Meet Jannine Jack: Owner of Soul Delicioso Sweets & Self-Taught Cake Baker & Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jannine Jack and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jannine, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I think the most important factor behind my success is my tenacity. With a full-time job and also running Soul Delicioso Sweets, life gets crazy. Like I’ve mentioned before, there have been many days where I get off of work from my full-time job and get straight to baking. Juggling the two has led me to many sleepless nights. When I know it’s going to be a long night, I turn on some Gucci Mane, Future, Pop Smoke, MoneyBagg Yo, drink a Bang, and I am good to go! Trust me, I have had many opportunities where I could have easily used the excuse to throw in the towel on Soul Delicioso Sweets since “I don’t have the time,” but I love doing what I do too much to let it go. 

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I think what sets me apart from others is my customer service. Working in the grocery industry for roughly 6 years has definitely molded me into a customer service queen. As a small business, I think it is extremely imperative to ensure customer service is A1 at all times. After all, us small business owners really only get one shot, versus a big corporation that may get many more chances with their customers. I am most proud of myself for just doing it! For a while, I hesitated to start this business because I was afraid to take a risk and fail, but I am so proud of myself for building up the confidence to just go for it. I think what I am most excited about is the many inquiries and orders I have recently received for wedding cakes. Wedding cakes are such a big deal and I feel so honored when couples trust me to create a cake for one of the most special days in their lives. Like I’ve mentioned before, I got to where I am today because of my parents. There is absolutely no way, I’d be in the position I am today without their influence. No, it was not easy to get here. There were many instances where giving up was the easiest route, but it’s the smiling faces of customers and the support of my family that keeps me going. Some of the key lessons I’ve learned along the way is to just have fun and not be afraid to try new techniques. Some of my favorite cakes I have made have come from keeping these things in mind. I want the world to know that if you’re waiting for a sign to take that leap of faith, here it is. This is the sign! Go for it!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I have lived in Houston all my life and there are still so many places I have yet to try, but if I wanted to show a friend a good time in the city here are a few places I’d definitely take them to. To eat I would take them to places like Ramen Tatsu-ya, Taste Bar + Kitchen, FM Kitchen, Lucille’s, Esther’s Cajun Café & Soul Food, Tony’s Pizza, or HK Dim Sum. It really just depends on what we are in the mood for. To drink, I would take them to places like Buffalo Bayou Brewing Co, Truck Yard, or Miss Carousel. These places have very chill vibes which is my type of scene when having a drink. I’m a homebody, so I would say a good place to hang out at is my house with some wine, movies, and popcorn, but if I had to choose a place to go to, it would be the museum district – the Houston Museum of Natural Science is my favorite. Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I first want to thank God for my successes. I am beyond grateful for the wisdom and strength He has provided me with to continue to run a business that continues to flourish each and every day. I want to thank my parents, Emile and Veronica. Their unconditional love and support is definitely the root of all my success. There are not enough words to express my gratitude, but I just want to say thank you both for shaping me into the woman I am today. Thank you for the many sacrifices that you both made and continue to make to provide me and my siblings with the best life. I will be forever grateful for everything you both do and continue to do. Also a big thank you to my older sister, Jasmin for always giving me honest feedback. I love you sis! I also want to thank my fiancé, Louie. I put Louie through so much on a daily basis with this business and he has NEVER complained. Louie is my marketer/photo editor/supply gatherer/deliverer/hype man/my EVERYTHING and so much more. I honestly don’t know what I would do without him. I love you, baby! I also want to thank my customers and supporters. To all the people who have ever placed an order with Soul Delicioso Sweets, referred someone, reposted or shared, liked or commented on my work on social media…THANK YOU! I definitely could not do this without you guys.

Website: SoulDeliciosoSweets.com

Instagram: SoulDeliciosoSweets

Facebook: Soul Delicioso Sweets

Image Credits
Louie McQuirter lll