We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Maria Del Carmen Guzman. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Maria Del Carmen below.

Maria Del Carmen, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today The first dollar your business earns is always special and we’d love to hear how your brand made its first dollar of revenue.

My first “real” client, that wasn’t family or a friend contacted me though Instagram, He had requested a Starbucks Frappuccino Cake for his wife’s birthday. He was being creative with the idea since she always enjoys Starbucks. It was very heart warming to see that my little bakery was getting attention. Even though this cake was requested on short notice I challenged myself to finish the cake and deliver it on time. Every year since then, both him and his wife have been ordering very creative custom cakes! Their requests are always sharpening my skills, from hand drawing characters with buttercream to making a 3D Sushi cake! I’ll share the photos the feed your imagination.

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 background and context?

Carmel Cakery is a home-based bakery serving Dallas, TX and the surrounding cities. We create handmade artisan cakes, cookies and pastries specially made for our customers. We only use high quality ingredients to create products that are both lively and flavorful. Our designs are a great way to celebrate special occasions, send a message to a special someone, or indulge yourself to a deliciously fun experience.

Carmel Cakery has traveled far to deliver cakes and cookies. I’m not kidding, I travel from Dallas to Weatherford, Ovilla, and even Valley View! This is one less stress to give a client when they are already planning their event. It can also be intimidating to drive with a delicate cake in the car.

I feel accomplished when I bring my clients ideas to life. Each person is different therefore each cake will always be unique. The final product may be on point but the process of building the cake can be difficult. . There has been times where I’m done with work at 3 a.m. I know I will I keep having late nights decorating cakes but I’m motivated to always give it my best!

When you own a small bakery, often times you’re the only one running it. I’m fortunate enough to have my husband help me with accounting and lets be honest he also helps do the dishes. On my end, I’m the face of the business, the florist, the vendor, the purveyor, marketing management, designer, host, delivery driver who knows what else. Here’s the thing, I’m not complaining, because my hardship is always rewarded through my clients positive reactions.

Can you talk to us about how you funded your business?

When I started my business I already had the basic tools needed for baking cake and cookies. From those very same tools I started selling cakes to family and friends. From there word got around. Every single time I made a sale 100% of it went to the bakery. I was fulling investing my time and my earnings to the bakery. My part time job is what help pay the bills. Little by little my sales where adding up and the bakery was sustaining itself. The bakery was buying its own supplies and a much bigger mixer! Eventually I was able to start paying myself. It has been a long yet fruitful process.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Carmel Cakery is what made me pivot my career. After graduating from The Art Institute of Dallas as a savory chef, I started working in restaurants. My goal was to work my way up to the highest positions in the kitchen and eventually opening my own restaurant. Throughout my time in the restaurants, I would work every station from grill to pastries. This is where I had experience making plated desserts and producing what the executive chef requested. At home I would make cakes for my family, Eventually, friends started asking for custom cakes and it grew. I was starting a side hustle unintentionally but I enjoyed it! This made me realize that I liked making cakes more than being a line cook. I got to be more creative and incorporate my art skills. I was unable to balance my full time job and making cakes on the side, so I resigned from my full time job and continued to grow my bakery.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @carmelcakery
• Other: [email protected]

Image Credits
Ruba