May 27, 2025 • 29 mins
What happens when you follow the unexpected twists in your career path instead of fighting them? Jessica Minor's journey from political science student to custom cabinetry business owner reveals the power of embracing professional evolution.
Growing up in a family of entrepreneurs, Jessica initially resisted following that path. She pursued a political science degree with dreams of "saving the world," briefly attended law school, and navigated corporate America before recognizing her true talents lay elsewhere. The road to finding her passion wasn't straight—it curved through family business experience, house flipping, and finally to creating stunning custom cabinets now shipped nationwide.
Jessica's story demolishes the myth that success requires unwavering focus on a single career from day one. Instead, she demonstrates how each professional experience builds upon the last, creating a unique foundation of skills that can't be replicated. Most remarkably, what began as a "side biz" in house flipping transformed into a thriving cabinetry business making "ten times more than I ever dreamed of making."
For women contemplating their own entrepreneurial ventures, Jessica offers crystal-clear advice: "Have multiple streams of income." She emphasizes that side businesses can evolve into primary enterprises if given room to grow, providing both financial security and the flexibility to navigate different life seasons. Her approach to business—prioritizing quality relationships over maximum scaling—challenges conventional growth-at-all-costs wisdom.
Whether you're questioning your current path, considering a side business, or wondering if it's too late to pursue what you're passionate about, this conversation delivers both practical wisdom and the reassurance that confidence often comes with time. Sometimes the most fulfilling careers emerge from the intersection of talent, passion, and market need—even when they look nothing like what you initially imagined for yourself.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Welcome to the she Sweet Society, a community where
women from all backgrounds cometogether to share their stories
, support one another and revealthe unfiltered reality of our
lives.
I'm your host, Dahlia, and thispodcast exists to give voice
and space to women whoseexperiences might otherwise go
unheard.
Today, I'm sitting down with myneighbor, jessica Minor, whose
(00:41):
journey perfectly illustratesthat there's no single path to
success.
Jessica is a custom cabinetrybusiness owner who went from
studying political science anddreaming of saving the world to
law school, to corporatesourcing, to working in her
family's industrial supplybusiness and finally to creating
stunning custom cabinets thatshiver across country.
What makes Jessica's story socompelling isn't just the career
(01:04):
pivots.
It's how she's built a businessthat's as much about
relationships as it is aboutcraftsmanship.
She's someone who becomesfriends with her clients, who
turns side projects intothriving enterprises and who's
discovered that sometimes themost quote-unquote boring family
businesses can teach youeverything you need to know
about entrepreneurship.
Whether you're questioning yourcurrent path, considering a
(01:27):
side business or wondering ifit's too late to pursue what
you're passionate about, thisconversation offers both
practical wisdom and thereminder that confidence often
comes with time, sometimesdecades.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Oh, I own a custom cabinetry company.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Oh, I knew that part.
That's the cool part.
Oh, what are the other?
I don't know.
Oh, I knew that part.
That's the cool part.
What are the other?
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
What do I do on a daily basis?
My day looks different everyday.
I have this custom cabinetrycompany.
I came to have this customcabinetry company through I
don't even want to say trial anderror necessarily, but working
in the construction industry,the home remodeling industry,
which I started doing abouteight to nine years ago when I
(02:10):
stepped away from working incorporate America as a sourcing
analyst, which I think kind ofplayed well, because sourcing
with cabinetry, you know,sourcing with, you know,
cabinetry materials for buildingthat's kind of what I
transitioned into, as well asbeing a part of the process of
remodeling.
(02:30):
So currently I own a customcabinetry company.
My days are different every day.
I work with customers who arebuilding new builds.
I work with customers who areremodeling current spaces, and I
am a designer as well asproviding the cabinetry.
So a lot of clients start witheither bringing the design to me
(02:52):
and we build the cabinets basedon the design they already have
, or they come to me becausethey have, you know, gotten the
word of mouth through a friend,or they've seen me in my posts
on Instagram, or they've seenwork that I've done through.
I do a lot of spec houses withbuilders, so a house being sold
and they come to me that way andthey want me to design their
(03:13):
space.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
Well, you're so good at it though.
I know they can't see yourhouse, but you did your whole
kitchen, your living room.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Yes, I have cabinets in many rooms in my house and
there will be more I love toreally good.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
You have an eye, your detail.
That's the design part.
Yeah, thank, you.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
I appreciate that.
Yeah, I'm not a designer bytraining.
It's interesting because Istudied political science in
school and I always thought Iwas going to be a lawyer, which
I think a lot of people did.
And it's so funny because, whenI thought about my upbringing,
I'm actually the daughter andthe granddaughter and the great
granddaughter of honorentrepreneurs, so, um, my dad's
(03:52):
entire side of the family.
All they did was own businesses.
Um, and my dad owned thebusiness once my grandfather
passed.
He was passed, it was passeddown from his grandfather and I
actually worked for the companyas well.
So it was over.
It was four generations workingfor the business.
And it's funny thinking aboutgrowing up.
(04:14):
I remember career day and youtalk about what your parents did
and, like I had friends whoseparents were firefighters and
doctors and lawyers and I alwayswas like I don't want to say
embarrassed.
I wasn't embarrassed, obviously,I was super proud of my dad.
He had a very successfulbusiness, but it was so not
interesting.
Oh, what does your dad do?
He's a business owner and Ididn't really fully.
They sold industrial suppliesand cutting tools and when
(04:37):
you're 70 years old, inelementary school, no one knows
you don't even really know whatthat is, and you probably know
more than what other kids know.
So I always thought, oh, when Igrow up I'm going to be a
veterinarian or I'm going to bea lawyer and something that when
I go to career day for my kidsis super exciting, and you come
to find out what I do, I thinkis more exciting than any
(04:58):
corporate job or being a lawyercould ever be and I tried.
And I don't blame my dad.
He didn't really.
He talked to us about businessand finance and things like that
, but we didn't really know thecore of what he did.
And I always try to talk to mygirls about what I do.
They know I make cabinets andthey know that I work with
customers and they know that Ido design and I, you know, I
(05:20):
want them to be excited aboutthat and I want them, if they
own a business someday, to beproud of that.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Yeah, and to be clear on, there's not one right way.
There's so many different pathsyou can take and show what it
looks like behind those doors, ahundred percent.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
And I always say leaving corporate America was
the best decision I ever made.
And if I had to sell my houseand move into a smaller house or
just downsize my life tocontinue to do what I do?
If I had ever had to like facethat choice, I would do it not
to own my own business.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
How did you end up in corporate America?
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Well, so I went to Ohio State and I studied
political science.
I think I was like in that, I'mgoing to save the world and I'm
going to change the world modeat that time and I really
enjoyed what I studied.
I, going back, I didn't have.
I always was interested ininterior design, but I never
really had the confidence.
