Local High School Grad Becomes Entrepreneur
Career Technical Education Classes Sparks Lifelong Passion
Monique Dawes-Jeffers, Pastry Chef
Monique is a lifelong High Desert resident that graduated from Silverado High School.
MONIQUE’S STORY
MONIQUE’S CTE CLASSES AND A PASSION INSTALLED IN HER BY HER FAMILY MOTIVATED her TO START HER OWN BUSINESS. OWNING HER OWN BUSINESS HAS NOT ALWAYS BEEN EASY, BUT MONIQUE’S HARD WORK AND CREATIVITY HAS MADE HER JOURNEY SO REWARDING. MONIQUE’S STORY IS incredibly INSPIRING!
QUESTION: Monique, would you tell us about what you do and how you got to where you are today?
Monique: I am currently the co-owner of a small bakery called Sweets & Things and a catering business called Yummy Things. I can say cooking has always been a family passion that I attribute to my grandfather and mother. They have been teaching me how to bake and cook for as far back as I can remember. While in high school, I took Baking Occupations and Culinary Arts II. I learned so much from my CTE classes, not just about baking and cooking but also about the business side of things. When I became a senior, I competed in the first-ever local Chopped and Sweet Genius competitions, where my team and I took first place in both. I can honestly say that the Baking Occupations and Culinary classes opened my eyes and ultimately sparked my interest in all the possible opportunities that were out there for me. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to take those classes and for my teacher Mr. Sanchez. Mr. Sanchez will always be my mentor, and he continues to be my sounding board on so many things in my business.
After high school, I started working full-time for Disneyland where I got a lot of experience as a candy maker. I left Disneyland to put my passion to the test and focus on starting my own business with my sister. I am happy to say that it was one of the best decisions I could have ever made, as my sister and I have been running Sweets & Things successfully for five years. We also recently started our own catering business called Yummy Things. Our company has been blessed to be able to cater some fantastic events. The most recent catering job we did was for The Los Angeles Film School.
QUESTION: What do you love most about a career in Culinary?
Monique: There are so many aspects of my job that I love, but the ability to create and be artistic is what I would say I love the most. I have always been a people person, so having the ability to work with my customers, take their visions, and bring it to life is so rewarding. I cannot tell you how happy it makes me when one of my customers see their cake for the first time and their eyes light up. Or when I cater an event, and I get to see how happy people are with our food. In this industry, you know you have done an excellent job when your customers return because they are pleased with what you have done for them. Bringing joy to people through my creations is the ultimate gift.
QUESTION: How do you like owning your own business?
Monique: Honestly, I have worked in other people's kitchens, and to have the opportunity to run your kitchen, how you want to, is incredible. Having the freedom to be creative and make decisions is one of the best things about owning your own business. Owning your own business is not always easy; it takes a lot of work and effort and comes with some sleepless nights. We have to work hard to grow our customer base, build relationships with people in our community, and think outside the box creatively with our products and our business. There is never a dull moment when it comes to being a business owner. You also must be able to roll with things. We have all heard the saying, "the customer is always right," and it has never been more accurate than in this business. We rely heavily on happy customers and good reviews. We cannot take things personally as business owners because our job is to bring our customers visions to life. Another aspect of owning your own business is being able to continually reinvent your business. We have recently had to test ourselves while learning how to navigate through the COVID pandemic. We have had to be extremely creative and seek out new and different business opportunities in an effort to keep our business alive.
QUESTION: Do you have any on the job stories that you would like to share?
Monique: I will never forget when I made my first wedding cake for a customer. I have always loved everything about making cakes from start to finish, but for some reason, the stress and pressure of it being my first wedding cake overwhelmed me. I remember wanting to cry, nothing was going right that day, and all I could think of was a crying bride on her most special day. I had made many cakes and never felt this much pressure before. I wanted to make sure it was absolutely perfect for her. I remember sitting there with my hands on my face, feeling sorry for myself. After a long period of frustration, I pulled myself together and told myself this cake is not going to make itself. I spent three times longer on that cake than ever before. After all was said and done, the look on the bride's face was priceless. One of my favorite things now is to be a part of someone’s special day and help make all their cake dreams come to life.
QUESTION: What classes would you recommend for students interested in starting a bakery or catering business?
Monique: I would tell students to take as many Culinary Arts classes as they can. It would also be beneficial to look into some business and accounting classes if they could. When I was in high school, I learned so much from my four years in ASB Leadership. I learned how to put on large events, decorating tips, organizing and planning student activities, cash handling skills, time management, and overall leadership skills, which are all things that help me today in my own business. I think it would be beneficial for students to get involved in their school by joining a club or some type of student leadership because it allows you to learn so many different skills that transition into the real world.
Question: Do you have any advice for high school students wondering what they should do after graduation?
Monique: I was one of those kids that could not go to college right after high school but I knew what made me happy, so I found a way to make a living doing it. I am a firm believer in the fact that everyone has a superpower. I would tell students to go out and find their superpower! Take as many different classes as you can, volunteer with various organizations, go out and network until you find what you are genuinely passionate about. Once you find your passion, find a way to make a living at it. If you do what you are most passionate about, it really never feels like work.
THANK YOU, MONIQUE! YOUR PASSION FOR YOUR CRAFT IS GENUINELY YOUR SUPERPOWER, WHICH IS SO INSPIRING. WE ARE SO PROUD OF ALL YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND WHAT YOU BRING TO OUR COMMUNITY.
by Jessica Swift