Why We Weren’t Sad When This Employee Quit
Our #1 mission here at Brit + Co is to encourage people to live their most creative lives. So, naturally, we were pretty thrilled when a super inspirational How to Quit Your Day Job story happened right at our very own HQ, even if it did involve losing a full timer. Introducing Miss Jones Baking Co., the first-ever organic ready-to-use baking brand. The line debuts with organic frostings (no more of that chemical-laden junk!) and organic, artificial-free cake mixes in vanilla and chocolate. The company, which is billing itself as the leading brand of baking products for the next generation, is the brainchild of our former Food Editor and Head of Operations Sarah Jones. Sarah’s story is a true tale of the power of perseverance and proof that a lifelong passion CAN evolve into a mega-successful and sustainable career.
Sarah’s been into baking since childhood. In college, she cut her teeth with an early morning shift (starting at 5am!) at a bakery before class. Then, it was off to sharpen another skill set with a successful career in accounting and finance. Even though Sarah had landed gigs at some pretty awesome companies (PwC and Apple), there was still something missing. As a creative outlet, she started a WordPress blog where she dutifully photographed and documented her recipes.
She also made a big move to Palo Alto with her now-husband.
“I remember spending my lunches strolling the aisles at the Whole Foods in Cupertino, and in the baking aisle while looking for a ready-to-use frosting, I had a big aha moment,” says Sarah. “I noticed that there really wasn’t a brand I could trust.”
Sarah set out on a new mission to fill this void. She began studying food science, meeting with like-minded entrepreneurs and interviewing food scientists. Around this time, she had a chance meeting with our very own Brit, which soon turned into her joining the team in a very hands-on role.
“Working at Brit + Co was such a great experience for me,” says Sarah. “Being around brilliant, inspired, and super creative people really helped me to learn as much as possible.”
The following years involved plenty of trial and error, hard work and near breakdowns. Throughout it all, Sarah kept her dream in mind and her hard work ethic in place.
“You really have to work as hard as you possibly can,” says Sarah.
Last April, Sarah announced she was leaving the company to pursue Miss Jones Baking Co. full-time. The one-woman company plans its official launch this week in natural and mainstream grocery stores all over the country. Up next, Sarah plans to introduce new yummy flavors (hello, salted caramel!).
Her final words of advice to budding entrepreneurs looking to follow in her footsteps?
“Look for your niche, work yourself to death, listen to constructive feedback and don’t believe anyone who tries to convince you it’s a bad idea.”
What’s your dream career? Tell us in the comments below!
(Featured image via @missjonesbakes)
