Today we’d like to introduce you to Charlotte Sika.
Charlotte, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I came to the U.S. as an international student at the end of 2019 and completed my MBA (with concentrations in Data Science and International Business) from Oral Roberts University by April 2022.
By May 2022, I moved to Texas for work as a business systems analyst, and 6 months after that, I was caught up in the wave of layoffs happening at the time.
As I searched for a new job, I was faced not just with the reality of an unfavorable labor market but the restrictions of my international status. I went through the recruitment process for several companies, and at the final lap got comments such as “We do not offer sponsorship for this role,” “We are not sure how your application got through the system…it was meant to be filtered out from the start”, etc. This all happened even though I never hid my status in applications. Perhaps, the filters needed to be adjusted to spare me the trouble.
With my newly acquired free time, and as I waited for the next opportunity, I started to volunteer with a friend in Oklahoma on a startup. Product development was her forte, and business development was mine, and I had nothing better to do. Two weeks and several 10-hour volunteer days later, she made me partner! Yay!
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
One reality I have been faced with as an international is the governmental restriction on my ability to be a value-adding member of society. Small businesses are the heart and soul of the economy. We, entrepreneurs, keep things moving. However, I not only have to think about the rigors of this journey but I also am encumbered with staying in status, which looks like juggling our growing new business with getting re-enrolled in school at a full-course load and paying tens of thousands of dollars for an additional degree that I could have put towards our business. That, to say the least, has been hard.
Another ‘bump’ in the road is not one I would have expected. Growing pains. We call this our ‘chicken and egg situation.’ We have been so blessed with a lot of new opportunities that we cannot seize unless we increase our production capacity. Yet, increasing our production capacity before taking hold of these opportunities could be risky. It has also been an experience creating systems and structures for our business that would enable it to scale and eventually run without our day-to-day involvement. We have been navigating this with help from our SCORE mentors, family & friends, and our local chamber of commerce. We have been so pleasantly surprised by how loving and resourceful our community has been. Their support has been everything.
Learning how to do life with my business partner has also been an integral part of this journey. She has been a joy to work with, and so I would not call it a struggle. However, going into business with a friend and navigating the new relationship dynamics, getting to know each other in ways you never had before, and winning together while protecting your friendship is not a course for the faint of heart. I feel really blessed to do this with her.
As you know, we’re big fans of Not Just Bread. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
Our customers know us as the “bread ladies.” For us, this is high praise as we want to be known for what we are experts in bread. We currently specialize in sweet breads, which include classics such as banana, pumpkin, lemon bread, all made with clean and wholesome ingredients. We flex our creative muscles with loaf flavors such as strawberry and zucchini, all the while creating a variety of products that remind people of home.
Home. This is not a brand message we chose but one that chose us. When people tasted our breads in varying contexts, they would often say it reminded them of something a mother figure would make. It reminded them of home.
Considering the demographics of the United States, we realize that the concept of home – for an increasing number of people – extends beyond the borders of the US. As immigrants studying in Oklahoma, and with bread being a staple of every culture, we want to create products that encapsulate the feeling of home – wherever that may be.
Success on this path enables us to champion causes that we care about, one of which is recidivism. Our hope is to create opportunities for previously incarcerated people to re-enter society as value-adding members. Research shows that engaging in honest work builds self-esteem and reduces their likelihood of repeating the same offenses. We believe that this effort will not only directly impact their lives in a very direct and tangible way, but it would also be of benefit to society at large.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk-taking.
For us, risk-taking is the norm. Embarking on this path was a risk. Staying the course and shutting the door to paid employment opportunities is a risk. Investing the formative years of our careers as masters-level educated professionals to make bread is a risk. Thinking that with eggs, flour, and sugar, we can make a difference in our society is a risk.
However, meaningful life and fulfilling work typically have a lot of risks involved. So, every day, we wake up, trust in the Lord and do the next right thing.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notjustbread.co/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/notjustbread
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/notjustbread/