I just kept saying things tomyself oh, you can't draw well,
or oh, you don't have experiencedoing this, or that's not
(06:16):
really a career.
I was always having negativeself-talk to myself about what I
could do, and so I settled onpolitical science and I think it
was a good choice, looking back, because it was something that
I enjoyed and I was good at it.
I was good at reading andwriting and I was good at
debating and all of those things.
So it just felt natural and itdidn't feel wrong.
(06:38):
But I graduated in 2009 fromcollege, during the Great
Recession.
I was one of those literally,and I actually had a job when I
graduated.
So I had been working as anintern for a political campaign
and they hired me during therecession, so it was like it
paid like $30,000 a year.
It wasn't like this.
Still, it was a job.
Yeah, it was a job and I wasable to afford my rent and food
(07:01):
and I was just living my life.
I was single and it was greatand I worked that job for a
couple of years and it was anelection cycle.
So once the election cycleended, I continued because my
candidate got elected continued.
I was a fundraising person.
I continued fundraising and Ijust was like this is not really
where I see myself.
So I applied to law school andI got into law school and it's
(07:24):
funny because I really neverquit anything in my life, maybe
other than gymnastics as a kid.
But I got into law school and Iwas in the first semester and I
loved school.
I loved learning, I was feltright back in my element.
But they started talking aboutthe past, right Cause law school
is only three years long.
Almost immediately they starttalking about what do you want
to specialize in, what are thepaths, what do you think you're
(07:45):
going to do when you graduateand I could just not picture
myself in any of the roles andjobs that they were talking
about.
I just couldn't.
I, I don't know.
I think the choice to go to lawschool felt like the next right
step for a career in politics,and then I just did it without
really putting probably enoughthought into it.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
It's what I felt, like I was supposed to do.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
It felt like the next step.
And it was not right for you?
Yes, and to be fair, it was arecession, so everybody felt
super urgent to do something tofurther themselves because the
job market wasn't great.
And if you have a degree inpolitical science, of course
corporate jobs will hire youright Sales, logistics, supply
chain, things like that.
(08:30):
Right, because you don't reallynecessarily have to have a
specialized degree for thosejobs, but I just didn't feel
like I was in the right place inlaw school so I decided to
leave and it was still comingout of the recession.
So I just asked my dad if Icould come work for him.
And the rule was always you cancome work for the family
business if you go to collegeand get your degree.
(08:52):
So I did that.
So I was like he's like I'llhire you, I'll teach you to do
what I do.
So that started about God.
I was there for over five yearsand I enjoyed it.
It wasn't sexy, it was cuttingtools, industrial supplies it
wasn't really my interest, but Ienjoyed working with my dad.
I was learning a lot aboutbeing a business owner from him
(09:15):
and it's funny because at thattime I was not thinking about
having my own business at all,but it felt like he was grooming
me to take over his job.
But what I really think he wasdoing was just grooming me to
think like an owner, no matterwhat the job was.
His goal was if she doesn'tstay at this business, I want to
teach her everything she needsto know to be an owner or be a
(09:35):
boss or whatever.
What did your mom do?
My mom's a therapist Totallyopposite, totally opposite.
But the interesting thing aboutmy mom is my mom got her
master's degree when we werekids, right around the time my
parents divorced, and she nevergot her license to practice
until about five or six yearsago.
(09:57):
So she was always kind ofworking like corporate jobs.
My mom was really good at salesand so she was kind of always
doing that, Just kind of notbouncing around a ton.
But she was working in banking.
So she worked for like bank one, she worked for PNC, she worked
for national city before it wasPNC and she never really
enjoyed what she was doing.
(10:18):
But I think she felt like I wasI'm raising kids.
I can't really make a careerchange.
So you know, once we were allout of the house and out of
college she decided to get herlicense and actually just like a
month ago she got herindependent license.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
So she's been a therapist for five years now.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
She's had her degree for like 25 years and now she
has an independent license, soshe's practicing independently
as a therapist.
So, um, and it's funny cause wewere, you can never be too old,
so and it's funny because wewere, you know, that's a really
cool thing is like I did this.
I can't really like credit mymom because I kind of did this
before she did that.
But I think, like you know,going like seeing your mom like
(10:56):
go to grad school, and then, youknow, I think it inspires me
every day still, even though Ikind of started this business
before she did that and maybe Ikind of inspired her a little
bit.
But I think, you know, I feellike I definitely have parents
who go for it.
You know, my mom is a daughterof entrepreneurs as well.
My grandfather had a children'sclothing store growing up that
(11:18):
I actually worked at.
He had like multiple locationsaround the city and I worked
there when I was in middleschool and high school and it's
so cool.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
Yeah, you just are from a family of go-getters.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
Yeah, I would say a go-getter.
Yeah, and conventional and Ithink like so much of business
is risk and when you've seenpeople take risks, you are more
likely to take risks.
And when, like you kind of seepeople maybe like play it safe
and you know there's nothingwrong with that, you know some
people, you know we're all builtdifferently, right, um?
But yeah, when my dad not onlyhad the business that he got
(11:53):
inherited from his father, whowas who his father started the
business Um, my dad also starteda company, a manufacturing
company, in 1996, with a fewbusiness partners and that was
actually they sold thebusinesses last year and that
was actually the business thatsold for like much more Um, and
you know so.
You know I knew he started thatbusiness and I knew what it
(12:15):
took to start that business Umand then getting to work for him
.
I saw even you know closer, youknow like balance sheets and
you know profits and losses andthings like that.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
So maybe ins and outs of it all.
I did yeah, so you could doanything over again, would you
change?
Speaker 2 (12:32):
anything?
I don't think so.
The only thing I think I wouldmaybe change but I worry, if I
changed it it wouldn't have ledme to this is maybe studying
design and school.
I don't really necessarily feellike I'm at a disadvantage.
I feel like you know I doreally, you know really well for
what I do.
I mean, I design cabinetry.
I don't you know, pick people'slike rugs and couches and you
(12:54):
know all of that.
Maybe Thank you.
Well, that's a huge complimentbut I always tell people I don't
have the degree to do that.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
I'm not an interior designer.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
Well, I appreciate that that's very sweet, but I do
.
I think I think if I could goback and have that background,
you know, I think it could behelpful.
I think I do well with thecabinetry, I think I do well
with what I do, but then Isometimes wish I could offer
more to my clients and I feltlike I feel like I wish I had
more of a background to do that.
What?
Speaker 3 (13:25):
did you offer?
Speaker 2 (13:27):
Just more design services.
Yeah, like I think you know, Ithink just through doing I could
probably eventually offer thateven without the schooling.
That's good.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
But I think AI for that.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Yeah, that's true, AI is amazing.
I love all my AI tools, but,yeah, I just, you know, I think
I wish I could go back and tellmy former self hey, just have
the confidence and go for it.
