Yashica McKinney
Owner
Desserts Out The Jar and More
East Saint Louis, IL
East Saint Louis Sr. High
BS, Community Health Education, SIUE
Inventors Association St. Louis, Director
Ferguson 1000, Member
Tell us about your company, Desserts Out The Jar and your product line.
Desserts Out The Jar is an innovative bakery that personalizes a variety of home-made gourmet desserts available in conveniently-packaged mason jars for family and friends to enjoy on-the-go. By providing our customers the opportunity to select their ingredients, we create a personalized touch and provide a unique selling point of our business. We have over 30 different flavors of cakes, puddings, and pies. Our best sellers include our Famous Banana Pudding, Caramel Turtle Cake and Peach Cobblers. We also offer sugar-free options and in the process of developing a gluten-free dessert jar line, in keeping up with health and culinary innovations.
Have you always had a love of cooking and baking?
Living in a house with my mother, grandmother, aunt, three siblings, and nephew, there was never a day that we did not have a meal prepared for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I would watch my aunt create her special greens and sweet potatoes, and my grandmother bake cakes and pies, and my mother fry chicken and fish. We would sit down and eat as a family. I would take notice of the food preparation but I did not prepare meals until I was out on my own. You never know what you are capable of doing until you are put in a situation where you have to do it.
What inspired you to start your own business? How did you prepare and get started?
Cooking, baking, and selling desserts was a paid hobby that brought a much needed second income for me. I soon after discovered the demand for wholesome treats and a successful business to help build and inspire our community. Honestly, I cannot say that in the beginning that I prepared. I am still learning everyday about business, production, manufacturing, marketing, finances and so much more. I am always working and meeting individuals that are knowledgeable to take my business to the next level. In business you will not know everything but there are people that you connect with along the journey that you combine with to make your recipe (business) complete.
Why do you feel it’s important to pay it forward by mentoring other women business owners and partnering with SLATE to provide employment?
I once heard Maya Angelou say that “Every time you see me, I come as 1 but I stand as 10,000.” I interpret that to mean that I am a real life representation of every person that has a dream and has the courage to pursue their dream. I am every child with an imagination, I am every youth with a vision, I am every kid with low grades in school, I am every teen parent, I am every woman that’s a welfare recipient, I am the woman that graduated from college late in life, I am the one that thought of an idea, and the person that pursued her dreams. I am every person that took a leap of faith.
