At 17, Nicole White decided to enter the U.S. Army. As she wasn’t the legal age of 18, her mother had to help her by signing the waiver for her to join. Baker didn’t know when she enlisted that the terrorist attacks of 9/11 were right around the corner. But without blinking, she kept her word to enlist.
“Joining the Army was an opportunity presented to me one day while walking to the grocery store. I was getting ready to start my senior year of high school. I signed up on August 24, 2001. My enlistment was two weeks before 9-11. After knowing all this, I still knew it was the best option for me and would be an opportunity to do something great for my county,” said White
She became a Quartermaster, responsible for providing military units with the necessities to perform everyday duties. While stationed at Fort Jackson with the 58th Transportation Battalion, Alpha Company, she was fast-tracked and promoted for high performance. She then transferred to the Headquarters unit as the Battalion Supply Clerk. Before being sent to Non-Commissioned Officer’s School, she received orders to Korea. While in Korea, she worked as the supply clerk in the 316th Cavalry Unit, which became the Battalion Armor shortly after.
So how did she go from quartermaster to baker?
“I wanted to contribute to the family holiday potluck and decided to make my favorite dessert, Cheesecake. It was a hit, but most importantly, it was therapeutic, fulfilling, and satisfied my sweet tooth.”
Using her military training, she built her business.
“Serving in the Army is one of my greatest accomplishments. During the time spent serving, I was instilled with seven Army Core Values; Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage,” she said.
“These values are at the core of everything in my life. Applying them to my business helps me provide my customers with excellent service, allowing me to grow a reputable company within my community. The leadership skills I developed in the service significantly affected my leadership position within a Facebook Bakers Group, too,” she added.
From her time in the Army to Nicole the Sweet Bee, White says it’s a blessing to see the joy on people’s faces in her community.
“I hope to continue to live by being impactful in doing what I love,” she says.
