From Struggling Musician to BBQ Entrepreneur: The Jank Journey

By Lamar Jones, Founder & CEO of The Jank Gourmet BBQ Sauce

The Journey Nobody Expected

I'm a musician who fell into the gourmet barbecue sauce business. If you had told me fifteen years ago that I'd be standing in H-E-B stores across Texas, Walmart, and partnering with major universities with my own line of BBQ sauces, I would have laughed. But here's the thing about entrepreneurship: sometimes the best journeys are the ones you never planned.

My story begins in 2008, when I moved to the Rio Grande Valley after performing at a local concert. I was a struggling artist living with my brother from another mother, Shawn Elliot, in a tiny one-bedroom apartment with no refrigerator and no stove. We slept on the floor. We had little money and lived on the tightest budget imaginable. We ate the same cheap meals over and over again until I finally got tired of it.

I was born in Camden, New Jersey, but I grew up in South Florida. Little Haiti, Miami and then Hollywood, Florida. I was surrounded by great food and women who could cook. I'd always been a kitchen dabbler, tinkering with store-bought barbecue sauces, adding ingredients, improvising. So in that tiny apartment, out of necessity and a little creativity, I started experimenting. I wasn't trying to build a business. I was just trying to make our cheap meals taste better.

When I started making barbecue sauce, I didn't care if anyone liked it. I was doing it for me. It just so happened that people liked it and said it was pretty good.

The Defining Moment: From Kitchen to Commerce

The turning point came when I started asking myself, "What if?" What if I could take this from my kitchen to something bigger? Living in the Valley, I was inspired by the small business owners I saw every day. The guy selling ice cream, another on his bike selling elotes. I thought, "If these people are out here daily selling their products, why can't I make a living bottling this up?"

Before I could take The Jank to market, Shawn and I spent months figuring out what the brand would look like. He helped get The Jank brand off the ground with his ideas and help wherever it was needed. Shawn is very creative and a low key genius, but he won't tell you that. His contributions to building this vision were invaluable.

In 2014, I won the McAllen Chamber of Commerce Innovation Grant. $10,000 that was absolutely life-changing. That grant was validation that I might actually have something that could do well in the market. It wasn't just about the money, it was about someone believing in what I was creating. That moment taught me that sometimes you need external validation to fuel the internal fire.

But the road wasn't smooth. When I first tried to secure business financing, I was turned down for traditional loans because of my low credit score. I had to resort to high-interest loans just to keep things afloat. As The Jank grew faster than anticipated, my credit improved, and I eventually qualified for an SBA loan that helped fuel our expansion. That struggle taught me that obstacles aren't roadblocks. They're detours that sometimes lead to better destinations.

The Philosophy That Drives Everything

My leadership philosophy is built on two cornerstones: service is what we do, and always do good business, no matter what. We just happen to sell great-tasting, healthier gourmet barbecue sauce along the way.

That second principle, always doing good business, has been fundamental to The Jank's success. It means treating people right, honoring commitments, and building relationships based on trust and integrity. It's about showing up with excellence every single time, whether you're dealing with a major retailer or a customer buying their first bottle.

Everything I do with The Jank is about bringing people together and creating a sense of family. It's about belonging and being part of something greater than yourself. That's why we created Jank Nation, not just as a customer base, but as a community. Through our non-profit arm, we focus on social-emotional learning, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship. We provide annual scholarships to graduating seniors because I remember what it felt like to struggle, to wonder if I could make it.

I've learned that worrying never helps the situation. What helps is showing up, doing your best, and trusting that your best will always be enough. My musical background taught me something crucial: every performance is a chance to connect with people, to make them feel something. I bring that same energy to The Jank. Marketing isn't just about selling a product. It's about creating an experience, building relationships, and making people feel like they're part of something special.

Lessons for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Here's what over a decade in business has taught me:

Embrace your ignorance. What got me here was my ignorance in business and the audacity to dream beyond my circumstances. I didn't know all the reasons why it "couldn't" work, so I just went ahead and tried anyway. Sometimes not knowing the obstacles is an advantage because you're brave enough to start.

Your background is your superpower. Being a musician in the BBQ sauce industry sets me apart. My performance skills give me a unique approach to marketing. Whatever your background is, it's not irrelevant. It's your competitive edge.

Stay grounded while reaching high. I still teach at Weslaco East High School as a teacher's aide for special education students. It's still the most rewarding job I have. Success isn't about leaving your values behind. It's about bringing them with you as you grow.

Build a nation, not just a customer base. I created a whole vocabulary around The Jank. Janktafied, photo jankery, janktamonials. This isn't just branding, it's community building. People don't just buy The Jank, they join the Jank Nation. They become part of a family.

Service never gets old. The joy of service motivates me to get up after every obstacle and setback. When you focus on serving others rather than just making money, business becomes about purpose, not just profit.

The Real Recipe for Success

Today, The Jank is in over 270 H-E-B stores across Texas and Mexico, in Walmart, and we've partnered with The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and the University of Texas at El Paso. We plan to strategically partner with other organizations that fit with The Jank Culture. We've been recognized as H-E-B's Supplier Diversity Supplier of the Year. The Pittsburgh Steelers are clients. We've built something that matters.

The Jank has also birthed The Adventures of Sir Jankster, a creative project close to my heart that embodies the spirit of what we're building. That's where the motto "Either you do it, or you do it" comes from. It captures the essence of taking action without excuses.

But the real success? It's the scholarships we give out. It's the financial literacy programs we run. It's knowing that an idea born from necessity in a tiny apartment has grown into something that serves and helps so many people.

My advice to anyone thinking about taking the leap: You either do it, or you do it. There's no trying. There's no waiting for the perfect moment. The perfect moment is when you decide it is.

I started with nothing. No refrigerator, no stove, sleeping on the floor of a one-bedroom apartment. I had an education from South Texas College, a passion for music, a talent for flavors, and the audacity to believe it could work. That's all you really need: belief, passion, and the willingness to serve something greater than yourself.

The return on investment you gain from investing in yourself is priceless. Whether you're making BBQ sauce, writing music, or chasing any other dream, investing in yourself is the Jank. Lamar Jones Founder & CEO The Jank Gourmet BBQ Sauce The Jank Gourmet BBQ Sauce is available at H-E-B stores across Texas, Walmart, and online. For more information about Jank Nation's scholarship and community programs, visit TheJank.com