IAM2416 – Young Baker Passionate about Baking and Make-up
Special Throwback Episode with Dominique
Dominique of Baked Beans Bakeries explains that her aunt started her cupcake business to raise money for her son, who has developmental challenges with his limbs. Over time, the company became a passion project for her aunt. She later expanded to a food truck, which she plans to set up this summer.
Dominique explains that she initially considered making her baking business a non-profit, but realized it would be complicated.
One cause she is passionate about is mental health, and she hopes to incorporate this into her business’s mission.
Dominique acknowledges that she’s still figuring out where she’s headed in life, but feels more confident now about where her interests and passions are taking her.
Dominique believes her maturity sets her apart from other preteens, as she wasn’t raised to be loud or overly open about everything in her life.
She emphasizes waiting for God’s calling and trusting that whatever path comes will be right, even if it’s something unexpected.
Instagram: bakedbeansbakery
Previous Episode: iam241-young-baker-passionate-about-baking-and-make-up
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Transcription:
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Dominique Teaser 00:00
Like I love baking still. I love makeup. So there's kind of a lot of things going through my mind. Like when I was younger, I wanted to be a doctor. I wanted to be a vet.
So now I think I kind of know where I want to be, which is like kind of putting the baking and the makeup into play in some some part of my life.
Intro 00:20
Are you ready to hear business stories and learn effective ways to build relationships, generate sales, and level up your business from awesome CEOs, entrepreneurs, and founders without listening to a long, long, long interview?
If so, you've come to the right place. Gresh values your time and is ready to share with you the valuable info you're in search of. This is the I AM CEO Podcast.
Gresham Harkless 00:46
Hello, hello, hello. This is Gresh from the I AM CEO Podcast. I have a very special guest on the show today.
I have Dominique of Baked Beans Bakeries. Dominique, it's awesome to have you on the show.
Dominique 00:57
Yeah, thank you.
[restrict paid=”true”]
Gresham Harkless 00:59
No problem, no problem. And what I wanted to do was just hear a little bit more about like how you got started with your baking business and just tell me a little bit about what you do.
Dominique 01:06
OK, so my aunt, like she's my aunt who I told you that my mom, like she's under her, who does her cupcakes and stuff. She has her own separate business.
And she started it because her son has a, he has like his limbs, they're not properly developed correctly.
So to raise money, she started a baking business, but she actually developed like a very, like she loved it.
Instead, like it stemmed more from her wanting to raise awareness. She actually developed a love for it.
So that's what she continued to do. And she has a food truck that she rented out, I believe, or she bought one of the two. and she's gonna set it up this summer, so.
Gresham Harkless 01:48
Okay, cool. So that's what got her started?
Dominique 01:50
That's what got her started and that's also she inspired me.
Gresham Harkless 01:54
Ah, okay. So you saw because she was doing like the bakery or the baking business and you wanted to do it yourself?
Dominique 01:58
Yep.
Gresham Harkless 01:59
So how did you just thought of it and you just started to say, hey, let me just hop in the kitchen?
Dominique 02:02
I asked her to mentor me, show me how she started from the bottom and worked her way up and basically that's pretty much what I did.
Gresham Harkless 02:10
Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. That sounds so little, but it's so big because a lot of times, a lot of people don't realize that they can do things until you actually see it.
And you being bold enough to to be able to ask people is a huge thing. So I definitely, commend you for that. So tell me a little bit about what you're doing with baked beans.
Dominique 02:25
OK, so what I want to do is I want to I was thinking about making it a non-profit organization, but that is kind of hard to do it while now because it's a little bit more that goes into a non-profit organization than just the basics behind it.
So I decided that maybe to start off, now it would just be a regular business, make a couple of dollars here and there, and then in the future, develop it to be a non-profit organization.
Gresham Harkless 02:55
Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Do you want to do it to like benefit like a specific cause or?
Dominique 02:59
See, me being like, I started off young and you know how like when you're young.
Gresham Harkless 03:06
And how old did you start out?
