May 29, 2025 • 46 mins
In this week’s episode, I had the joy of talking with Allie Jones, the founder of Jaml Jams—and y’all, this story is going to warm your heart and touch your soul. Oh yes, turning your passion into a business is ABSOLUTELY possible for you too! READ MORE HERE
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Well, hello.
This is Kimberly Brock, and forover 20 years I've been running
my own businesses that have notonly been profitable but
personally fulfilling to me.
So now I'm on a mission to helpother new business owners, just
like you, make money doing whatyou love to.
Now we're gonna have some fun,so let's get started.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Now we're going to have some fun, so let's get
started.
Well, hello everyone.
This is Kimberly.
It's episode 294, and I'm soglad that you are here today
because I have a very specialguest on the show.
Her name is Allie Jones.
She's owner of Jamel Jams outof Arkansas.
Y'all have to hear this wholeepisode.
Allie's story is so encouraging.
You know why?
Because it's proof that you cantake something that you know
(00:47):
and love, something that reallyfills your soul, and turn it
into a business.
Allie's story today talks abouthow she was making jam as a
child with her mom and now has afull-time business with it.
Y'all she's doing amazing.
She not only sells the jams toconsumers, but has been featured
in stores and she's lookingeven to get a co-packer soon so
(01:10):
she can expand her business.
You'll get to hear all about it.
She is so inspirational.
She tells it like it is and youare going to learn from her.
Let me share, too, that downbelow in the show notes is all
the information about Jamel Jams.
So you're going to want tofollow her on Instagram and and
go to her website, maybe evenget on her email list and all
that good stuff, because youdon't want to miss a beat about
(01:33):
how she's built her company,y'all.
It's just so amazing.
Allie and I met a few years agoI think it was right after COVID
when she was like Maybe Ishould start this business, and
she got in GrowGetters and I wasable to work with her, and
that's why I had to feature heron the show, because you have to
see proof, like Allie, thatthis can happen for you too.
(01:54):
In just a few short years, youcan build a thriving business,
even out of something that youmay not even think could be a
full-on business.
Her jams are proof that she iswell-loved in her community, and
what I think is really keyabout her business is that she's
been able to give back andspread joy through her jams.
(02:14):
You get to hear all about it.
Make sure you listen all theway through, because she really,
even at the end, gives us sometips of wisdom that I know will
help you along your journey.
If you're new here, welcome.
I'm so glad that you found thispodcast, because this episode
is just an example of what canhappen for you If you're in the
middle of starting a business.
Maybe it's a coaching business,maybe it's a service business,
(02:34):
maybe it's even just an onlinebusiness somehow, or a local
business like Allie's?
Make sure you scroll down inthe show notes now, because I've
got all types of resources foryou, ok, everything from your
idea stage just starting togrowing and even how to get your
podcast rolling if you want togrow online.
So check out everything downbelow.
There's resources for you thatyou don't want to miss out on,
(02:57):
and I'm just so glad you're heretoday to hear this episode.
Thank you to all my loyallisteners.
Y'all are awesome and wonderful, and Allie, thanks for being on
the show.
I'm so excited that I get toshare you with the world.
So that's it On to the episode.
Well, allie, I am so excited tohave you on the show.
(03:18):
I have been wanting to shareyou with everyone for a while
now.
Your story is amazing, and I'mjust so honored that you agreed
to be on the show.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
Well, thank you for asking.
I'm excited to be here.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
I'm so excited to hear about your jams and I
shared with everyone in theintro about your business and
what's going on and why you'rehere, and I can't wait for you
to share your story because Ithink your story is so relatable
to especially women out thereand I'm just so excited for you
to kick this off.
So tell us from the beginninghow this all started.
(03:55):
And we also have to hear howyou got your name, because
everyone needs to know how wegot Jamble Jams.
So I got to hear all thestories, so tell us from the
beginning how this all started.
Okay.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Well, it did start like a long time ago, almost at
the very beginning of my life,because I am 36, and this
started when I was six.
My mom loved making jams andjellies.
She was a nurse and so when shefirst started learning to make
jams and jellies, she was anassistant nurse manager at the
VA hospital and her nursemanager wanted to make gifts for
(04:28):
their staff one year.
And so she's like I've got lotsof.
I know how to make jam andjelly.
Come over to my house and I'llteach you and we can make some
together.
And so my mom, my older sisterand I went to Ms Jan's house and
we made, I think, plum jellyand mescadine jelly, and after
making it, we were hooked.
My mom loved it, I loved it,and so my mom made jam every
(04:50):
year.
Usually it was strawberry jam,and she would take my sister and
I to go pick the strawberriesand we would make jam and
usually we would freeze it andsave it and give it as Christmas
gifts.
Well, when I got married, Ijust continued on with it.
I loved the kitchen.
It was just like my place ofrelaxation, my place of joy.
It's just my place of.
I think.
How I could.
I feel like I could take careof people through food, and so I
(05:12):
got married.
Jamel was an active dutyinfantry officer and we moved
around the country.
And as we moved around thecountry I would test different
fruits from different areas.
So, like, of course, georgia,the peaches, north Carolina grew
great strawberries.
(05:32):
I love the cherries in Kansas,so I just would try the
different fruit and make jam andshare it with my friends and
then, as Jamel was a platoonleader and then a company
commander, I would gift the jamsto our volunteers and that's
just kind of how it kept going.
I mean, I was just giving itout of love and to say thank you
to people.
And I remember when we had ourdaughter her name is Madeline
(05:54):
and I thought, wow, I love jam,and our initial spelled jam.
How cute is that?
Jamel, allie and Madeline.
And then, in 2020, we had ourson Langston, and I was just
playing with, I guess, the GMbusiness idea in my head,
because what else was everybodydoing in 2020?
We were all stuck at homecoming up with businesses, and I
(06:15):
realized that our name spelledJamel, which is almost my
husband's first name minus the E, and I was like that's a
perfect name for our business.
Well, it wasn't a business.
It.
That's a perfect name for ourbusiness.
Well, it wasn't a business, itwas just the perfect name for
our gym.
I just wanted to brand it as Igifted it to people, and so
that's how we became Jamble Jams.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
I mean, it's just so crazy.
I just love that you had apassion for this and that you
were giving it to people fromyour heart.
Like I have a friend that doesthis, one of my daughter's best
friends.
Her mom's always baking anddoing stuff and I'm like you
know what?
I'm going to back you wheneveryou open your bakery.
She just puts it out of herheart.
But we're getting macaroons andall this stuff.
She makes amazing food and I'mjust like, oh, my gosh, that's
(06:58):
amazing.
So so I get that, and how goodit must feel to just like I want
to create something for otherpeople and the volunteers.
I love how you were doing that,so I think it's awesome.
And then you went on to like,okay, we need like a little name
for this sort of a little brand, even though it wasn't like a
business yet.
So you said it was 2020, youwere home doing all this.
(07:19):
How did it then like, like whatwas that moment or where's?
What was it that turned it into?
Speaker 3 (07:25):
like oh, maybe I could actually make a business
out of this yeah, so at the endof 2020 we moved from Kansas to
to Georgia okay my husband hisnext assignment.
He was just busy, he was gone alot right, and so I was home a
lot right with kids, with kids alot, and I and also our part of
(07:47):
our community, or he was withthe Rangers, and so everybody
was gone a lot.
And so I wanted to do somethingthat would make other people
smile, like our, you know, ourarmy community lived on post,
and so I was like, hey, I canstart making jam.
And I also felt like I wantedto do something outside of my
mom and wife roles and somethingthat I just felt like I kind of
(08:12):
was using my brain in adifferent way, right, but also
blessing other people in thesame time.
And so I was like, well, whatcan I do?
I didn't have time to learn anew skill.
Being home was very, veryimportant to me, and so I
thought, well, what do I have inmy hand?
And jam was what I had in myhand.
I was very comfortable with it.
(08:33):
I had a lot of confidence in it.
I feel like I had, you know,some authority in it a little
bit.
You know, I knew enough to makeit and tell people the
difference between jam and jelly, because that's the question
that everybody always asks andtell people the difference
between jam and jelly, becausethat's the question that
everybody always asks.
So that's just what I chose todo and I was like, okay, I can
do this.
I joined a small like women'sbusiness group and found some
encouragement there, and thecoach there was like, take $250
(08:58):
and open your business and sellit and get that 250 back.
And so I was like, okay, I cando this.
And so I started on a Mother'sDay weekend selling my jam.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
I mean, it's just so crazy, and I love what you said
and I have to repeat this foreverybody that's maybe in the
idea stage.
You want to have something allyour own, you want a creative
outlet, you want to impactpeople's lives in some way,
bring joy or whatever it is.
I love what you said what do Ihave in my hands?
And I want people to thinkabout that right now.
All of you listening, like ifyou've been thinking like I
(09:32):
could have a business, but do Ihave time to go back to school
or get certified or do whatever?
Is there something that I havein my hand?
Is there something before me?
Is there something that peoplehave already been telling me or
asking me about and getting myadvice on, or that I'm already
good at?
That's what you could turn intoa business.
So I love that and I wanteveryone to remember that.
What do I have in my hand?
(09:52):
Because I think that's supercrucial.
So you did that.
You said what do I have in myhand?
Then you joined a business.
Was this a local business groupor an online business group?
Speaker 3 (10:02):
It was.
It was online, it was ChristyWright's business boutique group
, so I started it and I didn'thave a website at all.
I was like, okay, I'm justgoing to do this, as you like to
say, kimberly.
I wanted to keep it simple, andso I just let my Facebook
community know that I was goingto start selling my jams, and I
(10:24):
gave everyone a week's notice.
And the next week I came backand I had two offerings.
I had strawberry jam anddandelion jelly and I sold out
and I was very surprised.
I couldn't believe it.
But what surprised me even moreis that I didn't just have
local friends purchasing.
I had people in differentstates purchasing and paying the
(10:47):
shipping because I didn't haveshipping set up.
