Meet Janayah Davis | Entrepreneur & Baker

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

Hi Janayah, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA and I’m the middle of 3 girls. Coming from a large family I was always surrounded by Aunt/Uncles and tons of cousins who lived close by. I come from a family of entrepreneurs (within their own craft) so it’s safe to say being a creative and business woman is in my DNA. My great grandmother owned a local grocery shop in North Philadelphia, which became a neighborhood favorite for the kids in search of candy! My Nana worked as a professional barber and cut hair not only for her 3 boys but for a host of family and friends in the community as well; on top of working a full time job in human service. My father owned/operated a multitude of businesses that ranged from a local sports bar/lounge in Philadelphia to creating a roadside safety kit called “AutoScape.” My Uncle curated his own local construction business and I have several family members in the real estate business as well as other avenues of entrepreneurship.

Entrepreneurship is in my bloodline. It’s safe to say, I’ve been around business all my life; it just took some time for me to tap into the business world and create my own lane. Growing up I lived directly around the corner from my Aunt Francis and she sparked my love for cake. Whenever I visited my Aunt Francis she either had a freshly baked pound cake cooling on the counter and or her famous strawberry cake ( it was SOOO good, it melted in your mouth! ). Aunt Francis already knew what I wanted as soon as I walked through the door and as soon I got to the dining room table she already had the cake sliced up ready for us to enjoy. While enjoying her delicious cake recipes I also had the opportunity to chatting about life and the importance of following your dreams. My Aunt Francis worked as a full-time nurse while raising her family and baking was always a passionate hobby of hers. Watching the duality of how she balances her work life/ family life/ and host of hobbies she was passionate about showed me; it’s possible to have and be ANYTHING you want to be.

Those moments of visiting my aunt Francis; developing my love for cake combined with the examples of entrepreneurship modeled by some of my family members ; that is what created BatterUp. The City of Philadelphia is filled with a natural energy of hustlers/go getters & most importantly; creatives. Growing up in the city of brotherly love (Philly) you learn to take risk but most importantly just DO IT! When I think about my brand and where I am today I have to pay homage to the entrepreneurs in my family that came before me and sparked the flame and my hometown of Philadelphia for igniting the fire needed to continue elevating the brand. 

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
When I think about my brand and what I’m most proud of I instantly think of the resiliency of BatterUp. Like most entrepreneurs my journey had many twist and turns. When I decided to take the leap of faith into entrepreneurship in 2013 I had no idea the level of tenacity needed to truly succeed; I just knew I was going to do whatever it took to be the best in the lane I was creating for myself. It wasn’t easy and the journey of entrepreneurship comes with many obstacles.

Within the 10+ years of business I’ve relocated states several times, I became a single mom to a beautiful baby boy, I
re-enrolled into school to obtain my masters degree all while still maintaining a 9-5 in human service `working as a case manager for individuals with mental/physical disabilities. . Through it all I was still determined to put in the work and make my dreams a reality. No matter what city I relocated to I was able to connect with the right people and resources and utilize my new surroundings to market and re-brand the business to gain new clientele. Each city helped BatterUp grow in a multitude of ways and the clientele list and business opportunities continued to elevate. I’ve been able to serve and network with a multitude of brands trailblazing within their communities; U.S. Vice President as well as local Politicians,
Radio DJ’s & Media Host as well as Grammy Award winning singers/musicians. Through it all I was able to recognize how powerful it is to have built a resilient brand & most importantly just how far you can go when you believe in yourself!

I’m looking forward to seeing how the brand continues to evolve and elevate in every opportunity meant for me and BatterUp. I’m looking forward to watching the seeds planted bloom into fruition in aid of building generational wealth.
I’m looking forward to continuing to create and build a brand that will be passed down to generations to come.
I want the world to know that we’re just getting started & haven’t even touched the surface of what we’re capable of.
Hence why you should get to know BatterUp; a brand dedicated to making your event a Hit!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If I had a friend visiting me in the city (Philadelphia) our schedule would be filled with dope food spots, bomb cocktails and creative events and adventure that curate the ultimate Philly vibe!