Dominique 03:07
Four.
Gresham Harkless 03:08
Four. And you're how old now?
Dominique 03:09
I'm about to be 13. So I'm 13.
Gresham Harkless 03:11
Okay. Awesome. Nine years.
Dominique 03:12
So you know how when you're younger, you have like a lot of thoughts in your mind, like what you want to be and you're like really incisive.
So I think that's where I'm at now. Like I love baking still. I love makeup. So there's kind of a lot of things going through my mind Like when I was younger, I wanted to be a doctor.
I wanted to be a vet so now I think I kind of know where I want to be which is like kind of putting the baking and the makeup into play.
And some put some part of my life and I've also wanted to be a counselor before and I kind of still had that on my mind as well but I kind of want to help with like mental health and stuff because that is a very serious thing.
It develops now at this age because I, it may not be as serious as how older people have it, but anxiety and stuff like that, so most definitely with mental health.
Gresham Harkless 04:06
Yeah, no, that's huge. And especially, it sounds like you're very creative, which is very neat trait, for being an entrepreneur and business owner.
So it sounds like you have a lot of different avenues, which is not a bad thing. You have a lot of opportunity, a lot of time to choose from.
So I asked for something that's called like your secret sauce. And your secret sauce could be your differentiator, what you feel kind of sets you apart and makes you unique. What do you think is your secret sauce?
Dominique 04:29
I say the way I carry myself. I don't think that I carry myself the way that most, I'm going to say, teens or preteens who are going through adolescence, like I'm not really as immature as some are.
So I feel like that's one thing that sets me apart. And I think that like my head is definitely in a different place than where a lot of other preteens are.
Gresham Harkless 04:52
Absolutely. Why do you think that is?
Dominique 04:53
Honestly, I feel like it's the way that I was raised and I wasn't raised to be like, just this loud, not saying that every preteen is loud and obnoxious.
But I wasn't raised to say everything that goes on in my house and just be so like, just not be so open about every single thing that takes place.
Gresham Harkless 05:13
Yeah, I think it's important to be able to have like kind of your special place to be able to have your time, your own time, so to speak.
So it's great that you've been able to do that. Your parents have done a phenomenal job because you're definitely well beyond your years.
And I wanted to switch gears a little bit. And I want to ask you for something called a CEO hack.
And this might be like an app, a book or a habit that you have, but it's something that you feel like makes you more effective and efficient.
Dominique 05:36
Honestly, I just think my environment around me, I think my environment helps me to get through like a lot of the things, because like I said, I feel as though that I'm very mature.
So I feel like the environment kind of like pushes you to step out of your comfort zone and be different and be unique compared to everybody else.
Gresham Harkless 05:56
Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. Your environment, a lot of things that you're seeing or not seeing sometimes can determine your latitude.
So to be able to have that in place is definitely huge and to pay attention to that is even bigger. So that's a great CEO hack. And now I want to ask you for a CEO nugget.
And this is a word of wisdom or piece of advice. Or if you can hop into a time machine and talk to your four-year-old self, what advice would you give yourself?
Dominique 06:19
You said advice to somebody. I would say if you don't know where you want to be in life, don't force yourself or don't let other people force you to do something that you don't want to do.
Because like I said, I still don't know where I'm going to be at when I'm 25 years old. I don't know. I'm kind of just finding myself at this age now.
So just wait for your calling from God. And if your calling might be something that you never thought that would be possible, it's possible.
Gresham Harkless 06:52
Absolutely. Absolutely. And it's great because a lot of times people will tell you, you need to do X, Y, and Z or A, B, and C, but you're listening to the most important person, which is God.
He's directing your path and helping you to do that. And a lot of times, you have to go through and try a lot of things to be able to figure out exactly what you want to do.
So it's great to hear that you're doing that. And now I wanted to ask you for what I call the definition of being a CEO.
So we're having different quote unquote CEOs on the show, but I wanted to ask you, what does being a CEO mean to you?
Dominique 07:17
I think it means being the head of your own organization or something that you take pride in, but more so being the owner.
