Developing Negatives Into Positives: Jay Flowers

deshaywilliams3
Jun 7
2 min read

Tuesday, June 17

7:00 a.m.

Spark Thomasville Executive Director

The sweet, aroma of fresh-baked bread still lingers in Jay Flowers’ memory—an anchor from his days driving Flowers Bakery bread trucks.

A professional portrait of Jay Flowers, a Spark Thomasville board member and entrepreneur, wearing a red bow tie. — Jay Flowers: From bread trucks to boardrooms, his journey fuels Thomasville’s entrepreneurial spark.

That clatter-clang of bakery machinery, the squeak of delivery van doors, and the gritty feel of flour-dusted hands taught him a lifelong lesson: business thrives on interdependence.

Today, as a Spark Thomasville board member and serial entrepreneur, Jay channels those early lessons into empowering underestimated entrepreneurs who, like bakers and truck drivers, form the backbone of our community’s economy.

A Lifetime of Granular Wisdom

Born in a family of hardworking Thomasville entrepreneurs, Jay’s first venture—Flowers Photography—blossomed in a high school darkroom.

“I took photos of houses, dogs, whatever people needed,” he laughs, recalling the click of his shutter and the chemical tang of developing film.

His journey through bakeries, bread trucks, and boardrooms revealed a truth Spark champions: “The person sweeping floors matters as much as the CEO.”

“If the floor isn’t clean, mold invades. If trucks break down, bread doesn’t move,” Jay explains.

This granular respect for every business layer mirrors Spark’s mission to help entrepreneurs systematize passions into sustainable ventures.

The Spark Epiphany: From Skeptic to Believer

Jay initially doubted Spark’s viability in Thomasville. “I thought, ‘We’ll never get five people to care,’” he admits.

But Harry T. Jones’ vision—and the sizzle of Climmie Mosley’s ribs at Spark’s first cohort—changed his mind.

“The room hummed with pride,” Jay recalls. “These weren’t just dreamers—they were resilient builders nurturing their side hustles into legacies.”

Aligned Values: Why Jay Invests

Interdependence Over Charity: Just as bakeries rely on truckers and cleaners, Spark connects entrepreneurs to trusted mentors and affordable capital—systemic support Jay calls “the yeast that makes businesses rise.”
Legacy Building: His company, CORE Rewards, thrives on incentivizing partnerships—a philosophy matching Spark’s focus on generational wealth over quick fixes.
Grit as Currency: “Spark graduates aren’t ‘hobbyists’—they’re Teddy Roosevelt’s ‘Arena Fighters,’” Jay says. “They’ve traded side hustles for sustainable work that feeds families and fuels pride.”

Why Thomasville Needs More Jay Flowers

Economic Ecosystem: Like bakery roles interlocking, Spark ensures entrepreneurs’ success uplifts entire neighborhoods rich in culture.
Asset-Based Growth: Jay champions Spark’s model of “fanning sparks” rather than “fixing deficits”—a mindset that’s helped increase minority business ownership in Thomas County.
Legacy: From the crunch of a bread truck’s gravel path to the sizzle of H&M BBQ’s ribs, Jay’s story proves local businesses create communities worth savoring.