First things first, we’re hitting one of my favorite brunch spots in the city “Green Eggs Cafe” and yes, its BYOB so of course we’re bringing our champagne because what’s brunch without mimosas!? Then we’ll need to catch a vibe on the waterfront so it’s only right to head down Delaware ave and visit Penn’s Landing….it’s a Philly staple and during the summer….a whole vibe with tons of food and drinks, musical performances, water sport activities, amusement park games, food truck row etc… the vibes are endless!

I’m sure we would’ve worked up an appetite doing all of that walking in old-city so its only right to head down to south Philly to make sure my friend visiting has the BEST pizza/cheesesteak Philly has to offer so its only right to head to a personal favorite of mine; Angelos Pizzeria. THEY DON’T MISS. EVER.

If we’re lucky we’ll be able to catch the Black Boy/ Black Girl Art show hosted at the MQ factory. Who doesn’t like being surrounded by dope art and creatives while also having the opportunity to shop with some amazing entrepreneurs!?

Then we would definitely hit up a 6-Eight event preferably U + ME + R*B curated by Philly creative, Nas H. where we would have the opportunity to reminisce and sing our hearts out to 90s & 2000’s R&B while catching a vibe with their special musical guests! THIS EVENT IS ALWAYS A VIBE.

Oh and we would definitely have to hit up sunset social, stratus lounge or Attico rooftop for some dope views of the city while enjoying some festive cocktails and a dope Philly DJ.

Why stop the party there when we can hop on a double decker bus for a Philly Mural Arts Tour…
Philly is infused with so many great artist. This tour is a dope way to check out the creatives while paying home-age to a city that turned pain into beauty. The murals throughout Philly tell a story worth 1000 words…it’s only right to check it out during your visit to the city.

With the weather heating up and mother nature doing her thing we would definitely get some take out from one of the best Italian spots in the city ( Gnooci, Prunella or Tulip Pasta & Wine Bar) and have a picnic in Bartram’s Garden. Not only is it a Philly staple but the vibes, energy and scenery is one of a kind!

You can’t come to Philly and go home empty handed so its only right we check out black owned business Sweet Dreams candle club and make a signature candle to take home commemorating a dope ass weekend in Philly! Of course candle making would end with a bomb brunch at Blondie in Manayunk…Talk about a super dope/creative menu!!! We’re going to Blondie without a question and we’re ordering the mimosa tower.

That’s the beauty of my city; there’s so much do, so many creatives to meet and so many unique experiences waiting for you. It’s just a matter of stepping out of your comfort zone, taking risk, and most importantly being open to receive all the positive vibes the city is waiting to pour back into you….we don’t call it the City of Brotherly Love for nothing… you just have to give us a chance!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
When I think of a person who deserves a little more credit and extra recognition when it comes to BatterUp I instantly think of my sister; Jonisa-Niani Davis. My sister has been by my side since I took the leap of faith into entrepreneurship and created BatterUp during my senior year of college in 2013 . Niani has gone above and beyond not only as a sister but a team member too! From handling admin work and responding to countless emails, DM’s, & social media marketing; to running errands to buy more supplies, making cake deliveries, helping to prep large orders, assisting with photoshoots & content creation, traveling and helping with pop-up shops and special events, the list goes on; she’s done it all! So THANK YOU Niani for being a staple in the foundation of BatterUp. A special shoutout to my family, and soul tribe for loving me, encouraging me & most importantly supporting my dream. Last but certainly not least an extra special shoutout to all of my customers and long time clientele! Y’all come from all over and range From Philly & the
Tri-State Area (Phila, Jersey, Delaware) to the DMV, and Hampton Roads Area (VA), Florida, ATL, Texas and Cali.
BatterUp wouldn’t have made it 10+ years and survived a pandemic if it weren’t for all of YOU!
Thank you for trusting me to make your event a HIT & most importantly thank you for believing in me and my dreams!

Website: Www.BatterUp.shop

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/batterup.shop/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BatterUpShop/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@gottaluvus6673

Image Credits
@iamsagewebb Photographer 📧|SageWebb01@gmail.com