We recently connected with Jacaira Crockett and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Jacaira thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you have a hero? What have you learned from them?
Hello! Thank you for taking the time to learn a little about my story! My hero is my father, Juan Heredia. He came to this country as an immigrant and landed himself in Lowell Massachusetts, where I was born and raised. My father has pushed and supported me in any decisions i’ve made wether it be good or bad. This man has showed me what the true definition of hard-work is. Giving up was not an option. He always had me find alternative solutions to tough situations and had my back if things didn’t go as planned. My dad has always been committed to putting his family first while providing the most comfortable life he could for us with what he had. For those reasons, my father is my hero!
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
Absolutely! I’m Jacaira Crockett born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. I currently reside in Clarksville Tennessee due to my husband being in the military. I’m a woman of many talents! Aside from cooking, I enjoy home decorating, crafts, singing, acting, dancing, modeling clothing for boutiques, being a mom and wife. I started cooking for family and friends in Boston, which then turned into cooking in North Carolina and now in Tennessee! Im known as the Empanada Mama! I make all types of empanadas sweet&savory and sell them to the amazing people in the community! I feel what makes my business stand out is my authenticity. Im Puerto Rican& Dominican and there aren’t many people who sell food of this culture in the area. I offer food that caters to every race. My food has lots of flavor and most importantly made with love & passion ! I started this small home business because I’m a stay at home mom trying to figure out how to provide for my family, while still enjoying my time with my child& serving the community! My product quickly blew up! My first week cooking in clarksville, I made a total of 300 empanadas! Thats when I knew this was something special! Im beyond proud of the products I put out and I’m always finding ways to make my product better than before!
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
The best source of new clients has been my social media page, Empanada Mama! I always have clients post reviews and definitely spreads through word of mouth! Im also apart of different social groups in the area which allows me to share my home based cooking. I always remember to take photos of my product and post anywhere and everywhere I can! Make sure to put yourself out there even if it makes you uncomfortable , you never know who’s watching!
How did you build your audience on social media?
First, I started with creating my personal business page making sure it was public. I send it to over 1000 people on my friends list. I made sure people shared as well as liked the page and pictures to gain page attraction. I had to keep people engaged in product or what was to come with new ideas I had. Join groups that have big followings in the community! I started with posting my stuff in the clarksville food and surrounding areas where they support home cooks. From there, I joined the “Girl with a Business” & “The Women Empowerment of Clarksville” other big platforms to showcase my work! Also connecting with other home cooks to help spread the word on your business! All it takes is a review! Make sure you out do yourself because your your biggest advocate! Don’t allow anyone to let you feel less than! We are all capable of being great! Ask for help guidance and assistance if you need it! One person may say no, but youll have that one special someone to say yes!
Contact Info:
- Facebook: Empanada Mama
- Other: Tik-tok @jacairacrockett Facebook- Jacaira Crockett
Image Credits
Deanna Phillips- DeMarie photography