I was going to the post officeusing their beautiful boxes to
ship with my jams were just inthe Walmart jars with, you know,
the two-part screw-on lid, butit's not the vibe that my
company looks like now, right,but I and I knew kind of what I
(11:10):
wanted it to look like, but Ijust didn't have those resources
available at that time and so Iwas like, well, I'm just going
to do with what I can.
And people bought it and peoplepaid the shipping and they
supported me and then theyshared it with their friends and
I, just as the seasonscontinued, the growing seasons,
(11:32):
I just kept adding on flavors,and every time I went out on a
flavor it would sell out, andit's just continued to be that
way.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
I bet you were just so shocked, but I love it that
you said you didn't have awebsite.
So, for everyone listening, youcan get started without a
website.
You don't have to delay this,you can put it out there.
You said that you put it outthere on your Facebook community
.
Did you mean like your Facebookpage?
Just your personal?
Speaker 3 (11:54):
Facebook page, just my friends.
Yeah, I probably.
I know that I tagged my husband.
I'm pretty sure I tagged mysister and my mom and my dad, my
sister and my mom and my dad, Ilove it so much.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
I mean just starting in that simple, raw form.
Y'all do you see how simplethis is?
Everyone, are you listening?
Like she said she kept itsimple.
She knows that's one of mylittle tag phrases there because
I believe in that.
Otherwise, if it's complicatedor you're trying to perfect it,
you would never get going.
Like I want everyone to thinkabout too.
If she had said I can't sell myjams until I have the most
(12:28):
amazing website and I have allthe shipping figured out, how
much longer would it have been.
Like she's doing it sointelligently here, starting out
and reaching out to her currentcommunity of friends and family
, because then she's got revenuecoming in and she's got kind of
proof of concept here of likeoh, people actually do want to
(12:48):
buy this and pay exorbitantshipping prices.
Like I'm sure you were justmind blown.
I'm picturing you sitting theregoing wait, what People I
really was.
I mean they can go buy jam atthe grocery store.
They can Right.
Like what do you think it was?
What do you think it was atthat time that was appealing for
people to buy?
Speaker 3 (13:08):
Okay, so I've thought about this and part of my
answer is that people knew me Imean, I was selling to my
friends and my family and sothey knew that it was good
because they'd had it gifted tothem.
Yes, that's true.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
Right right.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
Yeah, and so that I did have good.
What would you, what would youcall that?
Speaker 2 (13:30):
I'm missing the word.
The business term would besocial proof, but like a
reputation, people knew that itwas good.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
Exactly, I had that.
But I I feel like, uh, I reallywant my jam to bring connection
to people, like when they eatit and they're sitting around,
and I feel like that's kind ofthe vibe that I gave off when I
did share my jam, Like I wasreally excited about it and a
lot of times we did eat it withpeople.
It just I hope it created in myhead, it just created this warm
(14:01):
.
It wasn't like, yes, you can goget this off of.
You know, the shelf at WalmartFor one, the ingredients are
very different.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
But I think the story that went along with it, like
in those days we were pickingthe fruit ourselves a lot of
times and so it was Jamelhelping me when he could make it
, or my kids would help me pickthey couldn't help me make it
but it was just this warmfeeling of family and, I think,
connection, but definitely thefact that people had tried it
before.
I mean I'm telling you therewere so many soldiers that ate
(14:31):
jam and had it gifted and givento the people.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
So sweet, I love that so much so they wanted it, yes,
and it gives them like a senseof home as well too, like just
this warm, fuzzy feeling.
I think you get from the jamand that's just so wonderful.
So another point from that forpeople that are starting their
business is that you can giftthings for free to people for a
(14:55):
while to test it out and likeeither you just start and you
can discount it, or you can dolike what Ali did, where it kind
of stems from this passion,where you're gifting it to
people just because your heartand soul is in it, and then
you've already got the socialproof, so you feel more
confident when you're actuallyselling it.
Just like you said, you alreadyknew the smiles that it brought
on people's faces and that itwas good.
(15:16):
So you kind of had this, or youhad this confidence that it's
good and you know you wereexcited about it.
So everyone listening whenyou're out there talking about
your products or services, youneed to be enthusiastic and
excited about it, or peoplearen't going to be as excited.
So I love that as well.
(15:37):
I think that's awesome.
So you did that.
Now Is this about when you andI met?
I'm trying to remember how ourintersection happened About that
time because I think I had beenselling jam.
Speaker 3 (15:50):
I started in May of 2021.
And I think it was around theyear mark that I had been
selling it.
Because we were just, yeah,because we were deciding to get
out of active duty and I knewthat we were going to be moving.
And I wasn't sure and thismakes me laugh now because I was
(16:12):
just like, how is my little jambusiness going to survive
without my Army community?
But we moved and I met you, yes, and you were so encouraging in
all of the things that youtaught and I was like I've got
to join her group.
If I want this to keep goingand to continue to grow, I need
to join her group, and so I did,and and then and it, we moved.
(16:34):
We moved home to Arkansas,which was the best thing,
honestly, for Jamel Jams anyway,because, as an army family had,
we continued to move.
Every state has different lawswhen it comes to, like,
producing food in your home,which is what I started out
doing, and Arkansas is a veryfriendly state to make food out
(16:57):
of your kitchen.
We used to operate under thecottage law.
Now it's the Arkansas FoodFreedom Act.
Several states are starting toadopt that, and so that gave me
some more liberty to be able tosell and make things from my
home but also still sell in likeother stores, wholesale
partners, and I don't know Imight be jumping ahead of the
story.
I'm not in my kitchen anymoreat home, but yeah, I think I met
(17:21):
you around that time.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
Yeah, because I remember in the beginning, like
you had your jams, and then youwere like I want to get into
some kind of like I want to sayboutiques, but other specialty
stores where I could sell thejams, and you were like, oh my
gosh, how do I price this?
Like, what am I doing?
And we were working throughthat.
But that can be a scary timewhen you decide, hey, I can sell
to consumer, but you know what?
There's this opportunity tosell in bulk to stores and
(17:46):
that's a great avenue.
So what was that like for you?
Share that experience of likemaybe going into a store?
How did you approach the stores?
Like, what was your first stepto do that, to try to get in
there?
Speaker 3 (17:58):
Okay, this is my story is unique in that there is
not one wholesale business thatI have approached.
Okay, I guess the first one.
It was kind strategic on my end, but we did.
We didn't ask to be in.
The offer was made to us, soI'll try to make this a very
(18:20):
long story short.
So we moved to Arkansas and Irealized when we moved that we
were down the street from thislittle small bakery and I was
like there's a bakery, it'd befun to sell jams in the bakery.
Well, so one day I took my sonin and we bought some cookies
and when we were leaving thestore he was so excited he
started dancing, and so I got alittle video of him dancing and
(18:42):
I posted it.
I think I'd put it on JamelJam's Facebook page, but I
tagged the bakery so they likedit and, like, a couple of days
later my husband went in on aSaturday morning to buy some
cinnamon rolls and my husbandcan talk to any and everybody
and somehow he started talkingto the bakery owner and he was
(19:04):
like yeah, my son was in herewith my wife and he was so
excited he was dancing and theywere like it's yours.
And then my husband startedtalking about jams and how we
make jams and our process ofmaking them, and they were.
They had some jams and jelliesthat they weren't selling at
that point but they were usingthem in their products and that
(19:25):
company was using like Kool-Aidand different things like that
to get the colorings of theirfor their product.
And so my husband was like yeah,you don't have to use
artificial things to getcolorings, and just started
chit-chatting and they were likewe'd really like to talk more
with y'all and that's whatopened the door and so we
started selling to them.
(19:46):
And then we started selling toa boutique next door.
It was actually Mars Mercantile.
They opened right next door tothis bakery and we got connected
with them and they invited usin and every business that we
are in now there's just beensome kind of community
connection.
I went to a pretzel makingclass and the lady that was
(20:09):
teaching that pretzel makingclass was gonna be opening a
sourdough bakery and we becamefriends and she was like I would
love to sell your jams there.
And then, like everything hashappened through relationship or
through one of my customerssaying, hey, you should sell her
jams.
Speaker 2 (20:28):
So yeah, so crazy.
And when you said sourdough too, I'm just reminded of this like
massive trend of the sourdoughbread and making.
I'm like what just happened,like bread was completely
demonized a few years ago andcompletely like do not touch any
bread and now sourdough.
(20:48):
I even said something to my16-year-old daughter about
sourdough.
She goes I was like what is the?
What's going on?
I mean I love sourdough, butwhat's happening?
She's like mom, it's gutfriendly and she was like going
through all the things and I waslike even the teenagers are in
on the sourdough bread.
Speaker 3 (21:04):
It's good for you.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
Yes, and what a perfect timing, a perfect
pairing, to have your jams and Ijust think that's so cool.
So you get in those firststores and I'm sure you're like
what just happened?
Like I am now selling intostores and then now you sell
more in bulk.
Is that right?
Are you expected to be bringingin a certain amount of jars, or
(21:25):
what is the expectations thatthe stores have with you?
Like how does that work?
Speaker 3 (21:34):
So right now my stores will just order.
So I have two different ways.
Actually, I'm going to back upjust a little bit, because you
were asking how thoseconnections happened and this is
a very important one.
So in 22 to no 23, I was ableto join a course for food-based
businesses in Northwest Arkansas.
It's called Curate and theyhelp mentor small business
(22:00):
owners in beverage and food tohelp them grow, with the goal of
getting them, you know, moreexposure to our wholesale
partnerships and all that kindof stuff.
And so I was able to join thatgroup and learn just so much.
Well, at the end of that I thinkit was a nine-week course we
had a capstone project and thatcapstone project we collaborated
(22:25):
with another business andpresented a meal at a food
festival.
But we also had a pitch that wecreated a video and a panel of
judges scored that, reviewedthat, and then at the festival
we were all asked questions thatwe had to answer.
Well, I won that pitch.
It was awesome and it was socool.