I honestly don't know if I'm correct, but you said my opinion. I think that it means you're the head of something or when I think of CEO, the CEO of a business.
I think of that as the head of the organization that does A, B, and C, but has people working underneath of them to kind of help put everything into place.
Gresham Harkless 07:52
I love that definition because it talks about, a lot of being able to direct the path, having the team with you to be able to execute whatever A, B, and C might be.
So I love that definition. And for people that want to reach out to you to find out about baked beans and all the awesome things that you're doing, what's the best way for them to find that out?
Dominique 08:08
Well, I have a website, and then my mom, not my parents, but my mom, she definitely helps me a lot, especially since she has her own business, and then she's older on top of that.
She knows more, and she would be able to, I don't deal with the getting in contact and stuff like that.
I don't deal with that. I deal with telling my story and doing the job, obviously. So she is definitely the main person I would say to reach out to. And then my business. then your business.
Gresham Harkless 08:41
Awesome. Yes. It's important to have those people in place so that they can reach out to you and they can make everything go smoothly. So was there anything else you wanted to let our readers and our listeners know?
Dominique 08:51
Be yourself. And if you're ever going through anything, just call up on the name of Jesus.
Gresham Harkless 08:56
Amen, I love that. I appreciate you, Dominique, for all you're doing and the time that you took today. I hope you have a great rest of the day.
Dominique 09:01
You too.
Outro 09:01
Thank you for listening to the I AM CEO Podcast powered by CB Nation and Blue 16 Media. Tune in next time and visit us at iamceo.co. I AM CEO is not just a phrase, it's a community.
Be sure to follow us on social media and subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and everywhere you listen to podcasts. Subscribe and leave us a five-star rating. This has been the I AM CEO Podcast with Gresham Harkless Jr. Thank you for listening.
Dominique
00:00 - 00:19
Like I love baking still. I love makeup. So there's kind of a lot of things going through my mind. Like when I was younger, I wanted to be a doctor. I wanted to be a vet. So now I think I kind of know where I want to be, which is like kind of putting the baking and the makeup into play in some some part of my life.
Intro
00:20 - 00:46
Are you ready to hear business stories and learn effective ways to build relationships, generate sales, and level up your business from awesome CEOs, entrepreneurs, and founders without listening to a long, long, long interview? If so, you've come to the right place. Grist values your time and is ready to share with you the valuable info you're in search of. This is the I Am CEO
Gresham Harkless
00:46 - 00:57
podcast. Hello, hello, hello. This is Gresh from the I Am CEO podcast. I have a very special guest on the show today. I have Dominique of Baked Beans Bakeries. Dominique, it's awesome to have you on the show.
Dominique
00:57 - 00:58
Yeah, thank you.
Gresham Harkless
00:59 - 01:06
No problem, no problem. And what I wanted to do was just hear a little bit more about like how you got started with your baking business and just tell me a little bit about what you do.
Dominique
01:06 - 01:13
OK, so my aunt, like she's my aunt who I told you that my mom, like she's under her,
Gresham Harkless
01:13 - 01:13
who
Dominique
01:13 - 01:40
does her cupcakes and stuff. She has her own separate business. And she started it because her son has a, he has like his limbs, they're not properly developed correctly. So to raise money, she started a baking business, but she actually developed like a very, like she loved it. Instead, like it stemmed more from her wanting to raise awareness. She actually developed a love for it. So
Gresham Harkless
01:40 - 01:40
that's
Dominique
01:40 - 01:48
what she continued to do. And she has a food truck that she rented out, I believe, or she bought one of the two. and she's gonna set it up this summer, so.
Gresham Harkless
01:48 - 01:50
Okay, cool. So that's what got her started?
Dominique
01:50 - 01:54
That's what got her started and that's also she inspired me.
Gresham Harkless
01:54 - 01:58
Ah, okay. So you saw because she was doing like the bakery or the baking business and you wanted to do it yourself?
Dominique
01:58 - 01:59
Yep.
