Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Kok.
Hi Jennifer, 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?
My entrepreneurial journey started in a way that doesn’t make sense on paper but made perfect sense in my heart. I left a comfortable corporate job, complete with benefits, a company car, and a clear career path to buy a bakery franchise called Cookies by Design because I craved freedom and flexibility for me and my family. Two days later, I delivered my second daughter. My husband picked us up from the hospital, and the very next day, she and I went to work building a business together.
Those early years were chaotic and beautiful. I didn’t come from a family of entrepreneurs. I was a mom with a newborn on my hip, a 3 year old at home and was figuring things out as I went. Over the next 20 years, I faced nearly every challenge a small business owner could imagine: recessions, staff turnover, cash flow crises, pivots, and long seasons of grit. I also learned the power of reinvention.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
When the recession hit, I recognized a shift in my market and created a new brand, Cupcake by Design, which I later franchised.
There were mountaintop moments and deep valley moments, like the day I got the call that my employees’ paychecks had bounced while my family and I were driving to vacation. Those moments humbled me and ultimately transformed me into a stronger, smarter leader. I learned to understand my numbers, protect my profit, and build systems that sustained my business rather than drained me.
Twenty years after opening my doors, I sold my business, debt-free and for a profit, to my manager. It was one of the most emotional and proudest moments of my life.
As you know, we’re big fans of Next Wave Business Coaching. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Today, I use everything I learned from the wins, the setbacks, the pivots, and the “figure-it-out-as-you-go” moments to help women entrepreneurs build profitable, sustainable businesses through my Earn More, Stress Less™ Framework. I’m passionate about teaching women the real-world strategies that aren’t taught in business school: how to price for profit, say no to distractions, understand cash flow, adapt when challenges arise, and surround themselves with the right support.Every day, I speak with small business owners who are:
• Working long hours
• Wearing every hat
• Paying themselves far less than they deserve
• Wanting more stability for their business and their families
And here’s the good news: with the right structure, their results shift, fast.
📈 342% increase in net profit
📉 COGS reduced by 11.5%
📈 Revenue up 37%
💰 Cash reserves rebuilt
But the real transformation is what happens behind the scenes:
“I feel focused and motivated again.”
“I finally know exactly what to do.”
“I feel hopeful about the future of my business.”
“I’m showing up as the CEO, not just surviving as the doer.”
I specialize in helping women service-based business owners double their profits without doubling their hours or stress.
If you’re ready to scale with clarity, there are three ways I support business owners:
1️⃣ Business Breakthrough Session (½-day)
2️⃣ Fractional CEO – Monthly advising and strategic oversight
3️⃣ Business Accelerator Hybrid – Group experience with personalized 1:1 support
This work is highly collaborative, and fit matters – for both you and me.
If you’d like to explore what working together could look like, send me a message and we’ll set up a time to talk.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I love my podcast: Main Street Success Stories that shares the real life behind small business owners.
I follow Rachel Wortman podcast Wisdoms Table who shares how to make God the CEO of your business
I love my friend Shaina Lane book Leadership is Easy said no one ever and a staple I share with my clients who are managing teams
Contact Info:
- Website: https://nextwavebusinesscoaching.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextwavewithjen/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nextwavewithjen
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferowenskok
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu6BXohwpSKMXSS0A6cBhbw
- Other: https://nextwavebusinesscoaching.com/podcast