(22:45):
I won $5,000 for Jamel Jams.
It was exciting.
But my goal of doing that wasnot, honestly, to win, I just
wanted to go and learn all thatI could about what was happening
in the food industry inNorthwest Arkansas and who I
could collaborate with and who Icould partner with, and that
made a huge difference for me,for my knowledge, but also it
(23:08):
connected me to some businessesthat I was able to put my jam in
, and so I just want toencourage people, even if you
feel like your business is sosmall and so tiny and you feel
somewhat intimidated.
If there is an opportunity foryou to go learn somewhere, go do
it, because it gives you evenmore confidence, but it also
gives you credibility in yourspace within the community and
(23:31):
just kind of sets you apart ifyour goal is to continue to grow
, and that doing that programdid.
I got several wholesalepartnerships that way okay so.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
I see how this all comes together.
I'm so glad you shared that,because that's an important
piece of your story is iswinning that getting recognized,
getting the clout among yourcommunity, the respect and your
name's out there, and that's amassive win.
So, yes, so people gettingconnected in your community and
within your industry.
(24:03):
So I think that's key and supergood advice for everyone.
Listening, if you've got alocal business, I mean even if
you're online too, butespecially and I know that
there's so much regulation thatI don't know about that has to
do with the food industry andI'm sure you've learned so much,
but that's key.
That's key for your businessunderstanding that.
So now your name is getting outthere and then people are
(24:25):
reaching out to you.
What a relief that you don'thave to go knocking on doors and
trying to, you know, convincepeople to buy your jams, that
they're reaching out to youbecause of your exposure in the
community.
So you start doing that andthen, based on what I had asked
earlier, just so people know,like, how does it work with?
You know, selling wholesale?
Speaker 3 (24:46):
Yeah, so through the Curate program that I am, we
have a profile, communityprofile there that businesses
can order through, and so theysubmit.
I keep an ongoing like what youhave available, and so I have
companies that will orderthrough there, like Tyson Foods
for their employee kitchenWalmart.
Yeah, I know.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
What Did they reach out to you?
Speaker 3 (25:07):
That's what I said when I first saw it.
Walmart is headquarters inBentonville I don't live far
from there and they just openedup their new campus and so I'm
selling there in their what.
Yeah, in their employee likefood court, and they've used us
in some of their like smoothiesand different things like that,
their shakes, like it's so muchfun.
(25:29):
So they submit their ordersthat way Some of my larger
wholesale partnerships and then,like my smaller stores, they
will just send me an email andsay this is what we would like
to order.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
Okay, okay, so just ask, needed, and then you
fulfill that.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
Yes, and I I like to set my order requirements like
in cases of six.
So I have a couple of likelittle, very small businesses
that you know I'll make room forbut that I try to do it in in
those increments just so it'seasier.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
Yes, so wait.
So how did you get into Tysonand Walmart?
How did that happen?
Speaker 3 (26:05):
That was all curate because they yeah, they curate
as a program, they haverelationships, you know, with
these larger, with thesebusinesses and these companies,
and so that's how they areconnecting small, small
businesses to these largercompanies and helping us grow
Wow.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
And empower.
Yes, oh, my goodness.
Okay, so now you get intoWalmart and Tyson's.
This is crazy.
And then what's next after that?
Are you still making them outof your home?
Speaker 3 (26:40):
No, I am not making them out of my home anymore.
There's no way.
I think my family was, theywere.
We were all getting sick of jamin this kitchen.
Let me tell you, we closed downour kitchen a whole lot because
the mama was making jam.
No, everybody gets out.
You can have a sandwich or youcan have takeout, like that's.
(27:01):
It was sad, but I was only ableto make six jars at a time,
pretty much for nine ounce jars,like every batch would make,
like six jars at a time.
Speaker 2 (27:11):
Wow, so it was exhausting.
Speaker 3 (27:13):
And so, thankfully again, I live in Arkansas and
the U of A is here and they haveArkansas Food Innovation Center
.
It's a commercial kitchen wheremany small food businesses
start their food operations outof, and so it's a commercial
kitchen that I can go in andrent the space and instead of
(27:34):
making six jars at a time rightnow I'm up to about 45 jars at a
time in the kettle that I'm in.
I will, and that's just becausethat's just that's just where
I'm starting Like, this kettlecan make, I think, 120 at a time
, and then the next kettle willmake a couple hundred at a time,
and then beyond that there's,like one that I don't even know
how many I made, probably like athousand or something, right,
(27:56):
and so, yeah, there's lots ofroom to grow.
I'm in this kitchen and it hasgiven me a little bit of life
back.
It's very exciting.
Speaker 2 (28:02):
I mean, I can't believe it.
So you get in the commercialkitchen other businesses.
So do you like you rent it atcertain times of the day or the
week or do you have to scheduleit?
You have to schedule it, yeah,we schedule it, okay.
And then you go and like whatare some of the other things
that?
Have you seen others cooking inthere?
Yes, yes, there's some goodstuff.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
So well, man, we have .
There's like vegan nuggets, ohyeah, protein bars, cookies, all
kinds of different condimentsand sauces like I'm doing
margarita mixes literallyanything that you can think of.
Speaker 2 (28:41):
That is so fun, because you're surrounded by
these people that are like you,that have the passion for
something that they're creatingand they put a lot of heart and
soul into that.
I know, oh my gosh, that's socool.
So you have the commercialkitchen now.
So now you can get it out ofyour house.
Speaker 3 (28:59):
You actually feel like your home is your home and
it's not a commercial kitchen.
Yes, I feel like, becauseusually I'm there on Mondays, I
do need to add another daybecause business is continuing
to pick up, which is great.
But I'm like, okay, now I needto add another day to this
commercial kitchen, but it isvery nice, because now I feel
like jam is my joy again,because it was starting to get a
little heavy.
Yeah, I'm glad you said thatPeople need to know that happens
(29:22):
.
Yes, which is good.
I mean, it was turning into abusiness, you know, and I needed
to scale and I needed to moveup to the next level, or else I
wouldn't have been able tosustain what I was doing, or I
just would have had to stopright there and I wouldn't have
been able to expand anymore,right?
And so now it is nice to kindof like go to work and then come
back home and I feel like mycreative juices are kind of
(29:44):
flowing again, because Jam is atthe kitchen and at home again.
Yes, it's home again.
Speaker 2 (29:52):
Yes, it's home again.
Yes, you got the separation ofthe two, and I totally get that,
because when I had my onlineboutiques, I had so much
inventory in my house of bagsand nap mats and all that where
it's like, oh my gosh, we haveto get this separated.
So I get that feeling very much.
So, okay, so now you have yourcommercial kitchen.
(30:19):
Your business is growing, yourrevenue streams are direct to
consumer on your Shopify website, then you have wholesale to the
little stores and then also toWalmart and Tyson and places
like that.
Where do you see it growingfrom there?
Speaker 3 (30:30):
Oh, my goodness, kimberly.
I don't know, but I do knowthat I think my next step is
that, for a couple of my flavorsat least, I honestly feel like
I need a co-packer.
Right and share what a co-packerdoes for people who don't know,
yeah, so that's someone thatwill make your product for you,
like you can give them yourrecipe and they're able to do it
(30:52):
in larger quantities.
And I feel like I need to dothat because there are a couple
of flavors, like our blueberry,champagne and pink pineapple and
cinnamon peach that I justcannot.
Yeah, it is I can't keep, andso I feel like that feels a
little bit scary, yeah, but Ihave.
I think I have a very trustedsource.
(31:13):
Oh, that's good.
Speaker 2 (31:15):
Yeah, because that's what like came to mind right
when you said that All I couldthink about was protecting your
recipe.
Yeah, and you know, and for allthe people that use Copackers,
how does that work within that?
Just because I don't knowanything about that type of
industry, how is it protected?
Are there like legal documentsthat basically you do?
Speaker 3 (31:34):
sign a non-disclosure agreement.
So they'll sign one.
So they're not, you know, ableto share my recipe.
Yeah, and like, because youhave I can't remember I think
it's called white labeled, likethat is a way that, like I had a
boutique and I wanted to selljam, I could go buy this jam and
(31:55):
I could put my label on it.
Really, it could be the samerecipe that other stores?
had, but I don't want my jam tobe able to be used Like.
I want my jam to only be Jameljams, and so they will sign a
nondisclosure for me.
They can't use it for anybodyelse.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
Yeah, I remember seeing something one time about
Coca-Cola and the recipe was soprotected by their.
So protected because people cankind of try to figure out the
ingredients, but it's like theproportion and how they I don't
know.
I don't know anything aboutthat, but I was like whoa, you
do have to protect it becauseother people could use it, but
that's amazing.
So getting a co-packer could beyour next step.
(32:51):
You have a trusted source, youhave a trusted source, and then
that would mean what for you?
You would have more produced sothat you could sell more to
more businesses, or what do youthink?
Speaker 3 (33:02):
Yeah, more businesses , and it would just free me up
from having to be in the kitchenall the time.
Oh, because you're yeah, becauseI'm making it, and then that
would allow me to go to morestores, if I want to, you know,
and offer Jamel Gems.
You know, make partnerships.
Just do the things that only Ican do and, again, give me that
(33:22):
creative space.
Right now I'm doing all thelike, you know, sourcing the
fruit and making the jam, andremembering to order the jars
and sending invoices andshipping and delivering.
You know all of those things,and so it's a lot, and I do have
help in the kitchen, but itwould just give me some more,
some more room.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
Yes, yes, that's awesome.
Well, I know you had mentionedbefore that you may be starting
to teach a jam class.
Is that right?
Tell us more.
Tell us more.
We need to know.
Speaker 3 (33:50):
So in June and I'm sharing because they shared it
already, so in June Mars on Mainis a store here in Bentonville,
arkansas, and it's owned byHGTV personalities, dave and
Jenny Mars, and they have justbeen amazing partners for Jamel
Jams and selling our productsand I've been invited to come
(34:13):
teach a jam class or to go teacha jam class and so, yeah, so
fun.
