AS a client insight analyst at JMMB, Monique Parker spends her days analysing data, uncovering trends and helping stakeholders make informed decisions. Outside of work, however, she can often be found doing something entirely different: Baking cakes and pastries for family, friends and a growing list of customers through her passion project, Baked by Parker.

At first glance, analytics and baking may seem worlds apart. One is associated with numbers and dashboards, the other with creativity and artistic expression. However, Parker has discovered they have more in common than most people realise: Both require problem-solving, precision, patience and a willingness to trust the process.

Coincidentally, neither path was part of her original plan. For years, Parker envisioned a future in actuarial science, but during an internship with JMMB’s Client Insights team, she discovered a different way of working with data, one that combined analysis, business strategy and critical thinking. As part of the application process for the role, she recalls being given a dataset and asked to create a dashboard, something she had never done before. Undeterred, she taught herself the basics, downloaded new software, watched tutorials, and completed the task. “I was doing something completely brand new and I realised I actually really liked it,” she recalls. “It’s how my brain works. I like solving problems.”

The experience sparked a passion she hadn’t anticipated and eventually led her to pursue a master’s degree in applied data science. “Sometimes your plans don’t work out how you envision them,” she says. “But that doesn’t mean you don’t end up where you’re meant to be.”

That philosophy would prove true once again when she unexpectedly discovered a love for baking. Growing up, Parker had little interest in spending time in the kitchen. Her baking journey began after she developed a craving for a pumpkin spice cream cheese muffin she had purchased at a Starbucks airport location while travelling in 2019. Unable to find it locally, she decided to make it herself. After finding a recipe online and baking it from scratch, she was hooked. “I made it and it was really good,” she recalls. “I really enjoyed it and thought, ‘I want to do this again’. And I just kept doing it.”

One of Monique Parker’s proudest baking achievements, this baby shower cake challenged her to experiment with new decorating techniques and a more intricate design.

What started as a personal challenge quickly became a passion. New baking tools and supplies began filling her home, while countless hours were spent learning techniques through online tutorials and experimenting with recipes. Today, she creates cakes for birthdays, graduations, baby showers and other special occasions. Her best friend of 15 years, Shania Austin, says Parker’s baked goods are “highly addictive”, adding that “her talent and passion definitely shine through her baking. Both presentation and taste are 10/10”.

While many people see baking as purely creative, Parker believes her analytical background has played an important role in her success. “Baking is actually very technical,” she explains. “You have to adjust measurements, temperatures and baking times, depending on what you’re making. There are a lot of technical elements to it.”

The similarities between baking and data analysis are part of what she enjoys most. Both require patience, precision and a willingness to learn through trial and error. In both cases, small adjustments can make a significant difference in the final result.

So, baking complements the analytical work she does each day, allowing her to pair technical precision with creative expression. “It gives me the chance to slow down and enjoy the process,” she says. “You’re still using those technical skills, but you’re also able to be creative.”

These handcrafted cupcakes earned rave reviews when Monique Parker shared them with team members at JMMB. The overwhelmingly positive feedback gave her the confidence to take her baking more seriously, marking an important step in the journey that would eventually become Baked by Parker.

Like many aspiring entrepreneurs, Parker admits that self-doubt has been one of her biggest challenges. A self-described perfectionist, she initially hesitated to offer her creations for sale because she wanted everything to be flawless before putting herself out there. Encouragement from family, friends and JMMB team members helped her push past those fears.

One lesson she has learned along the way is that growth often requires action before confidence fully arrives. “Sometimes, you just have to take the leap of faith,” she says. “Things aren’t going to be perfect at first, but you have to give yourself the opportunity to try.”

Looking ahead, Parker hopes to officially establish Baked by Parker while continuing to grow her career at JMMB. Rather than choosing between her profession and her passion, she is focused on building a future that allows space for both.

For those interested in following her baking journey, Parker regularly shares her creations and behind-the-scenes moments on Instagram @bakedbyparkerja.

If her journey has taught her anything, it is that the most rewarding opportunities are sometimes the ones you never planned for. From data analytics to baking and cake decorating, Parker has learned that trusting the process can lead to destinations far better than those originally imagined.