Esther Jackson
Esther Jackson is the Owner and Baker of Thornberry’s Bakery, a third-generation bakery rooted in Shepherdsville, Kentucky, with more than 30 years of professional experience in baking, cake decorating, and full-scale bakery operations. Her family’s baking legacy began in 1954 with her grandfather, who built the business from the ground up, and was later carried forward by her uncle in 1971. Today, Esther serves as the third-generation owner, continuing a deeply established tradition of craftsmanship, quality, and community trust, while her daughter represents the fourth generation committed to preserving the family legacy.
Throughout her career, Esther has built and sustained a strong reputation across Louisville and surrounding areas, with her bakery especially known for its signature pies, which remain the number one seller. She currently operates the business independently, managing all aspects of production and customer service while working seven days a week and often dedicating around 80 hours weekly. Her leadership reflects both endurance and pride in maintaining a family business that has served the community for decades.
In addition to preserving tradition, Esther is actively working to expand Thornberry’s Bakery by reintroducing legacy products such as the famous hams that once defined the bakery’s larger historic operation on 3rd Street, where the business operated with multiple ovens and a full staff. She is also expanding into deli offerings and building partnerships with local businesses to increase accessibility. Committed to sustainable pricing and honest communication, Esther values her loyal customer base and remains transparent about the realities of running a small, independently operated business while continuing to protect and grow her family’s legacy.
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to having a backbone and sticking to my guns. I learned not to let anybody tell me I can't do something. When my husband tried to stop me from continuing the bakery after we went into debt years ago, I kept going anyway because I didn't want my daughter thinking that's how men treat women. I brought the bakery to my house for 10 years just to prove I could do it. I also credit my amazing customer base who shows up when I need them. I'm honest with them about what's happening, what I've got, what I can and can't do, and they understand. They tell me to breathe and put family first. I don't lie to them, I tell them straight out, and they appreciate that honesty. And I have to mention Jane, my social media manager since 2016, who has protected me and my online presence at all costs. She's kept people from trying to take over my social media and has earned every penny I pay her.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don't undersell yourself. Make sure you're doing your cost analysis, times it by at least 3, and get your money. At the beginning, underselling yourself to get your name out there is okay, but stop doing it after the first year. My family had a name, so I shouldn't have even done it, but I did. Get with somebody to mentor you, somebody like me that has a name and can tell you these things and get your confidence up, but not so far up that you want to overprice yourself. You have to know your customer base. If you're in the south end of Louisville, you can't charge what the east end charges. The east end can upcharge and people will pay it, but the south end cannot do that. I've seen people get greedy right after the 6-month mark and try to gouge customers, and it doesn't work. I worked with somebody who wanted to charge $42 a dozen for cookies when the cost analysis said $12 a dozen was right, and she went out of business because of her greed.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge in the bakery industry right now is the decline in family size and changing demographics. My uncle warned me years ago that our customer base was shrinking because people aren't having children like they used to. When my grandfather was in business, Catholic families had 10 to 13 kids. My uncle's generation had families with 6 to 12 kids. Now people are gay, career-oriented, or have 1.5 kids per family, and he said it's going to die off. He was right. We also have too many commercial coffee houses taking over cookies and baked goods. People don't need whole pies anymore when there's only one or two people in their family. They don't want an 8-slice pie, but they also don't want to pay $5 for a 3-inch individual pie, even though that's what it costs us to make. Yet they'll go to a restaurant and pay $7 to $12 for a slice of cheesecake, which astounds me. Customers want everything we used to offer when we had 20 people on staff and 6 double-stack ovens, but I'm one person and they're asking the impossible.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The most important values to me are family, honesty, and integrity. I will do anything for my son, my daughter, my grandchildren, and my husband. When my son calls and asks me to take one of the kids to the doctor or pick them up from school, I drive 30 miles to go get whoever needs me. Family comes first, and my customer base understands that. When my brother was in the hospital dying, I told my customers straight out that I was going to see him, and they said family first. I'm also committed to honesty in my business. I don't lie to my customers. I tell them straight out what's happening, what's going on, what I've got today, what I don't have today, and if I can't do something. They appreciate that transparency and tell me to just breathe. I've also learned to have integrity in my pricing and not let people take advantage of me anymore. I'm done underselling myself and letting greedy people profit from my work while I do all the labor.