And you know, and I think youknow, some people have that at a
young age.
Some people develop it.
I feel like I more developed itand I came into that confidence
in my 30s versus like my 20s ormy teens.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
Some people take some few more years.
For me it was in 40s.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
I mean, well, like with my mom, it was in her 60s.
My mom did not have theconfidence.
I mean that was the biggestthing for her.
She got this degree.
She graduated summa cum laudewith a four or magna cum laude
with a 4.0.
It's not like she didn't dowell and she just didn't have
the confidence to take the testand it took her 25 years to do
it and she did it at 60.
Yeah, it's okay yeah, and she'shaving her second career at 60
(14:29):
and now she's an independentlylicensed therapist at 65.
You know it's like sometimesthey're 64, but that, yeah, just
sometimes it what do?
Speaker 3 (14:37):
you think your kids think about, about business,
seeing your grand, theirgrandparents do all sorts of
different things, so you knowit's funny.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
I started my first business making necklaces with
my friends in high school,literally like we saw the styles
that they were wearing on likethe teen TV shows and we decided
to start making them.
And my daughter is 13 and shehas a nail business.
She's like a super talentednail artist.
I mean she like I've seen thestuff she does on my.
(15:06):
My other daughter is she'll goto like the salon and get them
like done, you know, with the um, the licensed, you know like
professional person and mydaughter's arts like a thousand
times better.
And I know I'm biased, but Imean, she's really is a talented
nail artist and she has herfriends paying her to do her
nails.
So she started her firstbusiness at 13.
(15:27):
So and I definitely think,seeing that in your family, you
know, they know that theirgrandfather owned a business
that he just he's retiring andhe just sold.
They know that I own my ownbusiness, my husband owns his
own business.
I think it's a really coolthing to be able to show our
kids, even if they don't end upbeing business owners themselves
, understanding business andunderstanding entrepreneurship,
(15:53):
I think can be valuable foranything in life.
What do you do for fun?
What do I do for fun?
What do I do for?
Speaker 1 (16:00):
fun Um I spent time with my family.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
We have.
We have a lake cottage and wehave a boat.
So we love to, like you know,spend time there in the summer
and go boating, love to travel.
I'm obsessed with travel.
Um, my like goal in life is togo to Europe every year.
You know, and nothing fancy.
I always say like my friendsare like how do you guys afford
to go to Europe all the time?
And I'm like my Europe trip ischeaper than your Disney trip.
Like literally, I mean, I'm likeyou tell me how much you spent
(16:25):
for your family and for to spendfive days in Disney and I'll
tell you what it costs for myfamily of four to spend two
weeks in Europe.
I guarantee you it's less.
So, yeah, I mean, you're notwrong, and we just we love going
to like the smaller littleplaces and running little houses
and be like living like localsand eating at the little local
(16:46):
restaurants and, um, we took ourkids overseas for the first
time.
Um, last year we went toPortugal for spring break.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
And.
Speaker 2 (16:50):
I mean literally it was so fun, and my and we went
in Spain as well, and you knowthey just I love seeing that
through their eyes.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Guyana, okay.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
So here.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
Here, yeah, yeah, in central Ohio yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
And how many siblings do you have?
I have two.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
I'm the oldest, I'm like the classic older sibling.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
Are you?
Speaker 2 (17:10):
I think so.
Yeah, I think my siblings and Ifit our roles very well.
I have two younger brothers.
I have a brother who's 18months younger.
He, him and his wife live inCalifornia, and actually both my
brothers live in SouthernCalifornia.
And then my one brother has ason, so I have a nephew, and
then my other brother and hisgirlfriend.
Speaker 3 (17:30):
How does he end up over there.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
They both really want to be in the film industry.
Still trying to be in the filmindustry.
My youngest brother works forthe Voice, the film industry
still trying to be in the filmindustry.
My youngest brother works forthe Voice, showed the Voice and
then my other brother startedhis own COVID testing business,
did very well during COVID, likevery, very, very well, and him
and his wife have a.
They have a one-year-old sothey've been not working since
(17:57):
he was born and he's trying tofigure out his next baby.
I'm trying to get that brotherand his wife and baby to move
back and I want them to work forme with my business.
But we'll see.
That's kind of a pipe dream andwe would want to work with them
.
Yeah, with my brother, and Imean his wife would do.
You know she stays at home withtheir son, but she would do
some things as well.
Yeah, I just think there's areal opportunity in what I do
with the cabinets.
There's a huge demand forcustom cabinetry.
(18:19):
I think, you know, hgtv hasbeen around for a while, but I
think how Instagram andPinterest and just social media
and AI and everything has blownup to the point where people
aren't just thinking about liketheir kitchen and their bathroom
, they're not thinking aboutjust like.
Oh, let's just, you know,cabinets aren't just like
function, it's art in your home,it's beauty.
Let's just you know, cabinetsaren't just like function, it's
(18:39):
art in your home, it's beauty,it's, you know, it's an
expression of self.
And I think that that is a lotdifferent than, maybe, you know,
10 to 20, 30 years ago, wheremaybe people were, you know,
thinking about a space like akitchen for just function.
And then maybe picking a colorthey like but not thinking about
(19:00):
the cabinets as art or design.
Yeah, that's a fair thought.
Yeah, so I think what I do, Imean I'm very busy, so I know
people are responding to it, butI, you know, and I'm I don't
advertise at all.
I mean I advertise freeadvertising.
You know, I use Instagram,facebook, I'll post, and you
know design groups about mycabinets, but I don't pay for
(19:21):
any advertising.
So you know what I tell mybrother is hey, you come out
here, we'll start paying foradvertising and you can, you
know, grow from there, grow fromthere.
Yeah.
So yeah, just an idea.
I mean it's more for him thanme.
Um, just because you know I'mhappy with what I'm doing and I
don't necessarily feel the needto grow, I like working with a
small number of customers andclients per year.
(19:44):
I don't want to like overloadmyself.
I want to be able to be therefor my customers through the
design process and even after.
You know I have customersthat'll call me back and you
know say, oh, can you?
You know we love the cabinets,can you help me with, like, a
paint color that you think wouldcoordinate, or you know things
like that?
I don't want to be so busy,that you know.
I just kind of drop off whenpeople are finished, you know
(20:10):
buying that cabinet.
You're not that type of person.
Like, you're not even that typeof person.
Yeah, no, and like.
I mean literally I text with somany of my clients, they really
do become like my friends.
Yeah, it's nice.
Speaker 3 (20:22):
You strike me as a relationship builder that
happens to also have this hugespecialty that you're really
good at that.
You're helping them, but reallyit's also about the
relationship.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
I definitely think I'm a relationship builder.
I work with a lot of the samepeople over and over again.
I have a lot of builders that Iwork with.
