This chic certainly has it going on!! JaQuanna is the fab and fierce mother of 2, full-time worker and an entrepreneur. She wears many hats and wears them well. I had the awesome pleasure of chatting with her about her family, her business and what’s next. Let’s dive in….
LM: Hey JaQuanna. Thanks so much for allowing me to feature you. Tell us a little about yourself.
JC: My name is JaQuanna Smith Clark. I am 34 years old with two children, ages 10 & 8. I have been employed with the Federal Government for 11 years now. I enjoy family time, cooking and listening to music.
LM: Tell us about your business(s).
LM: How did you get started with Pasta 4 All Occasions?
JC: Pasta 4 All Occasions started unexpectedly. I would always make pasta for my friends’ events or parties. One of my friends had a karaoke birthday party in which I made pasta. A few days later I received an inbox from someone at the party inquiring about the price of a pasta pan for her birthday. I had never thought about selling the pasta but that’s how it all got started and kind of went from there.
LM: What are some of your favorite dishes?
JC: Some of my favorite dishes are the chicken & broccoli Alfredo and the lasagna rolls that I will be adding to the menu effective January 2019.
LM: What’s been your largest party?
JC: The largest party that I’ve cooked for was a family reunion this past summer which consisted of about 300 people
LM: When you hear the word “family” what comes to mind?
JC: When I hear the word “family”, my children, come to mind.
LM: How important is family to your business and career?
JC: My children mean the world to me and I have to balance time between my business, my career and my kids to ensure that I’m giving them just as much time.
LM: What do you do in your leisure time?
JC: In my leisure time I enjoy time with my friends…..conversing over drinks and food.
LM: Self-care is very important. What are some rituals you do for self-care?
JC: Self-care is very important and for me when I look good…..I feel good. I make sure to take time out to purchase something nice for myself and get my hair done every now and then.
LM: As women, we sometimes have so much going on. How important is your mental health to you? What things do you do to preserve your mental health?
JC: Mental health is very important and I make sure to discuss anything that I’m feeling and to not keep emotions bottled in.
LM: Name 3 influential people in your life and why.
JC: My mother, my cousin Yolanda Dixon and my small circle of friends. My mother because she is the type of woman I inspire to be like. My cousin Yolanda because I’ve watched her through her fitness journey and
LM: Share something that no one may know about you or that very few people know.
JC: Something that people may not know is that I’m actually a very timid and shy person around people that I don’t know and big crowds make me nervous.
LM: What’s your biggest fear?
JC: My biggest fear is failing my children and being a disappointment to them. My role as a mother is the biggest title that I have.
LM: Give me 3 words, good or bad, to describe you.
JC: 3 words that describe me are caring, supportive and generous. I will go out of my way to help others.
LM: They sa
JC: My theme song would have to be “All I Do Is Win” by DJ Khaled because failure is not an option.
LM: Do you have an alter ego? If so, what’s her name?
JC: I wouldn’t necessarily say I have an alter ego but there is definitely a difference between “JaQuanna” and “Quan”
LM: What’s next for you?
JC: What’s next for JaQuanna……..Whatever God has in store for me. I’m following his lead.
LM: How do we connect with you?
JC: I could be reached on Facebook: @Pasta4AllOccasions or by email at Pasta4AllOccasions@gmail.com
LM: Thanks again for chatting with us and we will certainly catch up with you in the future.