My career started with Corporate America in the Silicon Valley. I learned many aspects of finance, project management and sales to name a few. However those fields I trained in never became a passion for me. In my heart I loved to bake & entertain. My love for baking came at an early age as our mom was a fabulous homemaker & taught me a lot. My father at thirty-one years of age took the leap to become an entrepreneur. He was the sixth person to open a franchise business called “The French Donut Shoppe” which was a very successful family business. I was never old enough to work there before my Dad sold the shops but I was always fascinated by all the activities surrounding the whole business. My childhood experiences had a tremendous influence on me growing up.

Fast- forward to 2002 as the company I was with was sold and everyone was laid off. I was on to a new venture in life. I then went into the restaurant industry. With my management experience I became the Sales Manager for a large chain restaurant. I was in charge of the “front of the house” with all servers reporting to me. I still couldn’t let go of the passion to do baking on a professional level. In 2006 my husband, Doug, & I moved to the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains. I had been accepted for a management position at a local orchard house.

My husband & family always encouraged me to follow my dreams & utilize the talent given to me. In 2008 we decided to take the leap & start my own bakery business. My husband, the builder that he is, went to work designing & building my bakery above our garage. In July of 2009 I was inspected & licensed by the Dept. of Agriculture to start production. Since we didn’t have a “store front” with foot traffic I baked some of my specialty cakes & started walkin’ & talkin’ to restaurant owners bringing them a taste of the desserts they could expect. My products were well received & I acquired my first restaurant client very quickly. I kept baking and marketing my products to grow my business.

A few years under my belt we decided to participate in local festivals. The crowds were wonderful & we were very busy selling approximately 15 different desserts by the piece. It was absolutely a family affair and we always had so much fun meeting new people & building up my “regular client base” with local & out of town guests that we served at our booth. My parents were of course a big part of my business encouraging me with their love & support. My husband, Doug, is my “rock” with his love & support and business sense. I have always loved to entertain & provide the best “comfort foods” I could possibly make. Creating memories & putting smiles on people’s faces gives me great pleasure. I absolutely love what I do for a living. I attribute my success to all the patrons that support me. Over the years my business has grown to 90% wholesale/10% retail. I continue to grow my client base as I reach my next level in my business & life.