Spice Entrepreneur Seeks Guidance from SCORE with Scaling

Yemisi Anderson started her seasoning business as a result of prayer.

Anderson, owner of The JAY Effect, wanted to create a less salty seasoning option that she and her husband, James, could use in everyday cooking, as well as for their catering business.

“We love feeding people,” Yemisi said. “That’s a thing that we genuinely enjoy.”

The overwhelming positive response from the couple’s catering customers cemented the foundation for The JAY Effect, which Yemisi founded in February 2021.

“We literally bought 60 bottles our first go,” she said. “Those sold out by the end of live launch. We’ve been reinvesting back to the company since then. It turned out to be more than I thought it would be.”

The Andersons use the kitchen at their church to make their five seasonings – original, Cajun, seafood, garlic and herb, and taco – which they sell online, as well as at five Carbondale-area natural health-focused grocery stores, markets, and vendor events.

Last year Yemisi reached out to SCORE, a nationwide nonprofit supporting small businesses, to discuss scaling the business.

“We’re not quite a big factory yet but we’re outgrowing what we’re doing. What does it look like to manufacture our product?” Yemisi said, adding that she sought resources for equipment and spacing. “How do I get to those next steps?”

SCORE mentor David Langley of the St. Louis, Mo. chapter, discussed with Yemisi her revenue gains, which had doubled year-over-year. The two also talked about the possibility of her products being sold in Kroger or other national grocery chains.

Soon after Yemisi began meeting with Langley, she was chosen to participate in SCORE’s 60th Anniversary Pitch Competition. More than 2,200 small businesses applied to compete in five pitch events. Contestants were pared down to 60 contenders who presented their pitch live before panels of judges. Yemisi was one of 45 finalists.

Langley said he was “glad to hear that Yemisi made the pitch contest finals.”

For Yemisi, who, along with her husband has been “bootstrapping” the business, pitching before a live audience and fellow entrepreneurs was an incredible opportunity.

“I’m learning a lot of this stuff along the way,” Yemisi said of running a business. “It really helped me think about my business in a different way.”

Looking ahead, the mother of three young boys hopes to continue growing The JAY Effect. Right now, the seasonings have been sold in 48 of the 50 states in the U.S. In addition to increasing sales, she wants to encourage healthier eating habits, starting with better options for consumers.

“I’m hoping to get more people to be mindful about what they’re eating,” Yemisi said. “We’ve got to be more careful about what we’re putting in our bodies and buy more things that are good for you.”

To learn more about SCORE, request a mentor or volunteer to be one, visit score.org.

About SCORE

Since 1964, SCORE has helped more than 17 million entrepreneurs start, grow, or successfully exit a business. SCORE's 10,000 volunteers provide free, expert mentoring, resources, and education in all 50 U.S. states and territories. Visit SCORE at score.org.