Check Out Jahnice Napoles’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jahnice Napoles.

Hi Jahnice, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Thank you for the opportunity! I’m excited to be on the platform and share my story. My love for baking stems way back. When I was a little girl, my mom would bake often. Making homemade goodies was an expression of love for her. She has always been my best friend so naturally, I tagged alongside her and baked with her. Many years later, Arthur (my fur baby) came into my life- a little over three years ago. To say he completely stole my heart is an understatement. My life began to revolve around him and I found myself doing anything and everything for him. As a puppy, he had an extremely sensitive stomach and it was hard for me to find quality dog food that didn’t have tons of preservatives, artificial flavors or ingredients that didn’t sit well with him. It started with me making his food and eventually his treats! It was/ is important to me to know what is going into his body and to make sure the ingredients are wholesome, healthy and taste good to him. Our pets aren’t just pets anymore, they’re family. As it does for us humans, what we feed them matters more than anything. Their food is their fuel and I will do whatever it takes to keep Arthur healthy, happy and fuel his body with ingredients that will elongate his life as most possible! My goal is to do the same for as many other pups as I can!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been a smooth road. The hardest part was starting. This Barkery was just an idea for too long. Getting past the fear and thoughts of not knowing if I was good enough was a struggle all on its own. I finally decided just thinking about it wasn’t enough. That’s not what I wanted and I owed myself and loved ones more. The best version of me was the woman who would go for it. So I did. And of course, with much of life, recipes are trial and error. Not every treat comes out perfect first try. Many hours have been spent in the kitchen and researching the best quality ingredients, bakeware, etc. But I do not regret a second of it. What helped me was having such a strong support system. My family, my boyfriend and friends all gave me tons of encouragement and this business wouldn’t be where it is without them. The only thing I would change is putting my plans into action sooner!

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Arthur’s Barkery is my passion. This is my work and my business. I am intent about providing healthy and delicious treats for dogs. Dogs are incredibly special. They bring so much joy to our lives! They truly deserve nothing but the best. I do not compromise on the quality of the ingredients I use because they are worth it. As for the other part of my work- life, when I’m not testing recipes and baking in the kitchen, I am working for the developmental disabilities community of Idaho while residing in Fullerton, California. I used to be an ABA Behavioral Therapist in Orange County and worked with children with developmental disabilities. I now work in the Medicaid Payroll world for both children and adults. The special needs community is definitely another passion of mine. I love being part of their journey to reaching their full potential and living an independent and successful life.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Social Media! Networking, meeting and connecting with other small business owners via Instagram has been great for me. I am learning to branch out of IG and access different sources of networking/ mentoring. I’m truly enjoying the learning process. My advice would be to not hesitate and just go for it! Message a business, comment and compliment what you like about their work. This establishes a foundation of communication and not only does that open a door to connect, it’s a form of supporting! There are many small businesses in the area that are inspirational and offer so much to learn from. Everyone starts somewhere. We small business owners can relate in that aspect and can use our knowledge and experience to uplift/ guide the next person starting on their journey.

Contact Info:

• Email: OrderArthursBarkery@gmail.com
• Instagram: Instagram.com/arthurs_barkey
• Facebook: Facebook.com/arthursbarkery