Today we’d like to introduce you to Jocelyn C Chambers.
Jocelyn, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Born and raised in Austin, TX, I always knew I was going to be an entrepreneur. The corporate life didn’t appeal to me and I knew I could to use my creativity to build a life I loved.
The first opportunity came in 2006 when I just turned 9. There was a local charitable cause I wanted to give to, so my parents and I sat down to discuss how to realize that vision.
My family had been making Lemon 7-Up Pound cake since before I was born. The recipe, given to my mother from a close family friend, made its way around our community. It was a symbol of Southern culture and hospitality. She was often told the cake was worth selling, but she wrote it off, saying it was a free gesture of love. She and I had been baking it together since I was 4, so the recipe was etched into my small, eager hands.
There was no better option: My parents and I chose to sell the pound cake and donate its profits to our local charity. Sweets by Jocelyn was born. The motto, “homemade with love,” was the centerpiece of our ethos. The cake sold quickly throughout our community. It earned me a place as a vendor at Mitchie’s, a Black-owned art gallery that was a hub for culture and representation. I presented at young-adult business showcases and at SXSW Edu before turning 16.
After many years of baking with love, I decided to close Sweets by Jocelyn so I could pursue my dream of scoring music for film. Film scoring is also an entrepreneurial pursuit, full of similar experiences in discovering your voice, branding, and self-marketing. Today, I live in Los Angeles living out my dream. Unexpectedly, Sweets by Jocelyn was resurrected in the summer of 2020, and I now live both dreams at once: Writing music and baking.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Not only did I have to find my culinary voice, I had to choose what I wanted to speak to. When I relaunched in 2020, I added pies to the menu. I had never made them from scratch beforehand, so the internet became my teacher. I owe my skill to renowned bakers including Erin Jeanne McDowell and Claire Saffitz.
I felt pressured by the onslaught of pleasing Instagram feeds and viral TikToks to offer every dessert imaginable. I went to work trying to perfect multiple sweets, some coming easier than others. I didn’t want to bake layer cakes or traditional patisserie, and it took me a while to realize “not wanting to” was reason enough. I culled my menu, focusing not only on the sweets I was good at baking but also those that brought me joy.
Reminding myself of what brings me joy is a continual process. Sometimes I feel I’m swerving off-course by the desire to be well-known. I’ll act in a frenzy, trying to convince myself to rebrand so I can gain the attention of entrepreneurs I look up to. As an inwardly competitive individual, I’m unlearning the idea that only one person can be good at something. Multiple people can be good at the same thing, and each perspective matters.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
In addition to scoring neoclassical and hybrid orchestral music for narrative dramas and emotive documentaries, I own a one-woman micro bakery called Sweets by Jocelyn. I specialize in pies known for elevating classic flavors with grown-up ingredients. I’m most proud of my Bourbon Cherry pie, Miso Caramel Apple pie, Key Lime pie with Toasted Mezcal Meringue and Gingersnap crust, and TropiCali Meringue pie with Passionfruit, Guava, Yuzu, and Toasted Coconut whipped cream.
My ethos, along with homemaking everything with love, is to honor life’s great adventure through food. I am set apart by my decision to pursue multiple creative endeavors in one life. My creativity expands when I continue to say “Yes,” and it is my greatest desire to live the most artistically prolific life I can.
Be kind, be personable! Show your collaborators that you’re not only someone they’ll work well with but, also someone they can spend time with the outside of work. Many of my mentors feel like good friends who I get to eat brunch with every month. When I meet someone new, I like to come armed with sweets to brighten their day and keep my name at the front of their mind. That way, when a project comes up they feel I’d be a great fit for, they remember me as The Woman with Dessert! Find something about yourself you know will stand out (I’m confident every person has one), and bring it to the world. The people you look up to will remember you, and it can certainly help bring you to where you want to be.
Pricing:
- Single 5″ mini pies (exclusively available at popups): $15
- Two 5″ mini pies: $30
- Four 5″ mini pies: $60
- One 9″ pie (serves 8): $60
Contact Info:
- Website: sweetsbyjocelyn.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/sweetsbyjocelynLA
- Other: jocelyncchambers.com
Image Credits:
Headshot courtesy of Ryan Stevens
Popular
-
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
-
Are you tap dancing to work? Have you been that level of excited at any point in your career? If so, please tell us about those days.
-
What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
-
What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
-
If you retired tomorrow, what would your customers miss most?
-
What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