In June we are going to makesome blueberry jam and, yeah,
see if we can get other peopleto spread some joy and jam.
Speaker 2 (34:25):
Yes, and empower them .
It makes me think of Annalisain Grow Getters as well, where
she was making candles.
She has her candle line thatempowers women and they're
really cool.
I actually have one of herhandles back here somewhere,
anyways, and I've seen now she'sdoing that Like she has a store
where she's selling her candlesbut she's teaching candle
making classes fun for eventsand parties.
So everyone out there who makessomething, even though you have
(34:47):
something that's proprietary andthat's yours, it's really cool
to empower others and to teachothers.
It's such a fun way to getpeople together.
Everyone's so sick of being onsocial media and doing all these
things, and now you can bringcommunity together by hosting
these fun classes and giving joyto others, where they can
create too.
So I think that that is so cool.
(35:08):
So you'll be teaching that inJune at Mars on Main.
So that's awesome.
And then tell us, too, whatelse this business has enabled
for you.
I know you've been able todonate to nonprofits and stuff,
so if you'd share a little bitabout that, I think that's cool,
yeah.
Speaker 3 (35:24):
So one thing we say about Jamble Jam's products is
that our jars are giving jarsand we want to be able to
contribute to communityorganizations, and so we do that
throughout the year, and wedon't always like I don't always
talk about it, we just give.
But every now and then I liketo just check in and let people
know like hey, we're stillgiving and gifting.
(35:46):
And so one of the mostrewarding gifts that we were
able to do is sponsor a kitchenin a new home in our area called
Cradle of Hope, and it is ahome for teenage moms and their
babies and they can go and livethere while they're finishing
school, trying to get back ontheir feet.
(36:07):
And they just opened a coupleof months ago.
What month we're in May now?
I think they opened in April.
April was their grand openingand so we were able to give and
sponsor their kitchen, so theyhave all the things that they
need there, and that wasextremely, extremely, extremely
rewarding.
Speaker 2 (36:25):
I mean, that is so wonderful.
Speaker 3 (36:27):
Yeah, our mission is to spread joy and jam to the
world around us.
To spread joy to the worldaround us by creating flavorful
edible products with lanyardwhich means a little something
extra so that we ignite aculture of care, leaving people
better than we find them.
And so that is honestly what wewant to do is like I want
people to feel good when theyeat our jam, when they see it,
(36:48):
when they see the beautiful jars, when they share it with their
friends and family.
Obviously, we want it to tastegood, but we also want people to
know that when they purchasethe jam, it's still giving, like
we're sourcing from local farmsand gardens, we are selling in
our local community and thenwe're giving to our community.
So we just again, we want it tospread joy in every part of the
(37:10):
process.
Oh, amazing.
Speaker 2 (37:12):
I mean that's got to feel so good, like not only
being able to create the jamsbut create opportunities for
other people as well andempowering the teenage you know,
new moms and just everythingthat you're able to do with it.
It's just so inspiring.
And, allie, it's so impressivewhat you have done.
Like I was looking through allof this and you know we had
(37:33):
talked a little before thepodcast or you had sent me all
your stuff and I'm like this isso impressive.
I mean, from thinking aboutwhere you started just in the
beginning and this love for thejam, to where you are now being
able to help others and empowerothers in your in-stores and
your commercial kitchen, itsounds like you've done
everything right.
Like I literally feel that whenI look at this, like every
(37:54):
little step has just led to thenext one and you've been in
business now four years.
Four years and I think you saidwas it last year?
Was your most profitable yearyet?
Is that right?
Yes, it was.
Speaker 3 (38:07):
And that was amazing to sit down and look at at the
end of the year and be like, ohmy goodness, I can't believe
like this goal, because I set agoal at the beginning of the
year and I was like, yeah, I'mgonna reach it, yeah, yeah, and
we actually surpassed it and sothat was super exciting.
Speaker 2 (38:24):
I mean, who knew that you could turn?
I just don't think peoplebelieve it.
When they're starting abusiness over something that
they're just really passionateabout, they love, maybe they
don't think it's.
I just don't think peoplebelieve that.
And what do you think was thesource of your belief?
Like how, I don't know what wasit in you that was just like,
okay, I'm going to take the nextstep.
I'm going to take the next step, like, what was that to?
Speaker 3 (38:45):
start a business with jam and jelly, I was like it's
just jam, it's just jelly, butit was again what I had in my
hand to offer to people to tryto make a positive impact
somehow, and I always wanted togive like.
(39:07):
I wanted that to be part of themission, and so I think that
when something is a little bitbigger than yourself, it's easy.
It's not easy, but it's easierto keep going.
It's easier to maybe see whereit can go.
The dream is a little bitdifferent, because it's not just
about you, it wasn't just aboutme, it wasn't just like oh, I
(39:28):
just need to do this just forfun, I need something else to do
.
I didn't.
My goal wasn't necessarily tolike bring income into my
household.
It really was outward focused,and so that was my goal, that
was my dream, and I was likeokay, I can do this, I can make
this work.
I hope that answers thequestion.
Speaker 2 (39:44):
Yes, it is, and it, yeah, and you said it was such
ease.
But it's very important whatyou just said, and I think when
you approach a business orsomething like this that you
love, it has to be bigger thanyou Like it's for others.
I think a lot of times, newbusiness owners get wrapped up
in themselves I don't have thisgood enough.
It's not perfect yet.
I need to make it this mostamazing thing, and I think when
(40:07):
you focus on others instead ofyourself, it will slowly evolve.
You will start making progressand you can be smart about what
you're doing because you'redoing it to help them, and I
think that looks like it hasbeen the focus of your business
and just everything is just, youknow, evolved in the right
direction, and I just think it'sjust so inspiring and it's so
(40:30):
motivating for everyone who'slistening today that you can do
this.
Allie is a perfect example, justlike she said, like I didn't
know, like could you really dothis?
It's just jam.
And I want everyone to neversay it's just this.
Whatever it is right now thatmaybe you've already started
your business or you're thinkingabout starting, it's more than
just what it is.
It's something bigger.
(40:50):
You have to see it bigger,because when you do and you will
make that progress and then youcan actually impact a lot more
lives than you ever imagined.
So, allie, this has just beenamazing.
Is there any tips?
Anything you want to leavepeople with?
I mean, I think that was greatright there, but just anything
else you want to share before wego?
Speaker 3 (41:11):
Yeah, okay, so I will speak just from who I am.
I'm a mom, and I started thisbusiness with little kids, like
babies were 15 months and threeyears old, so I did not have a
lot of time and I hit on itearlier.
But if you have something, ifyou're wanting to start
something, then I feel like whathelped me was that I did
something that I did know about.
(41:32):
I did something that I used,something that I was confident
about.
I did something that I used,something that I was confident
in, that I had some authority.
In Most of the time when I wasworking and making jam, it was
after they went to sleep and Ijust could kind of do it without
thinking about it.
I didn't have a lot of margin tolearn a new skill.
And so start with somethingthat you know, something that
you love, something that you'repassionate about, because again,
(41:54):
that will come out kind of likeyou already said, kimberly,
when you're sharing it withothers, you can just naturally
talk about it, but then alsojust start, because the same
amount of time is going to pass,like next year is going to be
here, and so you might as wellgo ahead and start this year
with whatever it is that you'rewanting to do, you know.
Speaker 2 (42:18):
Don't be your own roadblock.
Speaker 3 (42:19):
Mm yeah, I know a lot of new.
Oh yeah, go ahead.
No, no, well, and then just onemore thing.
I think it's so awesome as amom you never know what your
kids are going to pick up andlearn from you.
Like, my mom was doing this asa hobby.
She was a nurse.
She had a whole career mysister's actually.
She's a physician and she gother love of medicine from my mom
.
She didn't get any of the loveof medicine.
Like.
I don't want anything to do withblood, anything like that, but
(42:44):
I did pick up her love of beingin the kitchen and we sometimes
just like mom, can you believethat you learned how to make jam
and jelly and now it is like aprofitable business for me, like
that's getting to bless andreward other people, and so I
would.
Just that's just another littlething.
Like you never know, moms, whatyour kids are learning from you
, and so do the hard work, butalso do that thing that you
enjoy, like do that thing thatbrings you rest and that hobby,
(43:09):
because you don't know what yourkids are going to learn from
you and what they're going topick up and turn into something
that will bless them and others.
Speaker 2 (43:16):
It's so true, like following your own passion can
inspire those around you andespecially as a mom, your
children.
It's something that will youknow they could tell it makes
you happy, so in turn, itcreates good memories for them
and you just never know whatthat could turn into, plus just
showing that you can go forsomething.
I you just never know what thatcould turn into, plus just
showing that you can go forsomething.
(43:37):
I think it's cool that your momhad that career but she like
pursued, she allowed that timefor herself to pursue something
cool and teach us something atthe same time, when you were
little.
And now you're passing that onand you're showing your children
, wow, if mom can do this, momscan go for it.
It's not just you know, they'renot just doing one thing,
they're able to have a businessand help the community, and I
(43:57):
just think it's such a shiningexample of how we all can be,
and I just applaud you, allie.
I think this is so wonderfuland I'm so honored to know you
and I'm so proud of you for allyour hard work and I just thank
you for sharing your story witheveryone.
I think it's very inspiring.
Thank you, kimberly.
Speaker 3 (44:15):
Thank you for encouraging your story with
everyone.
I think it's very inspiring.
Thank you, kimberly.
Thank you for encouraging us,because I think there are
probably many businesses thatjust wouldn't have had that push
to keep going and, again, do itsimple without you so thank you
so much.
You have impacted Jamel Jamesfor sure.
Speaker 2 (44:32):
Oh, that's so sweet.
Well, thank you for that.
Well, thank you for being onhere, and we will talk soon.
Speaker 4 (44:39):
Now this episode may be over, but our relationship
does not have to end here.
Head on over toKimberlyBrockcom and, yes, you
can get more valuableinformation for your journey and
you know what.
