the most beautiful thing is authentically being me. You may catch me singing a song out of no where, talking to myself in the grocery market, laughing loudly, with makeup or not, hair short, long, blonde or blue, or whatever feels true to me. The joy in it all is I am comfortable in it all, no guidelines, no restrictions, no you should be’s, just me, being me and loving it.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Haha, are you really an entrepreneur if you never thought about giving up? I cannot count how many times I just wasn’t sure I was making the right decision. However, no matter what, I get up and get it done.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yessss! What you see is what you get! I am literally always this person; you never have to guess what version of me that you will get that day. I have spent of lot of time and personal work walking into who I am meant to be, so it is easy for me to show up as me because it’s genuine.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
I’d keep living because how in the world do I know when my last day would be? No one knows the time or the day, so I will keep on living. I always live to not regret… not a missed moment, not a missed opportunity, not a thing. Every day I try to live it to the fullest, whatever that may mean to me that day. The fullest might be me in the bed all day, watching shows or my fullest might be a full day of handling business. It is whatever feels good, right, aligned and purposeful to what I need in that moment.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.313cinnamonrolls.com
- Instagram: @313cinnamonrolls
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/313-cinnamon-rolls
