Conversations with the Inspiring Jami Throne

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jami Throne.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
As a young girl, all I ever wanted to do was travel the world and help people. I never wanted to live in America and I was confident that I would live my life devoted to serving individuals that were always left out and lacking one or more things to bring them joy and health in life. I received my first degree in Intercultural Studies (a combo of Anthropology, Linguistics and International Development) and spent the first 5 years of my working career working with Non-Profit Organizations that were doing good work to end hunger and fight injustices like human trafficking worldwide. It was a good, full life and I was only 27 when I stepped away from it all.

What changed? I became a mom. And then 16 months later, I became a mom again. And all I wanted to do then was focus on the few short years that they would be home with me. My husband is a teacher so I knew that finances would be tight, but we were committed to making it work.

Those years were good and way harder than I ever anticipated. I hourly questioned our decision and then was totally confident in it (I guess that’s what it means to be a mom, right?!). In 2014 I decided to go to Culinary School at the Art Institute of Phoenix to earn my Baking and Pastry Diploma. Basically I just needed to get out of the house sometimes and use my brain, talk to other adults and use the creativity that was stored up inside my bones.

I loved it! It was exactly what I needed and I never imagined that I would actually start my own dessert catering business, especially with my background. But that’s exactly what happened.

In 2013, after years of migraines, fatigue, nausea and other health issues, I was diagnosed with a severe gluten allergy and also realized I needed to stay away from dairy, soy and eggs. I was devastated, to say the least. I love dessert and everything I had tried that was GF or Vegan, up until that point, was incredibly expensive and totally disgusting. As I began to go through my classes at AI, as well as become more comfortable with this new way of eating, I began to experiment with baking GF desserts. At first, they weren’t great, but slowly I improved, as did my decorating skills from my classes at school.

I’ll never forget how excited I felt when I made a GF cake for some friends and they had no clue that it was gluten free. They were raving about how delicious it was and were totally shocked when I told them it was GF and Vegan! “What!? You should totally sell this stuff!” someone said. And the wheels began to turn.

At the same time, my 2 boys were also diagnosed with similar allergies. I began to imagine what their life would be like, missing out on a birthday cake, wedding cake, school snacks, etc. I knew that I could do something to at least make it a bit sweeter for them.

So, in 2015, I started Simply Sweet by Jami. At that point, I was just baking out of my apartment kitchen for anyone that wanted dessert. Over the past three years, my business has evolved and changed to meet our life circumstances and I’ve begun to see the value that it can add to so many people.

My mission at Simply Sweet is to create affordable, delicious desserts (and every day baked goods) that are tailored to each individual’s dietary needs and created in a beautiful way that brings joy to their special occasion or every day.

As both of my boys start school in the Fall, I find myself with an open slate in some ways. Now I have more time on my hands to actually focus on my business as a business and not just a side hustle. I’m excited for the opportunity and grateful for this journey!

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The biggest obstacle, hands down, is FEAR. My own.
Fear of Failure.
Fear of Success!
Fear of Change.
Fear that others won’t like what I create.

Some days, it’s been crippling, to the point where I’ve folded up shop and allowed fear to win.

However, I’m so grateful for true friends in my life that have spoken truth when I needed to hear it most, reminding me that Fear is a liar.

Reminding me that beauty is needed, in so many forms in this world.

Challenging me to create because I love it and was created to do so, NOT to receive the applause of man.

And encouraging me to share my gift with many that do need it.

I’m learning, slowly. But I’m standing more confident daily as I’m realizing that life is too short to allow fear to have any place in my life. I was created for more than that.

Additionally, my family has made 2 cross country moves since 2015. Yes, 2 in 3 years. We left AZ in the summer of 2015 and moved to MI. This move came JUST as I was really gaining some traction and had secured a wholesale account with a coffee shop in Phoenix. I was disappointed but it was what we needed to do as a family. SO, we moved and I had to start all over.

It felt daunting. And some days, fear one. However, slowly but surely business began to come in and I found myself with a growing small business as we made this last move this past December 2017. We came back to Phoenix in January 2018 and it’s taking time to rebuild. And although I was here before, it still works.

For me, I’m realizing that most of my success has come when I’ve finally given myself permission to create the business that I really want, not society’s picture of success. This has taken time for me to be able to articulate, but it has brought much freedom to be able to do so.

Additionally, I would not be where I am today without the gentle but bold voices of support and challenge from a few of my friends and family. They listen, love, give generously and encourage me to believe in myself when I’m having a hard time doing so.

What should we know about Simply Sweet by Jami? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
My primary business is dessert catering. Think: birthdays, weddings, baby/wedding showers, business meetings, etc. I focus primarily on major allergen-free baking and specialize primarily in GF baking. I do bake traditionally as well (think: lots of gluten, butter, and eggs!). However, it’s not what I focus most of my efforts on.

I also sell wholesale. Currently, my primary wholesale account is Granola (GF Vegan Coconut Vanilla Granola, to be exact!). However, in MI and AZ, I sold wholesale GF cookies, cupcakes, bundt cakes and GF Vegan donuts.

In MI, I was known as the GF Vegan donut lady. Haha! I sold at a local bakeshop and offered a variety of flavors: Chocolate PB, Vanilla Birthday Cake, Coconut Caramel, Lemon Blueberry, Strawberry Lemonade, Mocha, Pumpkin Maple, etc.

Additionally, I sell a lot of birthday cakes/cupcakes that are decorated to each individuals preference. My personal favorite is the margarita cupcake… YUM!

I love the fact that I can provide delicious tasting, affordable desserts that aren’t just cookie-cutter options. When it comes to weddings, showers and birthdays, it’s fun to be able to give the individual what they really want, even if they have a food allergy! I love sharing joy and beauty, however, I can, even if it’s in the form of a cake or donut!

Two other things that set me apart from others are price point and the ability to tailor each order to that person’s needs/wants. My prices are competitive and usually under the going rate. I’m not here to rip people off. I’m here to help people celebrate life, even if it’s in small ways. This means that I will work with you to create a dessert that meets your hopes, needs, and your budget!

Do you have any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general? What has worked well for you?
Currently, I am a part of Hustle Phoenix, a non-profit committed to supporting, equipping and training young entrepreneurs. They have been a great resource in simple business practices, as well as connecting me to other successful business owners in similar fields.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.simplysweetbyj.com
• Phone: 260-224-7092
• Email: simplysweetbyj@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simplysweetbyjami/?hl=en

Image Credit:
Erin Ashlee: 4-tier wedding cake

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.