Today we’d like to introduce you to Jaimie Baptista.
Hi Jaimie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Our whole story started in October 2006 when my husband and I started dating at the ripe ages of 18 & 16. We both had met while working in a Portuguese bakery. Our lives and personalities couldn’t have been more different but yet opposites attract. We had goals of going to college and beginning our careers together but nothing could of gotten us ready for the surprise we had in store. This surprise was our daughter Rylee who was born when I was just 21 and my husband was 19. We had to put our careers aside and work on raising her the best we could. My husband started working in tugboat at this time which keeps him away from his family half of each year. He eventually worked his way up from deckhand to captain over many years and through Alot of hard work. While my daughter was a toddler, we bought our first home together which was a cute little 1904 cottage. This home had to be completely torn apart on the inside and rebuilt which we had done ourselves. It was the perfect start for us. Through all of these phases I held many different positions and tried many different jobs all of which weren’t the right fit for me. I had always felt that needed a creative outlet which is what lead to my love of baking! I started my own baking business from home making cakes and cupcakes which I loved. Life was going so much different than we had envisioned but to me it was perfect. Within all that perfection always has to be a curve ball and I certainly got one I didn’t expect. I had gotten some news regarding medical issues that I was going to have to overcome. We didn’t let it stop us or slow us down. We then decided that marriage was the next step in our journey. We got married in September of 2013 and it was a beautiful fall day in New England. Our journey then took us in another direction and we sold our first home and bought a second home! This house also would soon be completely remodeled by us as well. During the process of moving to our new home we had also given birth to our second child, a baby boy named Carter. At that point our life felt complete. We then lived in that home for 7 years before we made a split decision that we needed a big change. That day we called our agent and put our house on the market and decided to move to Florida. It was a scary idea moving away from the only place we had ever known as home but we did it anyway and took the chance. Turns out, it was an amazing decision as we love Saint Augustine. We now reside in the world golf village area which is also the area that we service with the coffee trailer. We go around to different communities each day of the week and love meeting all of our neighboring communities. The coffee trailer has truly been a leap of faith and I’ve been enjoying every minute of it. Deja Brew was all started when I found a 1958 camper on marketplace, and had a vision of what it could look like. My amazing husband then put my plan into action and built the whole thing from the ground up. The trailer is very retro themed and we plan on keeping that theme when we eventually expand into a brick and mortar. We would love to open a storefront in the world golf village area as we feel there is a need for a good bakery and coffee shop. No matter which direction life takes us, whether it be the business, or just life in general, we will do it together with a smile on our faces. Life is never promised so you should always follow your dreams and take a chance because you never know what could happen.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has not always been easy for us. The biggest struggles we have faced has been getting our name out there and getting people to notice us. It was definitely slow to start up but has ramped up over time.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Deja brew is a craft espresso trailer and we also serve pastries. We are known for our extensive flavor menu and unique flavor combinations. I’m mostly proud of the community that we have built and how kind and friendly everyone is!
What were you like growing up?
Growing up was not an easy road for me as my family presented a lot of challenges in my day to day life. As I grew I knew that I wanted to take a completely different path than my family and make sure that I lived a life I was proud of.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dejabrewfl.com
- Instagram: Dejabrewcoffee904
- Facebook: Dejabrewcoffee
