We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Grace Mitchell-Jenkins a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Grace, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How do you feel about asking friends and family to support your business? What’s appropriate, what’s not? Where do you draw the line?

I have a huge community of family and friends that support me. I’m truly grateful for them taking a chance on me to provide service for many celebrations. They were there for me when I first started out, telling their friends about me. Word of mouth really goes a long way. As a business owner I make it clear of my policies and my pricing. I’ve had a few hiccups, but majority have respected me as a business woman and not just their niece, daughter, cousin, and friend.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Grace and I am the owner of AmazingGraceCupcakery. I am a home based Baker in DC. I started my business in 2020 during the pandemic. At the time I couldn’t find a job so I created one. It has always been my plan to have my own business, just after graduating from Culinary School. Things don’t always work out as you plan so I started earlier than expected, still in school. I have the skills from school. I have my Associates Degree in Baking & Pastry. I do birthday cakes, cupcakes, fruit cakes, pies, loafs, cake sickles, and cookies. I’m adding new things to my menu everyday. Since starting out I have catered for 2 award ceremonies, a bridal shower, meetings, student art show, etc. I’m very proud of everything I have accomplished. It’s rewarding to see your dream turn into reality. The main thing I would like potential clients to know is, if you don’t see something you want on my website, just talk to me and I’ll do it for you. I want to make their event special. In school we learn that being in this industry you have to make your clients see that you care just as much as they do about their event. It is my job to do everything I can to make my clients feel at ease that they picked the right person to make their day special. My end goal is to have a food truck. That way I can travel throughout the DMV serving desserts to so many people.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

March 2020, I was a freshman in Culinary School, Lackawanna College. I was coming home for Spring Break not knowing the world was going to shut down in a few weeks. It was a very difficult time for me. I tried to find a job but many places wanted a degree or wasn’t responding back to me. I then decided why not start my business now? Why wait? So I got my name Trademarked and began my journey. I posted on my socials, made a Instagram page dedicated to my name, I told my family and friends about it, I was a busy person. Even though it seemed like everywhere I looked I kept getting blocked, I did not let that stop me. I had a dream.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I had to learn to stop doubting myself. This is my first business so it was scary thinking about starting something new. I had a lot of fear that I wouldn’t be successful or people wouldn’t want to buy from me. Fear will always creep up on you when you’re doing something new and then you start to doubt if you’re even capable of doing it. I had to really sit myself down and talk myself out of the doubts that were developing. I put my trust in myself and God. He set me on the path so that I could learn what I needed to in school. He put it in my head for me to start my business now, rather than later. I had to unlearn the negative thinking about ‘what if’ and start saying “Yes, this is new, but I can do it.” “Yes, I’ve never ran a business before, but there are books about it I can read.” “No, I’ve never done this kind of cake the client is asking for, but let me find a recipe and watch videos on YouTube to prepare myself.” I can do anything I put my mind to because I’m a Baker and this is my dream.”

Contact Info:

• Website: www.amazinggracecupcakery.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amazinggracecupcakeryy/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100035382472209&mibextid=LQQJ4d