We recently had the chance to connect with Rhonda Jones and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Rhonda, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I’m not naturally a morning person, so I ease into the day with intention. The first thing I do is sip on my protein coffee while practicing French on Duolingo—this wakes up both my body and my mind. From there, I review my to-do list to set clear priorities and make sure I’m focused on what matters most. Finally, I tackle any pressing emails so I can move into the rest of my day with a clear head and a sense of direction.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a solopreneur based in Durham, NC, where I run Chez Moi Bakery, my home-based specialty bakery best known for its signature Brown Sugar Vanilla Rum Cake—featured nationally on PBS’s A Few Great Bakeries. What began as a hobby back in 2005 turned into my full-time passion in 2015, when I took a leap of faith and left my career to pursue baking full-time. That makes this year an extra-special milestone: 20 years since I started and 10 years since I became fully dedicated to the business.
Over the years, Chez Moi has grown beyond the kitchen table. I’ve baked for coffee shops, restaurants, and specialty food stores throughout my area, while also serving retail customers through local pickup, local delivery, and nationwide shipping. For 7 years, I even operated a dessert food truck, bringing sweet moments directly to the community.
Today, I’m focused on exploring new sides of the food industry—expanding my product lines, creating digital offerings, and developing new ways to share the joy of dessert. What makes Chez Moi special is that it’s not just about cakes—it’s about celebrating milestones, creating memories, and living what I like to call the DessertLife—#NoSharingRequired.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who taught you the most about work?
The person who taught me the most about work is my dad. He was a true entrepreneur at heart—someone who could sell absolutely anything and had the creativity and self-sufficiency to run his own businesses. Beyond that, he was multi-talented: he sang, wrote poetry and played musical instruments, showing me that work and creativity can go hand in hand. Watching him, I learned the value of a strong work ethic, resilience and the confidence to carve out your own path. His example continues to inspire me in how I approach both my business and my life.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Many times, yes. In 2000, I was in a major car accident that crushed a bone in my ankle. Over the years that followed, I went through multiple surgeries, including a full ankle replacement at the age of 37. Each time a surgery came up, I had to set my business aside to focus on healing. But each time, when I was able to return, the business came back stronger.
That experience taught me that setbacks don’t have to be the end—they can be a reset. Even with the challenges of living with an ankle replacement, I’ve been able to achieve things I once thought impossible, like running a dessert food truck for seven years. It reminded me that perseverance, passion and faith can carry you through almost anything.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My closest friends would say that what really matters to me is creating joy and connection through my work and my relationships. They know I care deeply about family, community and building something meaningful that reflects who I am. They’d probably also say I’m passionate about desserts—not just baking them, but using them as a way to celebrate milestones, tell stories and bring people together. At the core, they’d tell you I value creativity, perseverance and leaving a positive impact wherever I can.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
Definitely what I was born to do! I truly believe this business found me as much as I found it. The spark began after a cruise to Grand Cayman and Cozumel, where I brought home a little too much Cruzan rum and started experimenting in the kitchen. Baking had always been part of my life—I grew up baking with my mom on Saturday mornings and even started with an EZ Bake Oven. A beloved family friend, ‘Grandma Hagans,’ used to make rum cake for me, and those flavors and memories stayed with me.
Along the way, I’ve been blessed with incredible opportunities, wonderful relationships, and even a few unexplainable moments of grace that helped shape Chez Moi into what it is today. What I was told to do was follow a traditional path—go to college, get a degree and build a career. I studied French because I thought I might become an interpreter. But life had other plans, and my steps were ordered. Looking back, I couldn’t have written a better story for myself—it feels like exactly what I was meant to do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.iloverumcake.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ChezMoiBakery
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chezmoibakery/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChezMoiBakery
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/chez-moi-bakery-durham
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/chezmoibakery