Gresham Harkless
01:59 - 02:02
So how did you just thought of it and you just started to say, hey, let me just hop in the
Dominique
02:02 - 02:10
kitchen? I asked her to mentor me, you know, show me how she started from the bottom and worked her way up and basically that's pretty much what I did.
Gresham Harkless
02:10 - 02:25
Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. That sounds so little, but it's so big because a lot of times, you know, a lot of people don't realize that they can do things until you actually see it. And you being bold enough to to be able to ask people is a huge thing. So I definitely, you know, commend you for that. So tell me a little bit about what you're doing with baked beans.
Dominique
02:25 - 02:55
OK, so what I want to do is I want to I was thinking about making it a non-profit organization, but that is kind of hard to do it while now because it's a little bit more that goes into a non-profit organization than just, you know, just the basics behind it. So I decided that maybe to start off, you know, now it would just be a regular, you know, business, make a couple of dollars here and there, and then in the future, develop it to be a non-profit organization.
Gresham Harkless
02:55 - 02:59
Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Do you want to do it to like benefit like a specific cause or?
Dominique
02:59 - 03:06
See, me being like, you know, I started off young and you know how like when you're young. And
Gresham Harkless
03:06 - 03:07
how old did you start out?
Dominique
03:07 - 03:07
Four.
Gresham Harkless
03:08 - 03:09
Four. And you're how old now?
Dominique
03:09 - 03:10
I'm about to be 13. So I'm 13.
Gresham Harkless
03:11 - 03:12
Okay. Awesome. Nine years.
Dominique
03:12 - 03:18
So you know how when you're younger, you have like a lot of thoughts in your mind, like what you want to be and you're like really incisive.
Gresham Harkless
03:19 - 03:19
So I
Dominique
03:19 - 03:53
think that's where I'm at now. Like I love baking still. I love makeup. So there's kind of a lot of things going through my mind Like when I was younger, I wanted to be a doctor. I wanted to be a vet So now I think I kind of know where I want to be which is like kind of putting the baking and the makeup into play and some put some part of my life and I've also wanted to be a counselor before and I kind of I kind of still had that on my mind as well but I kind of want to you know, help with like mental health and stuff because that is a very serious thing.
Dominique
03:53 - 04:05
It develops now at this age because I, it may not be as serious as how older people have it, but anxiety and stuff like that, so most definitely with mental health.
Gresham Harkless
04:06 - 04:29
Yeah, no, that's huge. And especially, you know, it sounds like you're very creative, which is, you know, very neat trait, you know, for being an entrepreneur and business owner. So it sounds like you have a lot of different avenues, which is not a bad thing. You have a lot of opportunity, a lot of time to choose from. So I asked for something that's called like your secret sauce. And your secret sauce could be your differentiator, what you feel kind of sets you apart and makes you unique. What do you think is your secret sauce?
Dominique
04:29 - 04:41
I say the way I carry myself. I don't think that I carry myself the way that most, I'm going to say, teens or preteens who are going through adolescence, like I'm not really as immature as some
Gresham Harkless
04:42 - 04:42
are.
Dominique
04:43 - 04:51
So I feel like that's one thing that sets me apart. And I think that like my head is definitely in a different place than where a lot of other preteens are.
Gresham Harkless
04:52 - 04:53
Absolutely. Why do you think that is?
Dominique
04:53 - 05:12
Honestly, I feel like it's the way that I was raised and I wasn't raised to be like, just this loud, not saying that every preteen is loud and obnoxious, but I wasn't raised to say everything that goes on in my house and just be so like, just not be so open about every single thing
Gresham Harkless
05:12 - 05:12
that
Dominique
05:12 - 05:13
takes place.
Gresham Harkless
05:13 - 05:35
Yeah, I think it's important to be able to have like kind of your special place to be able to have your time, your own time, so to speak. So it's great that you've been able to do that. Your parents have done a phenomenal job because you're definitely well beyond your years. And I wanted to switch gears a little bit. And I want to ask you for something called a CEO hack. And this might be like an app, a book or a habit that you have, but it's something that you feel like makes you more effective and efficient.