I have a lot of developers thatI work with.
I have a lot of designers that.
I work with and I work withthose same people over and over
again.
Sometimes you know it's for aproject for them, like a spec
home, sometimes it's a customerthat they have and I'm working
with them via their customer toyou know to to bring the design
(20:56):
to life.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
Yeah, but then goes word of mouth.
Speaker 2 (20:58):
Then word of mouth.
So I'm working with a lot offormer customers family.
I'm working with one of myformer customers moms.
Right now.
I'm working with another formercustomer's best friend.
Two of her other best friendshave asked me to quote things.
I'm working with a builder thatI did three homes with last
year, I'm doing five this year.
I'm really excited about thatand we we ship all over the
(21:21):
country.
So I'm working with people in.
I've had two customers thisyear in the Bay area of San
Francisco.
I have customers in Chicago, umDC area, new York, out right
outside New York city, florida,um, mostly like big market
cities, I found, but I did anentire house and hope Indiana
this year, which is like a townof like 800 people.
Speaker 3 (21:40):
Yeah, it's like a.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
it's like a two stoplight town, I think, in
India.
I actually I didn't go on thedelivery but, um, the customer's
really excited about thecabinets and once she gets the
hardware on and the countertopshe really wants me to come.
And my daughter's best friendmoved to Chicago.
Actually, the people that livedin your house previously, they
moved to Chicago, yeah.
So I told her because she waslike, please come, I really want
(22:04):
you to see everything installed.
So I said, well, I need to takemy daughter to Chicago.
Hope Indiana happens to be justa little bit out of the way on
the way to Chicago, so we'regonna stop and that'll be really
fun.
I've never met her in person andthat's the thing like I really
feel like I know my clients.
We do a ton of Zooms, we talkon the phone, we text and
sometimes I'm working withpeople for eight months and
(22:25):
we've never met face to face.
But I think that's a reallycool thing about how technology
works in today's society is likeI can really become close with
a client and really work closelywith them to make their kind of
kitchen or bathroom or whateverroom I'm working on dreams come
true and I've never met themface to face.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
That's my favorite part.
Now, some people lean into that.
I've met a lot of other peoplethat are just so tired of Zooms
and teams and I'm like what isthat?
That's my thought.
I feel the same way as you do.
I'm like I don't feel any.
No, I actually still feel veryclose way as you do.
I'm like I don't feel any.
I actually still feel veryclose to a bunch of people.
Oh, I do too.
It's so funny.
Speaker 2 (23:04):
Yeah, yeah, I do too.
Sometimes the first time I'veever met my clients is like at
their delivery.
Sometimes if I have like abigger project, I go I just want
to make sure like everythinggets off the truck well and just
to coordinate.
And sometimes I'm meeting mycustomers for the first time at
that delivery We'll like giveeach other a big hug like.
Oh my God, it's so great we'refinally meeting.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
We've talked, you know, we spent you know 50 hours
on zooms together or whatever.
So the thing that always seemsto shock me, and I feel like
most people, is how tall orshort people are.
Oh, you can't see that, so it'slike the one thing that
happened to me.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
I have a client and he is, I think he's like six,
eight.
He's very tall, and not that Ididn't picture him tall.
I don't really think about howtall people are but I remember
we're like in passing and he'slike, yeah, well, I'm six eight.
And I'm like, wait, you're sixeight.
And he's like, yeah, I'm like,oh my gosh, that's really tall.
And he's like, yeah, he's like,did you not picture me tall?
(23:59):
Like honestly, I didn't reallypicture you short or tall.
I kind of like picture peoplesitting down right Cause like
I'm on my computer and yeah,you're on the Zoom, you know
whatever, but it's just funny.
That's why it always baffles me.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
People now I think they're used.
That's so funny.
Yeah, we're coming close totime, okay, and I like to end up
every episode about the same,which is to ask you what advice
could you give or would you giveto somebody listening to this?
It could be life advice, itcould be business advice, it
could be any advice you thinkwould women in our community
(24:37):
would find helpful.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
Yes, I would say have multiple streams of income.
That is my biggest advice towomen.
I think men can obviously takethat advice too, but as women, I
think it's really difficult forus as the mother.
If you choose to be a mothernot everyone does but if you
choose to be a mother, being themother in the family, I think
it makes it harder on us, and Ithink having multiple streams of
(25:00):
income and being able to turnto those streams of income at
different points in your life Ialways say like if you have an
interest or you have an idea,start it as a side biz, do a
side biz.
It could.
My side biz turned into like myreal business, yeah, my
business.
And I could not be more gratefuland I don't know where it would
be if that didn't happen.
(25:20):
And I started this.
I didn't really get to this inour conversation, but I started
this as a flipping house sidebiz nine years ago and now it's
a cabinetry business that ismaking 10 times more than I ever
dreamed of making.
So I think your side biz cantotally become your biz biz if
you just have the confidence todo making.
(25:40):
So I think your side biz cantotally become your biz biz if
you just have the confidence todo it.
And I think that can start as asecond stream or a third stream
of income and it can be yourmain thing.
Speaker 3 (25:50):
It could be your main thing.
That's really good advice,Really really good advice.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
It took me to almost 40 to really totally understand
that.
I've heard people say that foryears and I didn't really
totally get it Like how can youlike be working at a job 40, 50
hours a week and like startsomething on the side?
Like who has time for that?
But when things are yourpassion, I think you make time
for it.
And again, you know, I've giventhis advice so many times, I've
(26:16):
given it to other friends, I'vegiven it to neighbors.
So many times I've given it toother friends, I've given it to
neighbors, I've given it so manytimes.
I see so many talented women inour society that should be doing
the things they're talented atas a business who aren't.
And it's just, you know, it'slike not, it's either like a
lack of confidence or it'sfeeling overwhelmed, like they
don't have time.
And I'm very fortunate, myhusband is a very supportive
(26:37):
spouse and does a lot around thehouse and, um, you know, just
with our kids and our life, andit just has enabled me for you
know this to kind of come tofruition.
So I think that's so great yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:48):
Well, thank you for spending time with us today.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
This was great.
Speaker 1 (27:17):
What I love most about today's conversation with
Jessica is how it dismantles themyth that you have to have it
all figured out from thebeginning.
Her path from poli-sci tocustom cabinetry isn't a failure
to commit.
It's a masterclass in stayingopen to opportunities and
building on each experience.
Her advice about multiplestreams of income resonates
deeply, especially for womenjuggling various
(27:38):
responsibilities.
The idea that a side businesscan become your main business
isn't just entrepreneurialwisdom.
It's about giving yourselfpermission to explore what
lights you up, even when you'renot sure where it will lead.
I'm also struck by how Jessicahas redefined what success looks
like in her industry.