You don't need to go throughthis alone.
I would love to help you.
Thank you so much and have agreat day.
(45:01):
Bye.
Well, hello.
This is Kimberly Brock, and forover 20 years I've been running
my own businesses that have notonly been profitable but
personally fulfilling to me.
So now I'm on a mission to helpother new business owners, just
like you, make money doing whatyou love to.
Now we're gonna have some fun,so let's get started.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Now we're going to have some fun, so let's get
started.
Well, hello everyone.
This is Kimberly.
It's episode 294, and I'm soglad that you are here today
because I have a very specialguest on the show.
Her name is Allie Jones.
She's owner of Jamel Jams outof Arkansas.
Y'all have to hear this wholeepisode.
Allie's story is so encouraging.
You know why?
Because it's proof that you cantake something that you know
(00:47):
and love, something that reallyfills your soul, and turn it
into a business.
Allie's story today talks abouthow she was making jam as a
child with her mom and now has afull-time business with it.
Y'all she's doing amazing.
She not only sells the jams toconsumers, but has been featured
in stores and she's lookingeven to get a co-packer soon so
(01:10):
she can expand her business.
You'll get to hear all about it.
She is so inspirational.
She tells it like it is and youare going to learn from her.
Let me share, too, that downbelow in the show notes is all
the information about Jamel Jams.
So you're going to want tofollow her on Instagram and and
go to her website, maybe evenget on her email list and all
that good stuff, because youdon't want to miss a beat about
(01:33):
how she's built her company,y'all.
It's just so amazing.
Allie and I met a few years agoI think it was right after COVID
when she was like Maybe Ishould start this business, and
she got in GrowGetters and I wasable to work with her, and
that's why I had to feature heron the show, because you have to
see proof, like Allie, thatthis can happen for you too.
(01:54):
In just a few short years, youcan build a thriving business,
even out of something that youmay not even think could be a
full-on business.
Her jams are proof that she iswell-loved in her community, and
what I think is really keyabout her business is that she's
been able to give back andspread joy through her jams.
(02:14):
You get to hear all about it.
Make sure you listen all theway through, because she really,
even at the end, gives us sometips of wisdom that I know will
help you along your journey.
If you're new here, welcome.
I'm so glad that you found thispodcast, because this episode
is just an example of what canhappen for you If you're in the
middle of starting a business.
Maybe it's a coaching business,maybe it's a service business,
(02:34):
maybe it's even just an onlinebusiness somehow, or a local
business like Allie's?
Make sure you scroll down inthe show notes now, because I've
got all types of resources foryou, ok, everything from your
idea stage just starting togrowing and even how to get your
podcast rolling if you want togrow online.
So check out everything downbelow.
There's resources for you thatyou don't want to miss out on,
(02:57):
and I'm just so glad you're heretoday to hear this episode.
Thank you to all my loyallisteners.
Y'all are awesome and wonderful, and Allie, thanks for being on
the show.
I'm so excited that I get toshare you with the world.
So that's it On to the episode.
Well, allie, I am so excited tohave you on the show.
(03:18):
I have been wanting to shareyou with everyone for a while
now.
Your story is amazing, and I'mjust so honored that you agreed
to be on the show.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
Well, thank you for asking.
I'm excited to be here.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
I'm so excited to hear about your jams and I
shared with everyone in theintro about your business and
what's going on and why you'rehere, and I can't wait for you
to share your story because Ithink your story is so relatable
to especially women out thereand I'm just so excited for you
to kick this off.
So tell us from the beginninghow this all started.
(03:55):
And we also have to hear howyou got your name, because
everyone needs to know how wegot Jamble Jams.
So I got to hear all thestories, so tell us from the
beginning how this all started.
Okay.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Well, it did start like a long time ago, almost at
the very beginning of my life,because I am 36, and this
started when I was six.
My mom loved making jams andjellies.
She was a nurse and so when shefirst started learning to make
jams and jellies, she was anassistant nurse manager at the
VA hospital and her nursemanager wanted to make gifts for
(04:28):
their staff one year.
And so she's like I've got lotsof.
I know how to make jam andjelly.
Come over to my house and I'llteach you and we can make some
together.
And so my mom, my older sisterand I went to Ms Jan's house and
we made, I think, plum jellyand mescadine jelly, and after
making it, we were hooked.
My mom loved it, I loved it,and so my mom made jam every
(04:50):
year.
Usually it was strawberry jam,and she would take my sister and
I to go pick the strawberriesand we would make jam and
usually we would freeze it andsave it and give it as Christmas
gifts.
Well, when I got married, Ijust continued on with it.
I loved the kitchen.
It was just like my place ofrelaxation, my place of joy.
It's just my place of.
I think.
How I could.
I feel like I could take careof people through food, and so I
(05:12):
got married.
Jamel was an active dutyinfantry officer and we moved
around the country.
And as we moved around thecountry I would test different
fruits from different areas.
So, like, of course, georgia,the peaches, north Carolina grew
great strawberries.
(05:32):
I love the cherries in Kansas,so I just would try the
different fruit and make jam andshare it with my friends and
then, as Jamel was a platoonleader and then a company
commander, I would gift the jamsto our volunteers and that's
just kind of how it kept going.
I mean, I was just giving itout of love and to say thank you
to people.
And I remember when we had ourdaughter her name is Madeline
(05:54):
and I thought, wow, I love jam,and our initial spelled jam.
How cute is that?
Jamel, allie and Madeline.
And then, in 2020, we had ourson Langston, and I was just
playing with, I guess, the GMbusiness idea in my head,
because what else was everybodydoing in 2020?
We were all stuck at homecoming up with businesses, and I
(06:15):
realized that our name spelledJamel, which is almost my
husband's first name minus the E, and I was like that's a
perfect name for our business.
Well, it wasn't a business.
It.
That's a perfect name for ourbusiness.
Well, it wasn't a business, itwas just the perfect name for
our gym.
I just wanted to brand it as Igifted it to people, and so
that's how we became Jamble Jams.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
I mean, it's just so crazy.
I just love that you had apassion for this and that you
were giving it to people fromyour heart.
Like I have a friend that doesthis, one of my daughter's best
friends.
Her mom's always baking anddoing stuff and I'm like you
know what?
I'm going to back you wheneveryou open your bakery.
She just puts it out of herheart.
But we're getting macaroons andall this stuff.
She makes amazing food and I'mjust like, oh, my gosh, that's
(06:58):
amazing.
So so I get that, and how goodit must feel to just like I want
to create something for otherpeople and the volunteers.
I love how you were doing that,so I think it's awesome.
And then you went on to like,okay, we need like a little name
for this sort of a little brand, even though it wasn't like a
business yet.
So you said it was 2020, youwere home doing all this.
(07:19):
How did it then like, like whatwas that moment or where's?
What was it that turned it into?
Speaker 3 (07:25):
like oh, maybe I could actually make a business
out of this yeah, so at the endof 2020 we moved from Kansas to
to Georgia okay my husband hisnext assignment.
He was just busy, he was gone alot right, and so I was home a
lot right with kids, with kids alot, and I and also our part of
(07:47):
our community, or he was withthe Rangers, and so everybody
was gone a lot.
And so I wanted to do somethingthat would make other people
smile, like our, you know, ourarmy community lived on post,
and so I was like, hey, I canstart making jam.
And I also felt like I wantedto do something outside of my
mom and wife roles and somethingthat I just felt like I kind of
(08:12):
was using my brain in adifferent way, right, but also
blessing other people in thesame time.
And so I was like, well, whatcan I do?
I didn't have time to learn anew skill.
Being home was very, veryimportant to me, and so I
thought, well, what do I have inmy hand?
And jam was what I had in myhand.
I was very comfortable with it.
(08:33):
I had a lot of confidence in it.
I feel like I had, you know,some authority in it a little
bit.
You know, I knew enough to makeit and tell people the
difference between jam and jelly, because that's the question
that everybody always asks andtell people the difference
between jam and jelly, becausethat's the question that
everybody always asks.
So that's just what I chose todo and I was like, okay, I can
do this.
I joined a small like women'sbusiness group and found some
encouragement there, and thecoach there was like, take $250
(08:58):
and open your business and sellit and get that 250 back.
And so I was like, okay, I cando this.
And so I started on a Mother'sDay weekend selling my jam.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
I mean, it's just so crazy, and I love what you said
and I have to repeat this foreverybody that's maybe in the
idea stage.
You want to have something allyour own, you want a creative
outlet, you want to impactpeople's lives in some way,
bring joy or whatever it is.
I love what you said what do Ihave in my hands?
And I want people to thinkabout that right now.
All of you listening, like ifyou've been thinking like I
(09:32):
could have a business, but do Ihave time to go back to school
or get certified or do whatever?
Is there something that I havein my hand?
Is there something before me?
Is there something that peoplehave already been telling me or
asking me about and getting myadvice on, or that I'm already
good at?
That's what you could turn intoa business.
So I love that and I wanteveryone to remember that.
What do I have in my hand?
(09:52):
Because I think that's supercrucial.
So you did that.
You said what do I have in myhand?
Then you joined a business.
Was this a local business groupor an online business group?
Speaker 3 (10:02):
It was.
It was online, it was ChristyWright's business boutique group
, so I started it and I didn'thave a website at all.
I was like, okay, I'm justgoing to do this, as you like to
say, kimberly.
I wanted to keep it simple, andso I just let my Facebook
community know that I was goingto start selling my jams, and I
(10:24):
gave everyone a week's notice.
And the next week I came backand I had two offerings.
I had strawberry jam anddandelion jelly and I sold out
and I was very surprised.
I couldn't believe it.
But what surprised me even moreis that I didn't just have
local friends purchasing.
I had people in differentstates purchasing and paying the
(10:47):
shipping because I didn't haveshipping set up.
