Baking is Therapy - Season Two - Episode 25

Baking is Therapy

Season Two - Episode 25

 "I'm always where I need to be when I need to be there." – Jobea Murray

 

In this episode, Holly & Kristin talk with Jobea about:

• From Crocs, Inc. to Jobea Bakes, LLC, home-based baker
• Kids Impact Community, where kids of all ages get involved in their communities through volunteer work
• What it's like to be a mom, a business owner, and a community volunteer/leader

Key Takeaways

• Listen to the universe and what it brings to you – You are where you need to be when you need to be there
• It's never too early to begin teaching children about volunteering in their communities
• Don't be afraid to follow your dreams

Jobea Murray – From engineering, to helping make Tinkerbell fly, to driving a box truck full of Crocs across the country, and living overseas. All these things have given Jobea a desire for knowledge and a sense of adventure in her life and very little risk of failure (for better or worse!)

After 15 years in retail management and operations, a move back to the US from living in Singapore, and the birth of her first child, (phew!), Jobea made the decision to follow her passion for baking. She always loved to bake, but during her years living overseas, she realized that it was also a form of therapy for her.

Knowing her extensive retail experience gave her the knowledge and ability to run a business, and she wanted to advance her baking skills. Jobea studied Baking and Pastry Arts at Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, receiving her degree shortly after my daughter's 1st birthday.

Jobea then started her first business, Smash-A-Cake, in Colorado in 2014. While making her child's first smash cake, she realized that this was something other parents might appreciate, an adorable, one-of-a-kind smash cake for their little one.

Plans changed, however, when she and her family moved across the country and their second child was born. Due to restrictions in the state of Wisconsin, the business was put on hold. But Jobea is not the type of mom to sit at home with young children, so they jumped into social activities like storytimes and exploring our new city. They quickly found Toddlers on a Mission (now Kids Impact Community) and knew they had all found the supportive, empowering group they were looking for. Through the engaging and creative community service projects designed for even the youngest of participants, they integrated service into something they now do as a family. Jobea quickly saw the need for behind-the-scenes support for the organization beyond the monthly activities, and she volunteered to be the communications manager, setting up systems and processes to help the organization grow and expand.

In January of 2019, Jobea relaunched her cake business. By this time, her kids were starting school, and she had more freedom to find a new direction. She wanted to find her design style, build clients strategically, and most importantly to find a balance between work and life that fit her family.

While creating a supportive local baking community and continuing to promote and support Kids Impact Community, she became the President of the Board of Directors. Most recently, Jobea has become a founding member of the Wisconsin Cottage Food Association, and she is working closely with some inspiring women to advance cottage baking in the state and nationwide.

 

Guest Resources:

 

Kids Impact Community:                    www.kicmke.org

The Honeycomb Project, Chicago:     https://www.thehoneycombproject.org/

Little Hands Can:                                https://littlehandscan.org/

 

Connect with Jobea:

Websites:        www.jobeabakes.com

                        www.kicmke.org

 

Email:              jobeamurray@gmail.com

jobea@kicmke.org

LinkedIn:         https://www.linkedin.com/in/jobea/

                                https://www.linkedin.com/company/toddlers-and-kids-on-a-mission/

                               

 

UPLIFTING WOMEN HOSTS Kristin Strunk and Holly Teska

Your co-hosts of the UPLIFTING WOMEN PODCAST, Holly Teska & Kristin Strunk, are women who UPLIFT other women at work and in the world. Every other week they bring uplifting women guests to share their personal stories of challenge and triumph to inform and inspire their listeners. The podcast also features guests who have played a significant role in honoring women and their place in the world by serving as promoters, sponsors, and coaches to the many women in their personal and professional lives.

Join Holly and Kristin as they hear how their guests navigate the world of career aspirations, life, love, and family. Get advice from successful women who have figured out their own version of "secret sauce" to create the life they love.

Holly believes the world needs the best leaders it can build; those who demonstrate integrity, empathy, humility, vision, positivity, and confidence. This type of leader brings out the best in others and delivers outstanding results. Holly feels we need everyone to perform at 100% to making our world a better place. Holly's experience in leadership, executive coaching, and talent development is the foundation of her career. She has helped bright and motivated leaders become the very best versions of themselves. Through direct feedback, reflection, experimentation, and honest conversation, she will push you to excel at what you were called to do. Holly is especially committed to helping women navigate the choppy waters of today's fast-paced workplace and evolving world conditions but works with many different individuals and situations. She welcomes inquiries for leadership and executive coaching and speaking engagements.

Kristin's experiences have led her to the simple conclusion that leadership is simple - maybe not always easy, but simple.  Her work supporting leaders in finding their voices inspired her to find her own voice in the space of employee experience and leadership development.  She often hears the question that isn't being asked and is skilled at facilitating conversations and building relationships.  She has helped executives lead organizational transformations involving employee engagement, technology, and the new "Future of Work." 

Follow her hashtag #responsibleleadership on social media to learn more about simple things leaders can do to build relationships and have a lasting positive impact.

 

Website:         www.upliftingwomen.net

 

Connect with Holly:

LinkedIn:         https://www.linkedin.com/in/hollyteska

Twitter:           https://twitter.com/HollyTeska

Facebook:       https://www.facebook.com/holly.teska

Instagram:      https://instagram.com/HollyTeska

Personal

Website:         www.hollyteska.com

Email:              holly@upliftingwomen.net

 

Connect with Kristin:

LinkedIn:         https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-strunk

Twitter:           https://twitter.com/leadadvisor

Facebook:       https://www.facebook.com/kristin.t.strunk

Instagram:      https://instagram.com/ktuttlestrunk

Personal

Website:         https://regentleadershipgroup.com/

Email:              kristin@upliftingwomen.net