Instead of scaling to maximumcapacity, she's chosen to
maintain relationships with herclients and work at a pace that
(28:00):
allows for quality andconnection.
That's a lesson that extendsfar beyond cabin tree For those
of you sitting on a talent orpassion that you think isn't a
real business.
I hope this conversationchallenges that assumption.
Sometimes the most fulfillingcareers emerge from the
intersection of what you're goodat, what you enjoy and what
people actually need.
If today's story inspired youto good at what you enjoy and
what people actually need, iftoday's story inspired you to
(28:22):
think differently about your ownpath, share it with someone who
needs to hear it.
Remember SheSweet Societyexists to amplify women's voices
from all walks of life, provingthat success comes in many
forms.
Until next time, this is yourhost, dahlia, reminding you that
your life is your message tothe world.
Why not make it extraordinary?
You?
Welcome to the she Sweet Society, a community where
women from all backgrounds cometogether to share their stories
, support one another and revealthe unfiltered reality of our
lives.
I'm your host, Dahlia, and thispodcast exists to give voice
and space to women whoseexperiences might otherwise go
unheard.
Today, I'm sitting down with myneighbor, jessica Minor, whose
(00:41):
journey perfectly illustratesthat there's no single path to
success.
Jessica is a custom cabinetrybusiness owner who went from
studying political science anddreaming of saving the world to
law school, to corporatesourcing, to working in her
family's industrial supplybusiness and finally to creating
stunning custom cabinets thatshiver across country.
What makes Jessica's story socompelling isn't just the career
(01:04):
pivots.
It's how she's built a businessthat's as much about
relationships as it is aboutcraftsmanship.
She's someone who becomesfriends with her clients, who
turns side projects intothriving enterprises and who's
discovered that sometimes themost quote-unquote boring family
businesses can teach youeverything you need to know
about entrepreneurship.
Whether you're questioning yourcurrent path, considering a
(01:27):
side business or wondering ifit's too late to pursue what
you're passionate about, thisconversation offers both
practical wisdom and thereminder that confidence often
comes with time, sometimesdecades.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Oh, I own a custom cabinetry company.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Oh, I knew that part.
That's the cool part.
Oh, what are the other?
I don't know.
Oh, I knew that part.
That's the cool part.
What are the other?
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
What do I do on a daily basis?
My day looks different everyday.
I have this custom cabinetrycompany.
I came to have this customcabinetry company through I
don't even want to say trial anderror necessarily, but working
in the construction industry,the home remodeling industry,
which I started doing abouteight to nine years ago when I
(02:10):
stepped away from working incorporate America as a sourcing
analyst, which I think kind ofplayed well, because sourcing
with cabinetry, you know,sourcing with, you know,
cabinetry materials for buildingthat's kind of what I
transitioned into, as well asbeing a part of the process of
remodeling.
(02:30):
So currently I own a customcabinetry company.
My days are different every day.
I work with customers who arebuilding new builds.
I work with customers who areremodeling current spaces, and I
am a designer as well asproviding the cabinetry.
So a lot of clients start witheither bringing the design to me
(02:52):
and we build the cabinets basedon the design they already have
, or they come to me becausethey have, you know, gotten the
word of mouth through a friend,or they've seen me in my posts
on Instagram, or they've seenwork that I've done through.
I do a lot of spec houses withbuilders, so a house being sold
and they come to me that way andthey want me to design their
(03:13):
space.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
Well, you're so good at it though.
I know they can't see yourhouse, but you did your whole
kitchen, your living room.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Yes, I have cabinets in many rooms in my house and
there will be more I love toreally good.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
You have an eye, your detail.
That's the design part.
Yeah, thank, you.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
I appreciate that.
Yeah, I'm not a designer bytraining.
It's interesting because Istudied political science in
school and I always thought Iwas going to be a lawyer, which
I think a lot of people did.
And it's so funny because, whenI thought about my upbringing,
I'm actually the daughter andthe granddaughter and the great
granddaughter of honorentrepreneurs, so, um, my dad's
(03:52):
entire side of the family.
All they did was own businesses.
Um, and my dad owned thebusiness once my grandfather
passed.
He was passed, it was passeddown from his grandfather and I
actually worked for the companyas well.
So it was over.
It was four generations workingfor the business.
And it's funny thinking aboutgrowing up.
(04:14):
I remember career day and youtalk about what your parents did
and, like I had friends whoseparents were firefighters and
doctors and lawyers and I alwayswas like I don't want to say
embarrassed.
I wasn't embarrassed, obviously,I was super proud of my dad.
He had a very successfulbusiness, but it was so not
interesting.
Oh, what does your dad do?
He's a business owner and Ididn't really fully.
They sold industrial suppliesand cutting tools and when
(04:37):
you're 70 years old, inelementary school, no one knows
you don't even really know whatthat is, and you probably know
more than what other kids know.
So I always thought, oh, when Igrow up I'm going to be a
veterinarian or I'm going to bea lawyer and something that when
I go to career day for my kidsis super exciting, and you come
to find out what I do, I thinkis more exciting than any
(04:58):
corporate job or being a lawyercould ever be and I tried.
And I don't blame my dad.
He didn't really.
He talked to us about businessand finance and things like that
, but we didn't really know thecore of what he did.
And I always try to talk to mygirls about what I do.
They know I make cabinets andthey know that I work with
customers and they know that Ido design and I, you know, I
(05:20):
want them to be excited aboutthat and I want them, if they
own a business someday, to beproud of that.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Yeah, and to be clear on, there's not one right way.
There's so many different pathsyou can take and show what it
looks like behind those doors, ahundred percent.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
And I always say leaving corporate America was
the best decision I ever made.
And if I had to sell my houseand move into a smaller house or
just downsize my life tocontinue to do what I do?
If I had ever had to like facethat choice, I would do it not
to own my own business.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
How did you end up in corporate America?
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Well, so I went to Ohio State and I studied
political science.
I think I was like in that, I'mgoing to save the world and I'm
going to change the world modeat that time and I really
enjoyed what I studied.
I, going back, I didn't have.
I always was interested ininterior design, but I never
really had the confidence.
I just kept saying things tomyself oh, you can't draw well,
or oh, you don't have experiencedoing this, or that's not
(06:16):
really a career.
I was always having negativeself-talk to myself about what I
could do, and so I settled onpolitical science and I think it
was a good choice, looking back, because it was something that
I enjoyed and I was good at it.
I was good at reading andwriting and I was good at
debating and all of those things.
So it just felt natural and itdidn't feel wrong.
(06:38):
But I graduated in 2009 fromcollege, during the Great
Recession.
I was one of those literally,and I actually had a job when I
graduated.
So I had been working as anintern for a political campaign
and they hired me during therecession, so it was like it
paid like $30,000 a year.
It wasn't like this.
Still, it was a job.