Gresham Harkless
05:35 - 05:36
Honestly,
Dominique
05:36 - 05:38
I just think my environment around me, I
Gresham Harkless
05:38 - 05:39
think my
Dominique
05:39 - 05:56
environment helps me to get through like a lot of the things, because like I said, I feel as though that I'm very mature. So I feel like the environment kind of like pushes you to step out of your comfort zone and be different and be unique compared to everybody else.
Gresham Harkless
05:56 - 06:18
Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. Yeah, your environment, a lot of things that you're seeing or not seeing sometimes can determine your latitude. So to be able to have that in place is definitely huge and to pay attention to that is even bigger. So that's a great CEO hack. And now I want to ask you for a CEO nugget. And this is a word of wisdom or piece of advice. Or if you can hop into a time machine and talk to your four-year-old self, what advice would you give yourself?
Dominique
06:19 - 06:51
You said advice to somebody. I would say if you don't know where you want to be in life, don't force yourself or don't let other people force you to do something that you don't want to do. Because like I said, I still don't know where I'm going to be at when I'm 25 years old. I don't know. I'm kind of just finding myself at this age now. So just, just wait for your calling from God. And if your calling might be something that you never thought that would be possible, it's possible. Yeah,
Gresham Harkless
06:52 - 07:11
absolutely. Absolutely. And it's great because a lot of times people will tell you, you need to do X, Y, and Z or A, B, and C, but you're listening to the most important person, which is God. He's directing your path and helping you to do that. And a lot of times, you know, you have to go through and try a lot of things to be able to figure out exactly what you want to do. So it's great. to hear that you're doing that. And now I wanted to ask you for what I call the definition of being a CEO.
Gresham Harkless
07:11 - 07:17
So we're having different quote unquote CEOs on the show, but I wanted to ask you, what does being a CEO mean to you?
Dominique
07:17 - 07:52
I think it means being the head of your own organization or something that you take pride in, but more so being the owner. I honestly don't know if I'm correct, but you said my opinion. I think that it means you're the head of something or when I think of CEO, the CEO of a business, I think of that as the head of the organization that does A, B, and C, but has people working underneath of them to kind of help put everything into place.
Gresham Harkless
07:52 - 08:08
I love that definition because it talks about, you know, a lot of, you know, being able to direct the path, having the team with you to be able to execute whatever A, B, and C might be. So I love that definition. And for people that want to reach out to you to find out about baked beans and all the awesome things that you're doing, what's the best way for them to find that out?
Dominique
08:08 - 08:39
Well, I have a website, and then my mom, not my parents, but my mom, she definitely helps me a lot, especially since she has her own business, and then she's older on top of that. She knows more, and she would be able to, I don't deal with the getting in contact and stuff like that. I don't deal with that. I deal with telling my story and doing the job, obviously. So she is definitely the main person I would say.
Gresham Harkless
08:39 - 08:40
To reach out to. And then
Dominique
08:40 - 08:41
my business.
Gresham Harkless
08:41 - 08:50
Then your business. Awesome. Yes. It's important to have those people in place so that they can reach out to you and they can make everything go smoothly. So was there anything else you wanted to let our readers and our listeners know?
Dominique
08:51 - 08:55
Be yourself. And if you're ever going through anything, just call up on the name of Jesus.
Gresham Harkless
08:56 - 09:01
Amen, I love that. I appreciate you, Dominique, for all you're doing and the time that you took today. I hope you have a great rest of the day.
Intro
09:01 - 09:38
You too. Thank you for listening to the I Am CEO podcast powered by CB Nation and Blue 16 Media. Tune in next time and visit us at imceo.co. I am CEO is not just a phrase, it's a community. Be sure to follow us on social media and subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and everywhere you listen to podcasts. Subscribe and leave us a five-star rating. This has been the I Am CEO Podcast with Gresham Harkless Jr. Thank you for listening.
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