Meet Keosha Griffiths: Owner/Baker & College Advisor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Keosha Griffiths and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Keosha, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Risk taking has played such a large part of who I am in both my life and my career. I would say the biggest risk I’ve taken so far, has been moving out of the state of California. I moved out of California in August 2012 to start my Graduate degree work at The University of San Antonio. I moved to San Antonio, knowing precisely 4 people in the city and starting graduate school work. Oh yeah, and I did not have a job at the time. I’m not sure if it was a leap of faith, a quarter life crisis or just a part of taking a huge risk. I was not sure if I would succeed in my graduate school work. I was not sure if I would find a job. If I would even like San Antonio, having only lived in California my whole life. And I look back now, so appreciative of myself for taking that risk. Sometimes we are so used to something, that the thought of taking a risk – is enough to stop us from even starting the steps to take that risk. However, I have learned that if you do not try, you’ll never know what you can do. After graduating with my master’s degree, I fearlessly took a job Upstate New York upon graduating. After that, I took a job in New Orleans – having never visited the university or heard about it, but knew that if anything – I wouldn’t know if I didn’t like if I did not try. I think about my life that way and Im appreciative of myself for continuing to take those leaps, and step out of faith. When I think about the risks I’ve taken with Osha’s Kitchen – that was all on faith. I wouldn’t even call it a risk. I was not sure if I would do well. If people would like my products. If I was entering into a saturated field. There is a whole aisle dedicated to cookies in Target, so why would someone want to order from Osha’s Kitchen? But before I stopped myself from talking myself out of it – I told myself, I wouldn’t know unless I actually took that risk and stepped out on faith. I did, and I have for the past two years been stepping into every risk – into every instance of faith, ready for what is to happen. Most recently, I decided to start a subscription box. Thinking to myself, who doesn’t want cookies on demand every month? Was I concerned that no one was interested? Absolutely. Was I concerned that no one would sign up? Yes. I had set a goal that by the end of the January, I hoped to have at least 10 subscribers for our Very Important Cookie Cookie, and by January 30th – I had all 10 subscribers. I think to myself, If I had let those fears of failure really talk to me – I would have failed before I began, and then I would have never known how awesome this VIC would have turned out. So when I think about risk, there truly is no risk – with no reward – as cliche as that sounds. And in this case, the reward is always sweet.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
In my professional career, I work as an Academic College Advisor supporting students through their upper division and Honors Thesis coursework. As a First Generation Student, I have always had a passion in supporting student to and through their college education, which is why I earned a graduate degree in Higher Education administration. I am most proud about starting my doctoral studies in getting a Doctorates in Higher Education, as I will be the first person in my family to receive all three degrees. The road to education was not an easy one. As I said, I was the first person in my family to attend a 4 year university, and it was so daunting and confusing at first. Many of my friends had family to assist them with their journey but I had to ‘kind of’ figure it out along the way. When I became a Resident Assistant during my junior year of undergraduate studies, I realized all of the resources that were available to students and really fell in love with Student Affairs. I went on to join Lambda Sigma Gamma Sorority, Inc, and join multiple clubs on campus. I overcame my challenges by reminding myself why I was there in the first place. I was there to find a community, myself but also to get an education. I had to remind myself often that I was not only counting on me to finish, but my village was also there to support me and counting on me to finish. I say village, because it was just not friends, but also family who were there supporting me. Along the way, and still to this day – I remember and tell my student often that it is alright to ask for help. If I don’t know the answer, we will work together to find the right answer and find a solution that works best for them. Closed mouths do not get fed, and sometimes we assume that the issue will go away if we just don’t talk about it – but it hinders us, then and in the future. I’ve taken this with me as my personal and professional brand because if I did not tell people that I was starting a baking business, no one would have known that I was starting it. If I did not ask for help, guidance of advice, I would not be where I am today. It truly takes a village in anything that you do, which is something that I’ve continued to remind myself in everything that I do. When it comes to supporting students, supporting my business and other businesses because I know what it feels like when you fear that you’re going to fail. But with a village, friends and support – you can do anything. Even if they’re strangers, your village has your back! Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My shout-out goes to my Best Friend, Vianca Tirado. We’ve been friends since we were 8 years old and she has always supported every crazy idea that I have ever had. Even where I have moved out of California. When it comes to Osha’s Kitchen, she has always been in my corner being the first person I told that I wanted to start a baking company and she said DO IT! It was her fiancee’s suggestion of starting a cookie subscription, and I kept putting it off and when I told her I was actually doing it – I could feel the excitement and support through the phone. She has always been in my corner and I want to give her a shout out. She also is a yoga instructor in the LA area. She’s awesome and is one of the biggest Yogi’s that I know.

Website: www.Oshaskitchen.com

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