Yeah, it was a job and I wasable to afford my rent and food
(07:01):
and I was just living my life.
I was single and it was greatand I worked that job for a
couple of years and it was anelection cycle.
So once the election cycleended, I continued because my
candidate got elected continued.
I was a fundraising person.
I continued fundraising and Ijust was like this is not really
where I see myself.
So I applied to law school andI got into law school and it's
(07:24):
funny because I really neverquit anything in my life, maybe
other than gymnastics as a kid.
But I got into law school and Iwas in the first semester and I
loved school.
I loved learning, I was feltright back in my element.
But they started talking aboutthe past, right Cause law school
is only three years long.
Almost immediately they starttalking about what do you want
to specialize in, what are thepaths, what do you think you're
(07:45):
going to do when you graduateand I could just not picture
myself in any of the roles andjobs that they were talking
about.
I just couldn't.
I, I don't know.
I think the choice to go to lawschool felt like the next right
step for a career in politics,and then I just did it without
really putting probably enoughthought into it.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
It's what I felt, like I was supposed to do.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
It felt like the next step.
And it was not right for you?
Yes, and to be fair, it was arecession, so everybody felt
super urgent to do something tofurther themselves because the
job market wasn't great.
And if you have a degree inpolitical science, of course
corporate jobs will hire youright Sales, logistics, supply
chain, things like that.
(08:30):
Right, because you don't reallynecessarily have to have a
specialized degree for thosejobs, but I just didn't feel
like I was in the right place inlaw school so I decided to
leave and it was still comingout of the recession.
So I just asked my dad if Icould come work for him.
And the rule was always you cancome work for the family
business if you go to collegeand get your degree.
(08:52):
So I did that.
So I was like he's like I'llhire you, I'll teach you to do
what I do.
So that started about God.
I was there for over five yearsand I enjoyed it.
It wasn't sexy, it was cuttingtools, industrial supplies it
wasn't really my interest, but Ienjoyed working with my dad.
I was learning a lot aboutbeing a business owner from him
(09:15):
and it's funny because at thattime I was not thinking about
having my own business at all,but it felt like he was grooming
me to take over his job.
But what I really think he wasdoing was just grooming me to
think like an owner, no matterwhat the job was.
His goal was if she doesn'tstay at this business, I want to
teach her everything she needsto know to be an owner or be a
(09:35):
boss or whatever.
What did your mom do?
My mom's a therapist Totallyopposite, totally opposite.
But the interesting thing aboutmy mom is my mom got her
master's degree when we werekids, right around the time my
parents divorced, and she nevergot her license to practice
until about five or six yearsago.
(09:57):
So she was always kind ofworking like corporate jobs.
My mom was really good at salesand so she was kind of always
doing that, Just kind of notbouncing around a ton.
But she was working in banking.
So she worked for like bank one, she worked for PNC, she worked
for national city before it wasPNC and she never really
enjoyed what she was doing.
(10:18):
But I think she felt like I wasI'm raising kids.
I can't really make a careerchange.
So you know, once we were allout of the house and out of
college she decided to get herlicense and actually just like a
month ago she got herindependent license.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
So she's been a therapist for five years now.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
She's had her degree for like 25 years and now she
has an independent license, soshe's practicing independently
as a therapist.
So, um, and it's funny cause wewere, you can never be too old,
so and it's funny because wewere, you know, that's a really
cool thing is like I did this.
I can't really like credit mymom because I kind of did this
before she did that.
But I think, like you know,going like seeing your mom like
(10:56):
go to grad school, and then, youknow, I think it inspires me
every day still, even though Ikind of started this business
before she did that and maybe Ikind of inspired her a little
bit.
But I think, you know, I feellike I definitely have parents
who go for it.
You know, my mom is a daughterof entrepreneurs as well.
My grandfather had a children'sclothing store growing up that
(11:18):
I actually worked at.
He had like multiple locationsaround the city and I worked
there when I was in middleschool and high school and it's
so cool.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
Yeah, you just are from a family of go-getters.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
Yeah, I would say a go-getter.
Yeah, and conventional and Ithink like so much of business
is risk and when you've seenpeople take risks, you are more
likely to take risks.
And when, like you kind of seepeople maybe like play it safe
and you know there's nothingwrong with that, you know some
people, you know we're all builtdifferently, right, um?
But yeah, when my dad not onlyhad the business that he got
(11:53):
inherited from his father, whowas who his father started the
business Um, my dad also starteda company, a manufacturing
company, in 1996, with a fewbusiness partners and that was
actually they sold thebusinesses last year and that
was actually the business thatsold for like much more Um, and
you know so.
You know I knew he started thatbusiness and I knew what it
(12:15):
took to start that business Umand then getting to work for him
.
I saw even you know closer, youknow like balance sheets and
you know profits and losses andthings like that.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
So maybe ins and outs of it all.
I did yeah, so you could doanything over again, would you
change?
Speaker 2 (12:32):
anything?
I don't think so.
The only thing I think I wouldmaybe change but I worry, if I
changed it it wouldn't have ledme to this is maybe studying
design and school.
I don't really necessarily feellike I'm at a disadvantage.
I feel like you know I doreally, you know really well for
what I do.
I mean, I design cabinetry.
I don't you know, pick people'slike rugs and couches and you
(12:54):
know all of that.
Maybe Thank you.
Well, that's a huge complimentbut I always tell people I don't
have the degree to do that.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
I'm not an interior designer.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
Well, I appreciate that that's very sweet, but I do
.
I think I think if I could goback and have that background,
you know, I think it could behelpful.
I think I do well with thecabinetry, I think I do well
with what I do, but then Isometimes wish I could offer
more to my clients and I feltlike I feel like I wish I had
more of a background to do that.
What?
Speaker 3 (13:25):
did you offer?
Speaker 2 (13:27):
Just more design services.
Yeah, like I think you know, Ithink just through doing I could
probably eventually offer thateven without the schooling.
That's good.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
But I think AI for that.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Yeah, that's true, AI is amazing.
I love all my AI tools, but,yeah, I just, you know, I think
I wish I could go back and tellmy former self hey, just have
the confidence and go for it.
And you know, and I think youknow, some people have that at a
young age.
Some people develop it.
I feel like I more developed itand I came into that confidence
in my 30s versus like my 20s ormy teens.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
Some people take some few more years.
For me it was in 40s.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
I mean, well, like with my mom, it was in her 60s.
My mom did not have theconfidence.
I mean that was the biggestthing for her.
She got this degree.
She graduated summa cum laudewith a four or magna cum laude
with a 4.0.
It's not like she didn't dowell and she just didn't have
the confidence to take the testand it took her 25 years to do
it and she did it at 60.
Yeah, it's okay yeah, and she'shaving her second career at 60
(14:29):
and now she's an independentlylicensed therapist at 65.
