Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Monét Walker. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Monét thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?
I always dreamt of starting a business after culinary school but never thought I would be able to afford to do so by the age of 30. I had been in my mother’s kitchen making cakes, pies, cookies, and catering for so long that after a while, it felt natural to stay there and had become my brick and mortar. For over 12 years, I perfected my recipes, completed many jobs that were out of my league, and had only imagined what my bakery/bistro would one day look like if I could ever make my dreams come true. In 2018, I was given a once in a lifetime push to make my dreams come true. My mom had medically retired at the advice of her doctor and she decided that she was tired of me “working out of her kitchen”. She insisted that I had built up enough clientele, inventory, and overall business to get myself started and it was time to take a small risk.
My mom has always been my biggest supporter in life and I have always taken her advice as it has never steered me wrong. With her words of advice and a silent check, I gave her my blessing to help me find a place. It didn’t take long for her to say, guess what, we have a new place in the city of Inglewood and it will serve as your shop. I agreed to take the risk and begin working in a true brick and mortar. CakesAndCurls LLC would be an official location where clients would be able to come pick up baked goods, salads, and sandwiches. I felt so inspired during this the first 2 years of construction and could see my vision coming to life. Then, 3 days after we opened to the public, the government shutdown happened and Covid-19 unfortunately changed the whole trajectory of my business plan. My once fairytale dream has since become a nightmare. Although business has continued to grow, my business has never opened its doors again to the public and it has been a struggle to stay afloat.
We are diligently working to get open as soon as possible to try and restore what we have lost.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
CakesAndCurls LLC is 100% woman owned and minority operated. I began in my mother’s home kitchen until we were able to lease a storefront. I create custom cakes, cupcakes, beignets, alcohol infused desserts, cookies, and pies, as well as catering in a variety of cuisines and services. Our menus range but are not limited to traditional American, Latin American, health conscious (salads, meal prep), to Soul and Cajun/Creole which is dearest to my heart as my family is from New Orleans, Louisiana. I specialize in custom wedding cakes, mostly 3 and 4 tier versions.
What my clients love about my work is the originality and love that is poured into it. I am often complimented for my customer service, consistency, and availability to create one of a kind works of art through food and pastries. I am most proud of the progress I have made over the years and my ability to accept mew challenges. I am looking to continue to grow my business through social media platforms, word of mouth, and reels.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
The best source of clients for me has been Instagram from the very beginning. It does not matter how out of style it may become, Instagram has always been a great selling point for me long before reels and videos truly became the new thing. I am forever grateful to have gotten on Instagram and used it to market my business as it opened doors for my personal success.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
What has helped me maintained my business reputation in my market is providing consistent products, going above and beyond to provide customer service/experiences in which my clients know that I am reliable, affordable, competitive, and available when I am needed.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.cakesandcurls.com
- Instagram: @cakesandcurls
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/cakesandcurls