I was going to the post officeusing their beautiful boxes to
ship with my jams were just inthe Walmart jars with, you know,
the two-part screw-on lid, butit's not the vibe that my
company looks like now, right,but I and I knew kind of what I
(11:10):
wanted it to look like, but Ijust didn't have those resources
available at that time and so Iwas like, well, I'm just going
to do with what I can.
And people bought it and peoplepaid the shipping and they
supported me and then theyshared it with their friends and
I, just as the seasonscontinued, the growing seasons,
(11:32):
I just kept adding on flavors,and every time I went out on a
flavor it would sell out, andit's just continued to be that
way.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
I bet you were just so shocked, but I love it that
you said you didn't have awebsite.
So, for everyone listening, youcan get started without a
website.
You don't have to delay this,you can put it out there.
You said that you put it outthere on your Facebook community
.
Did you mean like your Facebookpage?
Just your personal?
Speaker 3 (11:54):
Facebook page, just my friends.
Yeah, I probably.
I know that I tagged my husband.
I'm pretty sure I tagged mysister and my mom and my dad, my
sister and my mom and my dad, Ilove it so much.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
I mean just starting in that simple, raw form.
Y'all do you see how simplethis is?
Everyone, are you listening?
Like she said she kept itsimple.
She knows that's one of mylittle tag phrases there because
I believe in that.
Otherwise, if it's complicatedor you're trying to perfect it,
you would never get going.
Like I want everyone to thinkabout too.
If she had said I can't sell myjams until I have the most
(12:28):
amazing website and I have allthe shipping figured out, how
much longer would it have been.
Like she's doing it sointelligently here, starting out
and reaching out to her currentcommunity of friends and family
, because then she's got revenuecoming in and she's got kind of
proof of concept here of likeoh, people actually do want to
(12:48):
buy this and pay exorbitantshipping prices.
Like I'm sure you were justmind blown.
I'm picturing you sitting theregoing wait, what People I
really was.
I mean they can go buy jam atthe grocery store.
They can Right.
Like what do you think it was?
What do you think it was atthat time that was appealing for
people to buy?
Speaker 3 (13:08):
Okay, so I've thought about this and part of my
answer is that people knew me Imean, I was selling to my
friends and my family and sothey knew that it was good
because they'd had it gifted tothem.
Yes, that's true.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
Right right.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
Yeah, and so that I did have good.
What would you, what would youcall that?
Speaker 2 (13:30):
I'm missing the word.
The business term would besocial proof, but like a
reputation, people knew that itwas good.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
Exactly, I had that.
But I I feel like, uh, I reallywant my jam to bring connection
to people, like when they eatit and they're sitting around,
and I feel like that's kind ofthe vibe that I gave off when I
did share my jam, Like I wasreally excited about it and a
lot of times we did eat it withpeople.
It just I hope it created in myhead, it just created this warm
(14:01):
.
It wasn't like, yes, you can goget this off of.
You know, the shelf at WalmartFor one, the ingredients are
very different.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
But I think the story that went along with it, like
in those days we were pickingthe fruit ourselves a lot of
times and so it was Jamelhelping me when he could make it
, or my kids would help me pickthey couldn't help me make it
but it was just this warmfeeling of family and, I think,
connection, but definitely thefact that people had tried it
before.
I mean I'm telling you therewere so many soldiers that ate
(14:31):
jam and had it gifted and givento the people.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
So sweet, I love that so much so they wanted it, yes,
and it gives them like a senseof home as well too, like just
this warm, fuzzy feeling.
I think you get from the jamand that's just so wonderful.
So another point from that forpeople that are starting their
business is that you can giftthings for free to people for a
(14:55):
while to test it out and likeeither you just start and you
can discount it, or you can dolike what Ali did, where it kind
of stems from this passion,where you're gifting it to
people just because your heartand soul is in it, and then
you've already got the socialproof, so you feel more
confident when you're actuallyselling it.
Just like you said, you alreadyknew the smiles that it brought
on people's faces and that itwas good.
(15:16):
So you kind of had this, or youhad this confidence that it's
good and you know you wereexcited about it.
So everyone listening whenyou're out there talking about
your products or services, youneed to be enthusiastic and
excited about it, or peoplearen't going to be as excited.
So I love that as well.
(15:37):
I think that's awesome.
So you did that.
Now Is this about when you andI met?
I'm trying to remember how ourintersection happened About that
time because I think I had beenselling jam.
Speaker 3 (15:50):
I started in May of 2021.
And I think it was around theyear mark that I had been
selling it.
Because we were just, yeah,because we were deciding to get
out of active duty and I knewthat we were going to be moving.
And I wasn't sure and thismakes me laugh now because I was
(16:12):
just like, how is my little jambusiness going to survive
without my Army community?
But we moved and I met you, yes, and you were so encouraging in
all of the things that youtaught and I was like I've got
to join her group.
If I want this to keep goingand to continue to grow, I need
to join her group, and so I did,and and then and it, we moved.
(16:34):
We moved home to Arkansas,which was the best thing,
honestly, for Jamel Jams anyway,because, as an army family had,
we continued to move.
Every state has different lawswhen it comes to, like,
producing food in your home,which is what I started out
doing, and Arkansas is a veryfriendly state to make food out
(16:57):
of your kitchen.
We used to operate under thecottage law.
Now it's the Arkansas FoodFreedom Act.
Several states are starting toadopt that, and so that gave me
some more liberty to be able tosell and make things from my
home but also still sell in likeother stores, wholesale
partners, and I don't know Imight be jumping ahead of the
story.
I'm not in my kitchen anymoreat home, but yeah, I think I met
(17:21):
you around that time.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
Yeah, because I remember in the beginning, like
you had your jams, and then youwere like I want to get into
some kind of like I want to sayboutiques, but other specialty
stores where I could sell thejams, and you were like, oh my
gosh, how do I price this?
Like, what am I doing?
And we were working throughthat.
But that can be a scary timewhen you decide, hey, I can sell
to consumer, but you know what?
There's this opportunity tosell in bulk to stores and
(17:46):
that's a great avenue.
So what was that like for you?
Share that experience of likemaybe going into a store?
How did you approach the stores?
Like, what was your first stepto do that, to try to get in
there?
Speaker 3 (17:58):
Okay, this is my story is unique in that there is
not one wholesale business thatI have approached.
Okay, I guess the first one.
It was kind strategic on my end, but we did.
We didn't ask to be in.
The offer was made to us, soI'll try to make this a very
(18:20):
long story short.
So we moved to Arkansas and Irealized when we moved that we
were down the street from thislittle small bakery and I was
like there's a bakery, it'd befun to sell jams in the bakery.
Well, so one day I took my sonin and we bought some cookies
and when we were leaving thestore he was so excited he
started dancing, and so I got alittle video of him dancing and
(18:42):
I posted it.
I think I'd put it on JamelJam's Facebook page, but I
tagged the bakery so they likedit and, like, a couple of days
later my husband went in on aSaturday morning to buy some
cinnamon rolls and my husbandcan talk to any and everybody
and somehow he started talkingto the bakery owner and he was
(19:04):
like yeah, my son was in herewith my wife and he was so
excited he was dancing and theywere like it's yours.
And then my husband startedtalking about jams and how we
make jams and our process ofmaking them, and they were.
They had some jams and jelliesthat they weren't selling at
that point but they were usingthem in their products and that
(19:25):
company was using like Kool-Aidand different things like that
to get the colorings of theirfor their product.
And so my husband was like yeah,you don't have to use
artificial things to getcolorings, and just started
chit-chatting and they were likewe'd really like to talk more
with y'all and that's whatopened the door and so we
started selling to them.
(19:46):
And then we started selling toa boutique next door.
It was actually Mars Mercantile.
They opened right next door tothis bakery and we got connected
with them and they invited usin and every business that we
are in now there's just beensome kind of community
connection.
I went to a pretzel makingclass and the lady that was
(20:09):
teaching that pretzel makingclass was gonna be opening a
sourdough bakery and we becamefriends and she was like I would
love to sell your jams there.
And then, like everything hashappened through relationship or
through one of my customerssaying, hey, you should sell her
jams.
Speaker 2 (20:28):
So yeah, so crazy.
And when you said sourdough too, I'm just reminded of this like
massive trend of the sourdoughbread and making.
I'm like what just happened,like bread was completely
demonized a few years ago andcompletely like do not touch any
bread and now sourdough.
(20:48):
I even said something to my16-year-old daughter about
sourdough.
She goes I was like what is the?
What's going on?
I mean I love sourdough, butwhat's happening?
She's like mom, it's gutfriendly and she was like going
through all the things and I waslike even the teenagers are in
on the sourdough bread.
Speaker 3 (21:04):
It's good for you.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
Yes, and what a perfect timing, a perfect
pairing, to have your jams and Ijust think that's so cool.
So you get in those firststores and I'm sure you're like
what just happened?
Like I am now selling intostores and then now you sell
more in bulk.
Is that right?
Are you expected to be bringingin a certain amount of jars, or
(21:25):
what is the expectations thatthe stores have with you?
Like how does that work?
Speaker 3 (21:34):
So right now my stores will just order.
So I have two different ways.
Actually, I'm going to back upjust a little bit, because you
were asking how thoseconnections happened and this is
a very important one.
So in 22 to no 23, I was ableto join a course for food-based
businesses in Northwest Arkansas.
It's called Curate and theyhelp mentor small business
(22:00):
owners in beverage and food tohelp them grow, with the goal of
getting them, you know, moreexposure to our wholesale
partnerships and all that kindof stuff.
And so I was able to join thatgroup and learn just so much.
Well, at the end of that I thinkit was a nine-week course we
had a capstone project and thatcapstone project we collaborated
(22:25):
with another business andpresented a meal at a food
festival.
But we also had a pitch that wecreated a video and a panel of
judges scored that, reviewedthat, and then at the festival
we were all asked questions thatwe had to answer.
Well, I won that pitch.
It was awesome and it was socool.
(22:45):
I won $5,000 for Jamel Jams.
It was exciting.