You know it's like sometimesthey're 64, but that, yeah, just
sometimes it what do?
Speaker 3 (14:37):
you think your kids think about, about business,
seeing your grand, theirgrandparents do all sorts of
different things, so you knowit's funny.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
I started my first business making necklaces with
my friends in high school,literally like we saw the styles
that they were wearing on likethe teen TV shows and we decided
to start making them.
And my daughter is 13 and shehas a nail business.
She's like a super talentednail artist.
I mean she like I've seen thestuff she does on my.
(15:06):
My other daughter is she'll goto like the salon and get them
like done, you know, with the um, the licensed, you know like
professional person and mydaughter's arts like a thousand
times better.
And I know I'm biased, but Imean, she's really is a talented
nail artist and she has herfriends paying her to do her
nails.
So she started her firstbusiness at 13.
(15:27):
So and I definitely think,seeing that in your family, you
know, they know that theirgrandfather owned a business
that he just he's retiring andhe just sold.
They know that I own my ownbusiness, my husband owns his
own business.
I think it's a really coolthing to be able to show our
kids, even if they don't end upbeing business owners themselves
, understanding business andunderstanding entrepreneurship,
(15:53):
I think can be valuable foranything in life.
What do you do for fun?
What do I do for fun?
What do I do for?
Speaker 1 (16:00):
fun Um I spent time with my family.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
We have.
We have a lake cottage and wehave a boat.
So we love to, like you know,spend time there in the summer
and go boating, love to travel.
I'm obsessed with travel.
Um, my like goal in life is togo to Europe every year.
You know, and nothing fancy.
I always say like my friendsare like how do you guys afford
to go to Europe all the time?
And I'm like my Europe trip ischeaper than your Disney trip.
Like literally, I mean, I'm likeyou tell me how much you spent
(16:25):
for your family and for to spendfive days in Disney and I'll
tell you what it costs for myfamily of four to spend two
weeks in Europe.
I guarantee you it's less.
So, yeah, I mean, you're notwrong, and we just we love going
to like the smaller littleplaces and running little houses
and be like living like localsand eating at the little local
(16:46):
restaurants and, um, we took ourkids overseas for the first
time.
Um, last year we went toPortugal for spring break.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
And.
Speaker 2 (16:50):
I mean literally it was so fun, and my and we went
in Spain as well, and you knowthey just I love seeing that
through their eyes.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Guyana, okay.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
So here.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
Here, yeah, yeah, in central Ohio yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
And how many siblings do you have?
I have two.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
I'm the oldest, I'm like the classic older sibling.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
Are you?
Speaker 2 (17:10):
I think so.
Yeah, I think my siblings and Ifit our roles very well.
I have two younger brothers.
I have a brother who's 18months younger.
He, him and his wife live inCalifornia, and actually both my
brothers live in SouthernCalifornia.
And then my one brother has ason, so I have a nephew, and
then my other brother and hisgirlfriend.
Speaker 3 (17:30):
How does he end up over there.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
They both really want to be in the film industry.
Still trying to be in the filmindustry.
My youngest brother works forthe Voice, the film industry
still trying to be in the filmindustry.
My youngest brother works forthe Voice, showed the Voice and
then my other brother startedhis own COVID testing business,
did very well during COVID, likevery, very, very well, and him
and his wife have a.
They have a one-year-old sothey've been not working since
(17:57):
he was born and he's trying tofigure out his next baby.
I'm trying to get that brotherand his wife and baby to move
back and I want them to work forme with my business.
But we'll see.
That's kind of a pipe dream andwe would want to work with them
.
Yeah, with my brother, and Imean his wife would do.
You know she stays at home withtheir son, but she would do
some things as well.
Yeah, I just think there's areal opportunity in what I do
with the cabinets.
There's a huge demand forcustom cabinetry.
(18:19):
I think, you know, hgtv hasbeen around for a while, but I
think how Instagram andPinterest and just social media
and AI and everything has blownup to the point where people
aren't just thinking about liketheir kitchen and their bathroom
, they're not thinking aboutjust like.
Oh, let's just, you know,cabinets aren't just like
function, it's art in your home,it's beauty.
Let's just you know, cabinetsaren't just like function, it's
(18:39):
art in your home, it's beauty,it's, you know, it's an
expression of self.
And I think that that is a lotdifferent than, maybe, you know,
10 to 20, 30 years ago, wheremaybe people were, you know,
thinking about a space like akitchen for just function.
And then maybe picking a colorthey like but not thinking about
(19:00):
the cabinets as art or design.
Yeah, that's a fair thought.
Yeah, so I think what I do, Imean I'm very busy, so I know
people are responding to it, butI, you know, and I'm I don't
advertise at all.
I mean I advertise freeadvertising.
You know, I use Instagram,facebook, I'll post, and you
know design groups about mycabinets, but I don't pay for
(19:21):
any advertising.
So you know what I tell mybrother is hey, you come out
here, we'll start paying foradvertising and you can, you
know, grow from there, grow fromthere.
Yeah.
So yeah, just an idea.
I mean it's more for him thanme.
Um, just because you know I'mhappy with what I'm doing and I
don't necessarily feel the needto grow, I like working with a
small number of customers andclients per year.
(19:44):
I don't want to like overloadmyself.
I want to be able to be therefor my customers through the
design process and even after.
You know I have customersthat'll call me back and you
know say, oh, can you?
You know we love the cabinets,can you help me with, like, a
paint color that you think wouldcoordinate, or you know things
like that?
I don't want to be so busy,that you know.
I just kind of drop off whenpeople are finished, you know
(20:10):
buying that cabinet.
You're not that type of person.
Like, you're not even that typeof person.
Yeah, no, and like.
I mean literally I text with somany of my clients, they really
do become like my friends.
Yeah, it's nice.
Speaker 3 (20:22):
You strike me as a relationship builder that
happens to also have this hugespecialty that you're really
good at that.
You're helping them, but reallyit's also about the
relationship.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
I definitely think I'm a relationship builder.
I work with a lot of the samepeople over and over again.
I have a lot of builders that Iwork with.
I have a lot of developers thatI work with.
I have a lot of designers that.
I work with and I work withthose same people over and over
again.
Sometimes you know it's for aproject for them, like a spec
home, sometimes it's a customerthat they have and I'm working
with them via their customer toyou know to to bring the design
(20:56):
to life.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
Yeah, but then goes word of mouth.
Speaker 2 (20:58):
Then word of mouth.
So I'm working with a lot offormer customers family.
I'm working with one of myformer customers moms.
Right now.
I'm working with another formercustomer's best friend.
Two of her other best friendshave asked me to quote things.
I'm working with a builder thatI did three homes with last
year, I'm doing five this year.
I'm really excited about thatand we we ship all over the
(21:21):
country.
So I'm working with people in.
