Meet The Donut LAdy

I believe that donuts promote community, conversation, and connection. The best thing about donuts is the ability to share them with those sitting around your table.

I am a Clovis native and love living here. I always have. But this story really begins when I was just 15 years old. My mother worked at Daylight Donuts and the owner, Matt, needed additional help on the weekends. This is where my journey starts. 

Rising early each Saturday to serve up the fresh baked donuts to our community became my norm. The Saturday morning rush, which starts very early, enabled me to learn how to hustle and hit the ground running (yes, even at 6:00 am on a Saturday!). And when the doors opened each weekend, I noticed that I had the opportunity to help make each customer’s day a little sweeter, not only in fulfilling their donut order, but through a kind word or simple conversation. I immediately fell in love with that aspect of the job — caring for our customers. 

I continued to work at Daylight Donuts throughout high school and into my early adulthood. During that time, Matt and I joked about how I would own Daylight Donuts someday. But this story doesn’t end there.

I decided to take some time off when I had my children. I have four: Lucas (21), Conner (19), Timmy (11), and Elora (13). They are my greatest joy. And I have such an affinity for children. This calling to motherhood and discovery of my love for kids led me to apply for a Children’s Ministry Director position at the age of 28 with my church. I was selected for the position and for three years I had the privilege of lesson planning, volunteer scheduling, teaching and caring for babies and children in our church community. From Saturday mornings of serving baked sweetness to Daylight Donuts customers, to Sunday mornings of stewarding the next generation in the Lord — weekend work is where I’ve always found fulfillment. 

During the season of Children’s Ministry, while I was so happy and grateful of where God placed me, I would fondly remember those mornings filled with hustle at Daylight Donuts. Before anyone else was there… as I waited for the doors to open to greet that first customer with a smile. And then it clicked. I understood that it's the aspect of relationships that I love most. That is where my joy is found. In caring for my people. After the wonderful years of working in the church, I chose to step down to pursue the dream that began in me when I was only 15 years old. I wanted to buy Daylight Donuts. 

As you can see, we're about more than donuts. We're about caring for our community well, instilling confidence in our team members, and creating moments of devotion and delight in Clovis.

Matt was still the owner, and at the time I approached him to buy it, he mentioned that three other individuals had approached him that same year inquiring to buy the location. While he had no intention of selling or desire to do so — when I asked — he decided I was the right person to carry on what he had built for the past 30 years. Daylight Donuts is truly a longstanding legacy in our community and that’s because of Matt. 

When I asked him why he decided to sell Daylight Donuts to me, he noted that it was my love of people, my knowledge of the foundations of the business, and that he believed in me. 

It’s been five years since and I am forever grateful for Matt’s believing in me. I work everyday to instill that sense of genuine care for my staff. Everyone needs someone to believe in them. It can truly change a life. Today, I get to do just that and care for people, my customers, and now my staff — day in and day out.