But my goal of doing that wasnot, honestly, to win, I just
wanted to go and learn all thatI could about what was happening
in the food industry inNorthwest Arkansas and who I
could collaborate with and who Icould partner with, and that
made a huge difference for me,for my knowledge, but also it
(23:08):
connected me to some businessesthat I was able to put my jam in
, and so I just want toencourage people, even if you
feel like your business is sosmall and so tiny and you feel
somewhat intimidated.
If there is an opportunity foryou to go learn somewhere, go do
it, because it gives you evenmore confidence, but it also
gives you credibility in yourspace within the community and
(23:31):
just kind of sets you apart ifyour goal is to continue to grow
, and that doing that programdid.
I got several wholesalepartnerships that way okay so.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
I see how this all comes together.
I'm so glad you shared that,because that's an important
piece of your story is iswinning that getting recognized,
getting the clout among yourcommunity, the respect and your
name's out there, and that's amassive win.
So, yes, so people gettingconnected in your community and
within your industry.
(24:03):
So I think that's key and supergood advice for everyone.
Listening, if you've got alocal business, I mean even if
you're online too, butespecially and I know that
there's so much regulation thatI don't know about that has to
do with the food industry andI'm sure you've learned so much,
but that's key.
That's key for your businessunderstanding that.
So now your name is getting outthere and then people are
(24:25):
reaching out to you.
What a relief that you don'thave to go knocking on doors and
trying to, you know, convincepeople to buy your jams, that
they're reaching out to youbecause of your exposure in the
community.
So you start doing that andthen, based on what I had asked
earlier, just so people know,like, how does it work with?
You know, selling wholesale?
Speaker 3 (24:46):
Yeah, so through the Curate program that I am, we
have a profile, communityprofile there that businesses
can order through, and so theysubmit.
I keep an ongoing like what youhave available, and so I have
companies that will orderthrough there, like Tyson Foods
for their employee kitchenWalmart.
Yeah, I know.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
What Did they reach out to you?
Speaker 3 (25:07):
That's what I said when I first saw it.
Walmart is headquarters inBentonville I don't live far
from there and they just openedup their new campus and so I'm
selling there in their what.
Yeah, in their employee likefood court, and they've used us
in some of their like smoothiesand different things like that,
their shakes, like it's so muchfun.
(25:29):
So they submit their ordersthat way Some of my larger
wholesale partnerships and then,like my smaller stores, they
will just send me an email andsay this is what we would like
to order.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
Okay, okay, so just ask, needed, and then you
fulfill that.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
Yes, and I I like to set my order requirements like
in cases of six.
So I have a couple of likelittle, very small businesses
that you know I'll make room forbut that I try to do it in in
those increments just so it'seasier.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
Yes, so wait.
So how did you get into Tysonand Walmart?
How did that happen?
Speaker 3 (26:05):
That was all curate because they yeah, they curate
as a program, they haverelationships, you know, with
these larger, with thesebusinesses and these companies,
and so that's how they areconnecting small, small
businesses to these largercompanies and helping us grow
Wow.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
And empower.
Yes, oh, my goodness.
Okay, so now you get intoWalmart and Tyson's.
This is crazy.
And then what's next after that?
Are you still making them outof your home?
Speaker 3 (26:40):
No, I am not making them out of my home anymore.
There's no way.
I think my family was, theywere.
We were all getting sick of jamin this kitchen.
Let me tell you, we closed downour kitchen a whole lot because
the mama was making jam.
No, everybody gets out.
You can have a sandwich or youcan have takeout, like that's.
(27:01):
It was sad, but I was only ableto make six jars at a time,
pretty much for nine ounce jars,like every batch would make,
like six jars at a time.
Speaker 2 (27:11):
Wow, so it was exhausting.
Speaker 3 (27:13):
And so, thankfully again, I live in Arkansas and
the U of A is here and they haveArkansas Food Innovation Center
.
It's a commercial kitchen wheremany small food businesses
start their food operations outof, and so it's a commercial
kitchen that I can go in andrent the space and instead of
(27:34):
making six jars at a time rightnow I'm up to about 45 jars at a
time in the kettle that I'm in.
I will, and that's just becausethat's just that's just where
I'm starting Like, this kettlecan make, I think, 120 at a time
, and then the next kettle willmake a couple hundred at a time,
and then beyond that there's,like one that I don't even know
how many I made, probably like athousand or something, right,
(27:56):
and so, yeah, there's lots ofroom to grow.
I'm in this kitchen and it hasgiven me a little bit of life
back.
It's very exciting.
Speaker 2 (28:02):
I mean, I can't believe it.
So you get in the commercialkitchen other businesses.
So do you like you rent it atcertain times of the day or the
week or do you have to scheduleit?
You have to schedule it, yeah,we schedule it, okay.
And then you go and like whatare some of the other things
that?
Have you seen others cooking inthere?
Yes, yes, there's some goodstuff.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
So well, man, we have .
There's like vegan nuggets, ohyeah, protein bars, cookies, all
kinds of different condimentsand sauces like I'm doing
margarita mixes literallyanything that you can think of.
Speaker 2 (28:41):
That is so fun, because you're surrounded by
these people that are like you,that have the passion for
something that they're creatingand they put a lot of heart and
soul into that.
I know, oh my gosh, that's socool.
So you have the commercialkitchen now.
So now you can get it out ofyour house.
Speaker 3 (28:59):
You actually feel like your home is your home and
it's not a commercial kitchen.
Yes, I feel like, becauseusually I'm there on Mondays, I
do need to add another daybecause business is continuing
to pick up, which is great.
But I'm like, okay, now I needto add another day to this
commercial kitchen, but it isvery nice, because now I feel
like jam is my joy again,because it was starting to get a
little heavy.
Yeah, I'm glad you said thatPeople need to know that happens
(29:22):
.
Yes, which is good.
I mean, it was turning into abusiness, you know, and I needed
to scale and I needed to moveup to the next level, or else I
wouldn't have been able tosustain what I was doing, or I
just would have had to stopright there and I wouldn't have
been able to expand anymore,right?
And so now it is nice to kindof like go to work and then come
back home and I feel like mycreative juices are kind of
(29:44):
flowing again, because Jam is atthe kitchen and at home again.
Yes, it's home again.
Speaker 2 (29:52):
Yes, it's home again.
Yes, you got the separation ofthe two, and I totally get that,
because when I had my onlineboutiques, I had so much
inventory in my house of bagsand nap mats and all that where
it's like, oh my gosh, we haveto get this separated.
So I get that feeling very much.
So, okay, so now you have yourcommercial kitchen.
(30:19):
Your business is growing, yourrevenue streams are direct to
consumer on your Shopify website, then you have wholesale to the
little stores and then also toWalmart and Tyson and places
like that.
Where do you see it growingfrom there?
Speaker 3 (30:30):
Oh, my goodness, kimberly.
I don't know, but I do knowthat I think my next step is
that, for a couple of my flavorsat least, I honestly feel like
I need a co-packer.
Right and share what a co-packerdoes for people who don't know,
yeah, so that's someone thatwill make your product for you,
like you can give them yourrecipe and they're able to do it
(30:52):
in larger quantities.
And I feel like I need to dothat because there are a couple
of flavors, like our blueberry,champagne and pink pineapple and
cinnamon peach that I justcannot.
Yeah, it is I can't keep, andso I feel like that feels a
little bit scary, yeah, but Ihave.
I think I have a very trustedsource.
(31:13):
Oh, that's good.
Speaker 2 (31:15):
Yeah, because that's what like came to mind right
when you said that All I couldthink about was protecting your
recipe.
Yeah, and you know, and for allthe people that use Copackers,
how does that work within that?
Just because I don't knowanything about that type of
industry, how is it protected?
Are there like legal documentsthat basically you do?
Speaker 3 (31:34):
sign a non-disclosure agreement.
So they'll sign one.
So they're not, you know, ableto share my recipe.
Yeah, and like, because youhave I can't remember I think
it's called white labeled, likethat is a way that, like I had a
boutique and I wanted to selljam, I could go buy this jam and
(31:55):
I could put my label on it.
Really, it could be the samerecipe that other stores?
had, but I don't want my jam tobe able to be used Like.
I want my jam to only be Jameljams, and so they will sign a
nondisclosure for me.
They can't use it for anybodyelse.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
Yeah, I remember seeing something one time about
Coca-Cola and the recipe was soprotected by their.
So protected because people cankind of try to figure out the
ingredients, but it's like theproportion and how they I don't
know.
I don't know anything aboutthat, but I was like whoa, you
do have to protect it becauseother people could use it, but
that's amazing.
So getting a co-packer could beyour next step.
(32:51):
You have a trusted source, youhave a trusted source, and then
that would mean what for you?
You would have more produced sothat you could sell more to
more businesses, or what do youthink?
Speaker 3 (33:02):
Yeah, more businesses , and it would just free me up
from having to be in the kitchenall the time.
Oh, because you're yeah, becauseI'm making it, and then that
would allow me to go to morestores, if I want to, you know,
and offer Jamel Gems.
You know, make partnerships.
Just do the things that only Ican do and, again, give me that
(33:22):
creative space.
Right now I'm doing all thelike, you know, sourcing the
fruit and making the jam, andremembering to order the jars
and sending invoices andshipping and delivering.
You know all of those things,and so it's a lot, and I do have
help in the kitchen, but itwould just give me some more,
some more room.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
Yes, yes, that's awesome.
Well, I know you had mentionedbefore that you may be starting
to teach a jam class.
Is that right?
Tell us more.
Tell us more.
We need to know.
Speaker 3 (33:50):
So in June and I'm sharing because they shared it
already, so in June Mars on Mainis a store here in Bentonville,
arkansas, and it's owned byHGTV personalities, dave and
Jenny Mars, and they have justbeen amazing partners for Jamel
Jams and selling our productsand I've been invited to come
(34:13):
teach a jam class or to go teacha jam class and so, yeah, so
fun.
In June we are going to makesome blueberry jam and, yeah,
see if we can get other peopleto spread some joy and jam.
