Building dreams, One stir at a time

Dear Saucy Family,

There’s something I’ve been reflecting on a lot lately—and I felt it was time to share it with you. This journey—building The Saucy African—has been one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.

I say that not because I doubt its purpose, or because I don’t love it deeply (because I do), but because no one ever really tells you how lonely entrepreneurship can feel—especially when you’re the first in your circle to step out and try.

The joy that sneaks in, often when I least expect it.

There’s no playbook when you’re balancing a demanding full-time job and trying to create something meaningful from scratch. There are nights when sleep feels like a luxury, when the to-do list feels like a mountain, and when the wins feel fleeting because there’s always more to build.

There have been moments I’ve questioned myself. Moments I’ve wondered, Is this really going to work? Moments I’ve felt behind, tired, and even afraid.

But here’s the part I didn’t expect: the joy that sneaks in, often when I least expect it.It shows up when I watch someone taste our sauce and light up.It shows up when a customer says, “This made cooking so easy—thank you.”

It shows up when I step back and realize that something that once lived only in my heart and prayers… is now on shelves, in homes, on plates. That joy? It’s the fuel that keeps me going.

So if you’re also in the middle of building something from the ground up—whether it’s a dream, a family, a career, or all of the above—I want you to know this:

It’s okay to feel stretched.

It’s okay to feel like you’re learning everything as you go.

It’s okay to carry both exhaustion and purpose at the same time.

Keep going.

You’re not alone.

And the joy? It’s coming.

Thanks for being part of this journey with me. Truly.

Every order, every message, every share—it matters more than you know.

 

With gratitude and sauce,

Dr. Janet