We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ashley Huren-johnson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ashley below.

Ashley, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What did your parents do right?

From an early age, my parents instilled in me that I could be anything and could do anything I desired to do. They, along with my village, exposed me to travel and new experiences and enrolled me in a lot of community programming that pushed me beyond my comfort zone.

Looking back, I’m grateful that they encouraged me to take risks, put myself out there unapologetically, and embrace the unknown – even when it felt uncomfortable and intimidating.

Many would describe me as an extrovert, but networking and stepping into unfamiliar spaces hasn’t always been easy. It is something I have had to practice since childhood, continuously overcoming my fear and refining my ability to connect with others and navigate new opportunities.

This mindset has been invaluable in my entrepreneurship journey. Just like life, business is full of uncertainty – you can’t always predict the highs and lows, but you can control how you show up and react during those times.

Passion fuels resilience for me and this journey is about embracing challenges, taking risks, and meeting incredible people along the way who inspire and support you. I am deeply grateful for the network I built and will continue to build. I look forward to continuing to grow, learn and so pay that love and support forward.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Ashley Huren-Johnson, MBA and I was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I have built my professional career as a digital marketer, consultant, and freelancer – but my passion lies in baking. I am the owner of Brie and Mac Confections, an online bakery based in Milwaukee, specializing in French-inspired macarons. I am the mother of three beautiful children that I share with my wonderful husband, Eric. At my core, I am an autism advocate, coffee enthusiast, a proud member of the “Beyhive”, and someone who finds joy in traveling, gardening, eating delicious food, and giving back to my community. I started my online bakery business in 2019, and it is one of the things that I am most proud of.

The idea from Brie and Mac Confections came from my obsession and love of macarons! As a college graduation gift, I visited France and I fell in love with them there. I was captivated by the delicate nature and colorful assortment – each one with its very own unique look and flavor. You never know what you are going to get when you bite into a pretty crisp-yet chewy meringue shell, with a surprise filling. It felt like edible artistry!

When I returned home, I was determined to recreate that magic. But as I started researching, I quickly learned that macarons were notoriously difficult to master – even for experienced bakers. I instantly felt discouraged and intimidated.

In 2018, I finally worked up the courage to learn how to make them. I studied techniques, developed traditional recipes, tweaked them to add unique flavors (like Sweet Potato Pie), and attempted over 30+ failed batches before I made what I thought was the perfect macaron.

Sidebar: The failed batches are simply what the macaron baking society considers to be lopsided or “imperfect” macarons – that still taste amazing and can be repurposed and sprinkled on top of ice cream if you are looking for an instant treat. As a macaron connoisseur, I honestly appreciate the imperfections of “failed” macarons as it gives them character and personality.

During the pandemic, as I navigated the challenges of motherhood and postpartum anxiety and depression, I began to pursue my passion of baking macarons for self-care. I tested out my recipes and I offered them to my family, friends, coworkers, and community members. So many people told me that they had either never heard of macarons, never had one, and that they certainly have never had one from a women-led, black-owned business. As word began to spread, that’s when I realized that my passion could be something bigger.

As a work-from-home mom, I knew that it wouldn’t be easy but I had the unwavering support of my husband and loved ones. I developed a business name and brand in 2019, right after the birth of my son. I came up with the name Brie and Mac Confections – a tribute to my children. “Mac” for my daughter, Mackenzie, and “Brie” a nod to the French cheese) to replace my son’s nickname, which is “Cheese”. On my birthday in April of 2020, my husband surprised me and connected with a local designer in Milwaukee and set me up to co-design my professional logo, a tangible acknowledgment that I had a gift and it was a push to take my dream seriously. And with that, Brie and Mac Confections was officially born. That encouragement, combined with my desire to introduce communities to a new, elevated dessert experience, led to the birth of Brie and Mac Confections.

Looking back, the most powerful marketing tool has been organic word-of-mouth – people talking about my macarons in spaces that I haven’t entered yet. That kind of support is invaluable and goes a long way. Representation matters for so many reasons and this has been a reminder for me that anything is possible when you believe in your dreams, embrace the person that you are today (because you are who you need to be in this moment), and push forward despite your fears. My drive to learn and succeed at baking outweighed the fear of things not working out. I am learning as I go and granting myself a lot of grace along the way.

I hope to inspire others to embrace self-taught skills and to take on creative challenges (check out my easy foolproof 5-ingredient macarons if you dare try to create these pretty finicky treats – https://www.brieandmac.com/recipes/easy-5-ingredient-macarons)

Right now, I’m a one-woman show but I have big plans for the future, I would like to expand my team and launch virtual and in-person macaron baking classes for adults and children. What’s New For Brie and Mac Confections in 2025? This year I’m excited to debut nut-free and sugar-free macarons for all of my dessert lovers who may have a nut allergy or looking for a healthier dessert option. I also want to expand my menu to include other French-inspired bakery treats like chocolate-covered nuts, pretzels, madeleines, and more.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

The two books that I would recommend are:

Professional Troublemaker – The Fear-Fighter Manual by Luvvie Ajayi Jones
Build the Damn Thing: How to Start a Successful Business If You’re Not a Rich White Guy by Kathryn Finney

The idea is not to be fearless but to move forward despite scary and unknown things. You can’t make progress or learn what works or what doesn’t work without starting. We all have a gift to share with the world and someone somewhere is waiting for you to start so that they can feel seen, relate, and find community. My advice for all self-taught bakers is that with continued practice of trial and error your craft can become better over time. Do scary things, stay driven, and keep focused on achieving your dreams. Don’t wait for a system that isn’t built for you, to let you in. Break down the door, create your path, and begin that startup that you’ve been thinking about, today. This is your sign to do it!

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

In 2014, while I was in graduate school I was suddenly hospitalized for a month and diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (Lupus) and Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia Purpura (TTP) a rare disorder of the blood coagulation system. I was told that I could not have children and that my life would look drastically different from what I had imagined.

In 2019, I gave birth to my first child and it completely changed my outlook on the future that I had accepted for myself in 2014. I had nothing but faith that the things that I dreamed for myself could come true.

Shortly after I gave birth, I learned that my son was born with Microphthalmia, a rare eye condition that can cause vision loss and blindness. We learned that only one of his eyes was affected and that he had great vision in one of his eyes that would allow him to see well. Then at about 20 months, he was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder which was crushing for my husband, because we didn’t know what that meant for his future. He was completely non-verbal up until the age of about 3 ½, when he randomly blurted out the word “One”. Watching him overcome obstacles and thrive has given us so much hope and we know that with love and support, he will be okay. Three years later at the age of six, he can now say “macaron” and can spell “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”. We are all so inspired by his resilience.

I share all of that because in 2014, I didn’t know what my life held for me but I couldn’t have predicted that I would be where I am in this moment. That motivation has inspired me to continuously evolve my business goals and take Brie and Mac Confections to the next level! Stay tuned!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.brieandmac.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/BrieandMac/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrieandMac/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@brieandmac?_t=8qlVhNuh7Z0&_r=1

Image Credits

Headshots and Professional Photography – Amanda Evans Photography
Food Photography – Ashley Huren-Johnson