We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ashley McRae a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Ashley , thanks for joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
Growing up I was the family baker. Even my friends and there friends and family will come to me and ask for baked goods for birthday parties to family cookouts you can count on me to always bring the dessert! Covid took a big impact on the world no only was I bored during Covid like everyone else but I started to think of ways that I can make money without having to depend on my 9-5 job. That’s when I started Inviting Delectables it was around Valentine’s Day and a friend of mine came to me and asked if I can make chocolate covered strawberries for his girlfriend and that kind of spread the word about me in my neighborhood because ordered for chocolate covered strawberries started coming up then we expanded into the cake and cookie world and I love it here I love making cakes it’s very therapeutic I’m always in my zone I love baking!
Ashley , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’m 32 years old from East Harlem. Not only am a a baker but I’m also a mom to a little boy named Jonas he’s my everything! One thing that I want everyone to know about me and my business is that right now I’m still nuilfkng my clientele but my main focus is to be a wedding cake designer that is my top goal. I know because I bake everyone wants me to open up a cake shop (right now I am home based) but honestly I would just love to have a cake studio where I can work and do cake tastings (appointments only) and maybe have certain days where I have desserts for sale but right now I’m more focused on having a cake studio with wedding cake displays especially in East Harlem.
Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?
Right now I fund my business it’s best to know money management for any type of business. So when I make a cake for $300 I do not profit the full amount some of that money has to be put back into the business. And money management is one thing that slot if shall business owners have a hard time understanding just as I did. Also it’s best to have business credit cards.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I had to learn to not take it personal when it comes to family and friends it may have started with them but as you go further in your business and expand you loose family and friends and that’s ok.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.invitingdelectables.com
- Instagram: @i.dbyash
- Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC5VP-3EO6GgmPbrmi5nOn0g
- Other: Tik tok @ I.dbyash
Image Credits
Images by me (Ashley McRae)