“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Nora Jalal, a UNCG Freshman and Business Administration major looked to this Confucius quote for inspiration and motivation when she started her own business Yo Momma Stacks, a Wilson-based food truck that serves up tasty desserts like waffle sticks and brownie sundaes.
Jalal and her sister Sandy love making desserts together. Early last year they saw a TikTok video of someone making delicious looking mini-pancakes, and it sparked an idea–they could turn their passion for desserts into a career. Even though Jalal would soon have a full college course load, she and her sister knew they had an opportunity to capitalize on that passion, so they got to work conceptualizing their idea.
Perseverance Was Key to Success
Becoming an entrepreneur isn’t easy. “In the beginning, it was difficult to get certifications and licensing because we were new to it and didn’t always know the right steps to take, but we believed in it and persevered,” says Jalal, who celebrated the one-year anniversary of Yo Momma Stacks in July. After all, “Life is 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent how you react to it,” said Jalal, who lives by these words from Charles Swindoll.
Jalal’s sister Sandy manages operations at their brick-and-mortar storefront while Jalal is the primary operator of the food truck. Every Thursday she drives more than two hours from the Greensboro campus to Wilson. She spends Friday and Saturday operating the food truck for events and regular business hours, returning to campus Sunday to prepare for Monday classes.
While most people would find this schedule daunting, Jalal doesn’t. When it comes to schoolwork, she tries to get ahead early in the week, so she doesn’t worry while working the weekend food truck shift. She finds it easy to juggle the truck, her coursework, and her social life at UNCG because she’s a self-proclaimed “person who enjoys always having something to do.”
Active in The Local + Virtual Community
Yo Momma Stacks is a staple in the Wilson community, and customers enjoy seeing the truck at local events such as town fairs and markets, as well as birthday parties, church events, block parties and fundraisers. Jalal built a prolific social media presence where she updates business hours and truck location.
Yo Mamma Stack’s social media feed is full of images of Jalal’s delectable creations and updates about specials and new menu items. Online reviews rave about the waffle sticks and mini pancakes with fresh toppings and friendly service.
Yo Momma Stacks Hopes to Make UNCG Debut
UNCG classes have been in session for less than two months, but Jalal raves about her UNCG experience. She loves the diversity of the school and feels at home with the campus and professors.
Jalal hopes to bring her food truck to UNCG campus soon. She hopes to introduce her business to the university where she is elevating her business skills. When Jalal graduates from UNCG, customers should expect to see an expanded menu and more trucks in North Carolina and beyond.
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Story by Leah Thompson, AMBCopy
Photography provided by Nora Jalal