I've had two customers thisyear in the Bay area of San
Francisco.
I have customers in Chicago, umDC area, new York, out right
outside New York city, florida,um, mostly like big market
cities, I found, but I did anentire house and hope Indiana
this year, which is like a townof like 800 people.
Speaker 3 (21:40):
Yeah, it's like a.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
it's like a two stoplight town, I think, in
India.
I actually I didn't go on thedelivery but, um, the customer's
really excited about thecabinets and once she gets the
hardware on and the countertopshe really wants me to come.
And my daughter's best friendmoved to Chicago.
Actually, the people that livedin your house previously, they
moved to Chicago, yeah.
So I told her because she waslike, please come, I really want
(22:04):
you to see everything installed.
So I said, well, I need to takemy daughter to Chicago.
Hope Indiana happens to be justa little bit out of the way on
the way to Chicago, so we'regonna stop and that'll be really
fun.
I've never met her in person andthat's the thing like I really
feel like I know my clients.
We do a ton of Zooms, we talkon the phone, we text and
sometimes I'm working withpeople for eight months and
(22:25):
we've never met face to face.
But I think that's a reallycool thing about how technology
works in today's society is likeI can really become close with
a client and really work closelywith them to make their kind of
kitchen or bathroom or whateverroom I'm working on dreams come
true and I've never met themface to face.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
That's my favorite part.
Now, some people lean into that.
I've met a lot of other peoplethat are just so tired of Zooms
and teams and I'm like what isthat?
That's my thought.
I feel the same way as you do.
I'm like I don't feel any.
No, I actually still feel veryclose way as you do.
I'm like I don't feel any.
I actually still feel veryclose to a bunch of people.
Oh, I do too.
It's so funny.
Speaker 2 (23:04):
Yeah, yeah, I do too.
Sometimes the first time I'veever met my clients is like at
their delivery.
Sometimes if I have like abigger project, I go I just want
to make sure like everythinggets off the truck well and just
to coordinate.
And sometimes I'm meeting mycustomers for the first time at
that delivery We'll like giveeach other a big hug like.
Oh my God, it's so great we'refinally meeting.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
We've talked, you know, we spent you know 50 hours
on zooms together or whatever.
So the thing that always seemsto shock me, and I feel like
most people, is how tall orshort people are.
Oh, you can't see that, so it'slike the one thing that
happened to me.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
I have a client and he is, I think he's like six,
eight.
He's very tall, and not that Ididn't picture him tall.
I don't really think about howtall people are but I remember
we're like in passing and he'slike, yeah, well, I'm six eight.
And I'm like, wait, you're sixeight.
And he's like, yeah, I'm like,oh my gosh, that's really tall.
And he's like, yeah, he's like,did you not picture me tall?
(23:59):
Like honestly, I didn't reallypicture you short or tall.
I kind of like picture peoplesitting down right Cause like
I'm on my computer and yeah,you're on the Zoom, you know
whatever, but it's just funny.
That's why it always baffles me.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
People now I think they're used.
That's so funny.
Yeah, we're coming close totime, okay, and I like to end up
every episode about the same,which is to ask you what advice
could you give or would you giveto somebody listening to this?
It could be life advice, itcould be business advice, it
could be any advice you thinkwould women in our community
(24:37):
would find helpful.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
Yes, I would say have multiple streams of income.
That is my biggest advice towomen.
I think men can obviously takethat advice too, but as women, I
think it's really difficult forus as the mother.
If you choose to be a mothernot everyone does but if you
choose to be a mother, being themother in the family, I think
it makes it harder on us, and Ithink having multiple streams of
(25:00):
income and being able to turnto those streams of income at
different points in your life Ialways say like if you have an
interest or you have an idea,start it as a side biz, do a
side biz.
It could.
My side biz turned into like myreal business, yeah, my
business.
And I could not be more gratefuland I don't know where it would
be if that didn't happen.
(25:20):
And I started this.
I didn't really get to this inour conversation, but I started
this as a flipping house sidebiz nine years ago and now it's
a cabinetry business that ismaking 10 times more than I ever
dreamed of making.
So I think your side biz cantotally become your biz biz if
you just have the confidence todo making.
(25:40):
So I think your side biz cantotally become your biz biz if
you just have the confidence todo it.
And I think that can start as asecond stream or a third stream
of income and it can be yourmain thing.
Speaker 3 (25:50):
It could be your main thing.
That's really good advice,Really really good advice.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
It took me to almost 40 to really totally understand
that.
I've heard people say that foryears and I didn't really
totally get it Like how can youlike be working at a job 40, 50
hours a week and like startsomething on the side?
Like who has time for that?
But when things are yourpassion, I think you make time
for it.
And again, you know, I've giventhis advice so many times, I've
(26:16):
given it to other friends, I'vegiven it to neighbors.
So many times I've given it toother friends, I've given it to
neighbors, I've given it so manytimes.
I see so many talented women inour society that should be doing
the things they're talented atas a business who aren't.
And it's just, you know, it'slike not, it's either like a
lack of confidence or it'sfeeling overwhelmed, like they
don't have time.
And I'm very fortunate, myhusband is a very supportive
(26:37):
spouse and does a lot around thehouse and, um, you know, just
with our kids and our life, andit just has enabled me for you
know this to kind of come tofruition.
So I think that's so great yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:48):
Well, thank you for spending time with us today.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
This was great.
Speaker 1 (27:17):
What I love most about today's conversation with
Jessica is how it dismantles themyth that you have to have it
all figured out from thebeginning.
Her path from poli-sci tocustom cabinetry isn't a failure
to commit.
It's a masterclass in stayingopen to opportunities and
building on each experience.
Her advice about multiplestreams of income resonates
deeply, especially for womenjuggling various
(27:38):
responsibilities.
The idea that a side businesscan become your main business
isn't just entrepreneurialwisdom.
It's about giving yourselfpermission to explore what
lights you up, even when you'renot sure where it will lead.
I'm also struck by how Jessicahas redefined what success looks
like in her industry.
Instead of scaling to maximumcapacity, she's chosen to
maintain relationships with herclients and work at a pace that
(28:00):
allows for quality andconnection.
That's a lesson that extendsfar beyond cabin tree For those
of you sitting on a talent orpassion that you think isn't a
real business.
I hope this conversationchallenges that assumption.
Sometimes the most fulfillingcareers emerge from the
intersection of what you're goodat, what you enjoy and what
people actually need.
If today's story inspired youto good at what you enjoy and
what people actually need, iftoday's story inspired you to
(28:22):
think differently about your ownpath, share it with someone who
needs to hear it.
Remember SheSweet Societyexists to amplify women's voices
from all walks of life, provingthat success comes in many
forms.
Until next time, this is yourhost, dahlia, reminding you that
your life is your message tothe world.
Why not make it extraordinary?
You?
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