Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Pallitto.
Hi Jessica, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
After completing my forensic psychology degree in 2008, I initially planned to work for the FBI. However, during my fieldwork, I was exposed to the results of severely disturbed criminals. This kind of trauma wasn’t something I was comfortable having as part of my future.
After I graduated Jonh Jay College of Criminal Justice of NY, NY, I was given the opportunity to re-evaluate my future goals and in the process of that I started to make and design cakes for fun in my NJ home. My first cake was my sister’s birthday cake and my family soon started asking me to make their cakes. It became a word-of-mouth business and I was busy! I decided to make it official and started a small home baking business. I named it “A sweet Discovery” because I discovered that I had a knack for designing sweets and cakes.
Fast forward to 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the world stopped coming together and celebrating events, which put me in a tight position as I was, now, living in a one bedroom apartment in the Pocono Mountains. I soon wouldn’t be able to afford living there if this continued. I went into survival mode. If anybody knows Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, your most basic need is sustenance and shelter. Once again, I had to re-evaluate, where my future was going and I figured if I had anything , I would be okay as long as I had a roof over my head and nourshing food to eat. So, I sat down one day and wrote out what I wanted my next five years to look like. I titled my dream as “The farming project”. Every single day , three times a day for 6 months , I wrote down the details of my project over and over again, being more and more specific about how I wanted it look, praying to god that the universe would present me opportunities to fulfill this. During the pandemic, many of us were concerned about the quality and scarcity of our food. so I decided I was going to find a home and grow clean food while trying to earn an income by doing it.
I started first with shelter. As I was researching mortgages and applying for them, due to the pandemic, no one was promised consistent income. So the banks were not giving out mortgages, no matter how good your credit was. I had to put the house on the back burner until I could figure out what to do. The next thing on my list was to grow food and if I were to do it properly, I needed to know absolutely everything on how to do it. I researched the best schools for agriculture and applied for a student loan. I applied for a graduate program called regenerative organic agriculture.This study teaches you how to regenerate your land without chemicals so that you can continuously grow clean food. I got the loan, got accepted into the program and started chipping away at my plan.
A few months later I got a letter in the mail from the company I have a retirement plan with and because of COVID I was offered an opportunity to take money out without repayment or penalties. This was a part of the COVID relief act. I realized this was the universe handing me my ticket to finding shelter and to start completing the rest of this plan.
I was back to finding a home! I looked from PA to Virginia, over to Arkansas, up to Maine and down to florida. Looking within the specifications of the land I needed and my budget, the search narrowed in to a little town called fair Bluff, North Carolina. Before i decided on the Fair Bluff home, my realtor sold me on the big plans Fair Bluff had to rebuild after two devastating floods.
During my first year there, I started baking for local Christmas bizarre’s and passing out free samples to the community service members, to get out about my craft. This is how I made ends meet while fulfilling my promise to myself. Once word got out I was soon invited to join the fair bluff chamber of commerce. I was told that the new building had an incredble deal for first bidders on a space. I was asked if I was interested in opening a bakery. I started to realize once again the universe was handing me an opportunity to move forward with my farmer’s market project. However, people weren’t coming to me for my eggs and produce. They were coming to me for my baked goods, and this town desperately needed a good cup of coffee. So, I shifted my vision to a bakery/cafe that features and uses local produce in it dishes. I named it A Sweet Discovery Marketing and Cafe’.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Running this business has been nothing short of excruciating but incredibly rewarding. I’ve never run a brick and morter business before so I’ve learned absolutely everything by trial and error. The biggest struggle is learning how to balance work and home life. Everything in my life is riding on the success of this dream, so I often overwork myself by 60 hour or so lol. I think my longest week was 106 hours lol.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I’m the owner/mother of this little bakery and cafe’. I’m so proud to be a part of a community rebuilding after such devastation. Our shop offers a cozy space to gather and enjoy homemade goodies with clean ingredients. Theres beautiful foliage hanging from the ceiling, jazz music playing, a fireplace to warm you up on those cold days.
As of August we’ve been open for one year and have expanded our operation in house, twice! We now even make NY style pizza on Fridays.
From the best lattes, coffee, breakfast and lunch sandwiches, soups and pizza to custom desinger cakes, french pastries, cookies and fresh baked bread daily, A Sweet Discovery Market and Cafe’ caters to everyone!
We have an apothecary section for those interested in natural healing as well! Come in to sit in our cozy nook area next to the fireplace with a Hot Cocoa that was made from scratch!
What matters most to you?
What matters most to me is that I help Fair Bluff rise up again. Since only one person can’t move mountains, I hope that this shop creates joy that ripples throughout the world in one way or another.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://asweetdiscovery.com
- Instagram: a_sweet_discovery
- Facebook: @asweetdiscovery0
- Other: https://maps.app.goo.gl/BbeqpeaXd15wsCX96
Image Credits
Jessica Pallitto