Speaker 2 (34:25):
Yes, and empower them .
It makes me think of Annalisain Grow Getters as well, where
she was making candles.
She has her candle line thatempowers women and they're
really cool.
I actually have one of herhandles back here somewhere,
anyways, and I've seen now she'sdoing that Like she has a store
where she's selling her candlesbut she's teaching candle
making classes fun for eventsand parties.
So everyone out there who makessomething, even though you have
(34:47):
something that's proprietary andthat's yours, it's really cool
to empower others and to teachothers.
It's such a fun way to getpeople together.
Everyone's so sick of being onsocial media and doing all these
things, and now you can bringcommunity together by hosting
these fun classes and giving joyto others, where they can
create too.
So I think that that is so cool.
(35:08):
So you'll be teaching that inJune at Mars on Main.
So that's awesome.
And then tell us, too, whatelse this business has enabled
for you.
I know you've been able todonate to nonprofits and stuff,
so if you'd share a little bitabout that, I think that's cool,
yeah.
Speaker 3 (35:24):
So one thing we say about Jamble Jam's products is
that our jars are giving jarsand we want to be able to
contribute to communityorganizations, and so we do that
throughout the year, and wedon't always like I don't always
talk about it, we just give.
But every now and then I liketo just check in and let people
know like hey, we're stillgiving and gifting.
(35:46):
And so one of the mostrewarding gifts that we were
able to do is sponsor a kitchenin a new home in our area called
Cradle of Hope, and it is ahome for teenage moms and their
babies and they can go and livethere while they're finishing
school, trying to get back ontheir feet.
(36:07):
And they just opened a coupleof months ago.
What month we're in May now?
I think they opened in April.
April was their grand openingand so we were able to give and
sponsor their kitchen, so theyhave all the things that they
need there, and that wasextremely, extremely, extremely
rewarding.
Speaker 2 (36:25):
I mean, that is so wonderful.
Speaker 3 (36:27):
Yeah, our mission is to spread joy and jam to the
world around us.
To spread joy to the worldaround us by creating flavorful
edible products with lanyardwhich means a little something
extra so that we ignite aculture of care, leaving people
better than we find them.
And so that is honestly what wewant to do is like I want
people to feel good when theyeat our jam, when they see it,
(36:48):
when they see the beautiful jars, when they share it with their
friends and family.
Obviously, we want it to tastegood, but we also want people to
know that when they purchasethe jam, it's still giving, like
we're sourcing from local farmsand gardens, we are selling in
our local community and thenwe're giving to our community.
So we just again, we want it tospread joy in every part of the
(37:10):
process.
Oh, amazing.
Speaker 2 (37:12):
I mean that's got to feel so good, like not only
being able to create the jamsbut create opportunities for
other people as well andempowering the teenage you know,
new moms and just everythingthat you're able to do with it.
It's just so inspiring.
And, allie, it's so impressivewhat you have done.
Like I was looking through allof this and you know we had
(37:33):
talked a little before thepodcast or you had sent me all
your stuff and I'm like this isso impressive.
I mean, from thinking aboutwhere you started just in the
beginning and this love for thejam, to where you are now being
able to help others and empowerothers in your in-stores and
your commercial kitchen, itsounds like you've done
everything right.
Like I literally feel that whenI look at this, like every
(37:54):
little step has just led to thenext one and you've been in
business now four years.
Four years and I think you saidwas it last year?
Was your most profitable yearyet?
Is that right?
Yes, it was.
Speaker 3 (38:07):
And that was amazing to sit down and look at at the
end of the year and be like, ohmy goodness, I can't believe
like this goal, because I set agoal at the beginning of the
year and I was like, yeah, I'mgonna reach it, yeah, yeah, and
we actually surpassed it and sothat was super exciting.
Speaker 2 (38:24):
I mean, who knew that you could turn?
I just don't think peoplebelieve it.
When they're starting abusiness over something that
they're just really passionateabout, they love, maybe they
don't think it's.
I just don't think peoplebelieve that.
And what do you think was thesource of your belief?
Like how, I don't know what wasit in you that was just like,
okay, I'm going to take the nextstep.
I'm going to take the next step, like, what was that to?
Speaker 3 (38:45):
start a business with jam and jelly, I was like it's
just jam, it's just jelly, butit was again what I had in my
hand to offer to people to tryto make a positive impact
somehow, and I always wanted togive like.
(39:07):
I wanted that to be part of themission, and so I think that
when something is a little bitbigger than yourself, it's easy.
It's not easy, but it's easierto keep going.
It's easier to maybe see whereit can go.
The dream is a little bitdifferent, because it's not just
about you, it wasn't just aboutme, it wasn't just like oh, I
(39:28):
just need to do this just forfun, I need something else to do
.
I didn't.
My goal wasn't necessarily tolike bring income into my
household.
It really was outward focused,and so that was my goal, that
was my dream, and I was likeokay, I can do this, I can make
this work.
I hope that answers thequestion.
Speaker 2 (39:44):
Yes, it is, and it, yeah, and you said it was such
ease.
But it's very important whatyou just said, and I think when
you approach a business orsomething like this that you
love, it has to be bigger thanyou Like it's for others.
I think a lot of times, newbusiness owners get wrapped up
in themselves I don't have thisgood enough.
It's not perfect yet.
I need to make it this mostamazing thing, and I think when
(40:07):
you focus on others instead ofyourself, it will slowly evolve.
You will start making progressand you can be smart about what
you're doing because you'redoing it to help them, and I
think that looks like it hasbeen the focus of your business
and just everything is just, youknow, evolved in the right
direction, and I just think it'sjust so inspiring and it's so
(40:30):
motivating for everyone who'slistening today that you can do
this.
Allie is a perfect example, justlike she said, like I didn't
know, like could you really dothis?
It's just jam.
And I want everyone to neversay it's just this.
Whatever it is right now thatmaybe you've already started
your business or you're thinkingabout starting, it's more than
just what it is.
It's something bigger.
(40:50):
You have to see it bigger,because when you do and you will
make that progress and then youcan actually impact a lot more
lives than you ever imagined.
So, allie, this has just beenamazing.
Is there any tips?
Anything you want to leavepeople with?
I mean, I think that was greatright there, but just anything
else you want to share before wego?
Speaker 3 (41:11):
Yeah, okay, so I will speak just from who I am.
I'm a mom, and I started thisbusiness with little kids, like
babies were 15 months and threeyears old, so I did not have a
lot of time and I hit on itearlier.
But if you have something, ifyou're wanting to start
something, then I feel like whathelped me was that I did
something that I did know about.
(41:32):
I did something that I used,something that I was confident
about.
I did something that I used,something that I was confident
in, that I had some authority.
In Most of the time when I wasworking and making jam, it was
after they went to sleep and Ijust could kind of do it without
thinking about it.
I didn't have a lot of margin tolearn a new skill.
And so start with somethingthat you know, something that
you love, something that you'repassionate about, because again,
(41:54):
that will come out kind of likeyou already said, kimberly,
when you're sharing it withothers, you can just naturally
talk about it, but then alsojust start, because the same
amount of time is going to pass,like next year is going to be
here, and so you might as wellgo ahead and start this year
with whatever it is that you'rewanting to do, you know.
Speaker 2 (42:18):
Don't be your own roadblock.
Speaker 3 (42:19):
Mm yeah, I know a lot of new.
Oh yeah, go ahead.
No, no, well, and then just onemore thing.
I think it's so awesome as amom you never know what your
kids are going to pick up andlearn from you.
Like, my mom was doing this asa hobby.
She was a nurse.
She had a whole career mysister's actually.
She's a physician and she gother love of medicine from my mom
.
She didn't get any of the loveof medicine.
Like.
I don't want anything to do withblood, anything like that, but
(42:44):
I did pick up her love of beingin the kitchen and we sometimes
just like mom, can you believethat you learned how to make jam
and jelly and now it is like aprofitable business for me, like
that's getting to bless andreward other people, and so I
would.
Just that's just another littlething.
Like you never know, moms, whatyour kids are learning from you
, and so do the hard work, butalso do that thing that you
enjoy, like do that thing thatbrings you rest and that hobby,
(43:09):
because you don't know what yourkids are going to learn from
you and what they're going topick up and turn into something
that will bless them and others.
Speaker 2 (43:16):
It's so true, like following your own passion can
inspire those around you andespecially as a mom, your
children.
It's something that will youknow they could tell it makes
you happy, so in turn, itcreates good memories for them
and you just never know whatthat could turn into, plus just
showing that you can go forsomething.
I you just never know what thatcould turn into, plus just
showing that you can go forsomething.
(43:37):
I think it's cool that your momhad that career but she like
pursued, she allowed that timefor herself to pursue something
cool and teach us something atthe same time, when you were
little.
And now you're passing that onand you're showing your children
, wow, if mom can do this, momscan go for it.
It's not just you know, they'renot just doing one thing,
they're able to have a businessand help the community, and I
(43:57):
just think it's such a shiningexample of how we all can be,
and I just applaud you, allie.
I think this is so wonderfuland I'm so honored to know you
and I'm so proud of you for allyour hard work and I just thank
you for sharing your story witheveryone.
I think it's very inspiring.
Thank you, kimberly.
Speaker 3 (44:15):
Thank you for encouraging your story with
everyone.
I think it's very inspiring.
Thank you, kimberly.
Thank you for encouraging us,because I think there are
probably many businesses thatjust wouldn't have had that push
to keep going and, again, do itsimple without you so thank you
so much.
You have impacted Jamel Jamesfor sure.
Speaker 2 (44:32):
Oh, that's so sweet.
Well, thank you for that.
Well, thank you for being onhere, and we will talk soon.
Speaker 4 (44:39):
Now this episode may be over, but our relationship
does not have to end here.
Head on over toKimberlyBrockcom and, yes, you
can get more valuableinformation for your journey and
you know what.
You don't need to go throughthis alone.
I would love to help you.
Thank you so much and have agreat day.
(45:01):
Bye.
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