Life & Work with Arlene J. Guffin

Today we’d like to introduce you to Arlene J. Guffin. 

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?

Before Ain’t Yo’ Mama’s Baked Beans became what it is today, it was just a combination of mixed beans put together in a unique and flavorful sauce for church on Family and Friends Sunday service. Folks loved them. I never had to carry any back home. People would make personal requests for me to make it just for them and pay me.

Sunday a young man from church said, “you should sell these beans”. I thought he was crazy and told God I would never become an entrepreneur. I loved my 9 to 5 with benefits! Well, God wouldn’t let me get the thought or picture out of my mind to do the baked beans thing. In 2017, I started selling baked beans in 16 oz mason jars, it didn’t have a name yet, just beans in a jar!

By the end of 2017 beginning of 2018, I was telling the congregation about the product and that’s when the name came, Ain’t Yo’ Mama’s Baked Beans. It just popped out of my mouth. So, I ran with it and haven’t stopped.

Once I got all or most of the ducks in a row, I started selling my baked beans in the Farmer’s Market. People just took to them. Who would have thought, Vegan Baked Beans with flavor? God did and he dropped that seed in the right person, “me”.

In August 2021, I gave up the 9 to 5 with benefits and continued to work the Farmer’s Markets (Winter Garden Farmer’s Market on Saturday 8 am-1 pm and Orlando Farmer’s Market – Lake Eola on Sunday 10 am-3 pm).

In January 2022, God gave me a gift, Chamberlin’s Natural Foods Stores in four locations Orlando, Altamonte Springs, Lake Mary, and Market Place – Dr. Phillips.

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?

The beginning of this new adventure wasn’t a smooth road. It was full of “ROCKS and HOLES”; and some still exist but they’re getting smaller.

First of all, I didn’t know what I was doing and just couldn’t find the right people to help me. I thought I could just do the Cottage thing and make the baked beans at home, nope! Because of certain ingredients, I had to get a Commercial license/permit; and not only, that I could only make them in a Commissary (comma…what?…boy, what a headache). I stayed on the phone calling here and there; put on hold for hours calling certain organizations. Those people made my brain swim in confusion. I also had to be Food Safety Manager Certified. I had no idea all these requirements and more went into cooking food and selling it to the public.

I was able to rise above the challenges and obtain everything needed to birth to life the vision of Ain’t Yo’ Mama’s Baked Beans.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?

An Artisan that would be more of who I am. I’m able to see inside myself and pull out what I see as I create new recipes. I’ve developed new products, i.e., Pumpkin, Mango or Pear Baked Beans which are now under Ain’t Yo’ Mama’s brand. Nobody is doing this with beans. Everything I’ve created with baked beans has been fun to explore and so exciting.

I didn’t know I had all these creative juices in me, pouring out when I’m in the kitchen until now.

There is a phrase I grew up hearing while watching old movies, “Life of a starving Artist”. Here’s my interpretation of what that means. I am not starving but who I am and the money earned goes back into the business in order for it to develop and grow. My work as an Artisan is not a job and it is not about earning money, but it is for me to fulfill the calling that God has for my life. I am at peace with what I’m doing now, whereas before, the 9 to 5 with benefits stressed me out.

Every day I thank God for giving me this new freedom and peace of mind.

What are your plans for the future?

I wish Orlando had brick-and-mortar buildings here like in New York or other big cities where you can live above your restaurant or storefront. I have visualized having my own commercial kitchen making my beans with all kinds of crazy ingredients and selling them to baked bean lovers from everywhere. No longer having to rent out someone else’s space.

I’ve pictured myself coming down from my upstairs home to my big commercial chef kitchen with a store (got a name for it,” Ain’t Yo’ Mama’s Baked Beans – The Store”) at whatever time of night/early morning to bring that crazy idea from inside of me to the pans, “Beaning a taste of diversity to your table”, that’s my motto.

With God, the day is soon coming when everything He has shown me will come to being because this is His vision. For I am a seed sower, and it’s time for the harvest.

I promised God that if he partners with me on this vision, I will not let it go to the grave without doing all that I can to make every ounce of His vision come to pass. So far, things are happening. I just pray I can keep up…LOL

I will continue to pursue new markets as The Lord guides me…because “I never wanted to be an entrepreneur”.

Contact Info:

• Email: aintyomamasbakedbeans@gmail.com
• Website: https://aintyomamasbakedbeans.com/
• Instagram: @aintyomamasbakedbeans
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arlene.guffin/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/ain-t-yo-mama-s-baked-beans-winter-garden-2