We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ali Syndergaard. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ali below.

Hi Ali, thanks for joining us today. Before we talk about all of your success, let’s start with a story of failure. Can you open up about a time when you’ve failed?

Failure is going to come no matter who you are. I have learned this multiple times throughout the years of school and different jobs etc. No one is perfect and no job is 100% perfect, no matter how it looks on the outside. I don’t like to look at failure as a negative thing, it’s an opportunity for growth and to learn. Failing proves that you are doing, and doing is better than wishful thinking. I have failed in so many aspects whether it was a test, relationships, or trying to master a recipe. Practice makes perfect right? The most recent experience I can share is working with a customer on creating a custom macaron order. Mind you, macarons have become sort of a specialty and I felt like I have completely mastered them. So going into this order I wasn’t the least bit worried about it. While in the process of doing my typical routine of the cookie making – nothing was working. I made sure to not over or under mix, my temperature was spot on, got the air bubbles out, dried them etc etc etc. They were not rising well, cracking, barely cooking through, it was extremely frustrating. I remade the batch about 4-5 times and it was still coming out wrong. I wanted to breakdown. I was starting to run out of time in the day and came to realize no matter how hard I’m going to work at this and try to make it work perfectly, it just wasn’t going to be that day. It’s okay to mess up, it’s okay to not be perfect, but as long as I gave my best effort to giving macarons I was even only partially happy with was all that mattered. Even if it wasn’t “picture perfect” the taste was spot on. Being human can be hard and it’s hard to accept nothing but perfection. But there are times where your best is good enough and learn to move on and figure out how to make it even better next time.

Ali, 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 wasn’t fully involved in the baking & food industry until about mid 2023. I have loved baking since I was little and it has brought me peace after really long hard days. It has always been a fail safe, like reading books or exercising is for others. I never even considered a career in food especially sugary treats. The more I thought about developing a career the more I considered that option. So I went for it, went to pastry school, learned and developed new skills that I decided I wanted to apply with my own business. I never thought myself to be a creative person but this path in my life has allowed me to be more creative than I ever thought imaginable. It has been so fun to learn and test and create new recipes to add to my menu. I personally love to make desserts that people crave but don’t necessarily want to make themselves all the time. From cookies, cheesecakes, pies etc. With this being a Home Bakery I make everything to order. I want my customers to feel like they are at home and receiving a sweet little treat from a friend to help brighten their day. I may not have specific things on my menu that you are looking for, but chances are I can make it and will make a special order for anyone seeking something just a little bit different. My goal is to make the desserts as yummy and allergy friendly as possible. One example is by providing a chance for those who have wanted to try macarons but have not been able to because they are allergic to almonds. Fun fact, I’m that person allergic to almonds. I look forward to growing my business and adding more and more deliciousness to my menu!

Have you ever had to pivot?

Starting this business is really all where my pivot in my life and career began. Growing up my main focus was always on the medical field, I wanted to help people in big ways and seemed to have a knack for anything medical. My heart loved and dreamed of being a part of a team that helped people get and feel better than they were. The options are endless with which path to take in medicine. I started with volunteering at hospitals, got my CNA, taking classes to apply to go to nursing school but decided to switch and focus on surgery. While in an internship with a few surgeons my love for surgery advanced immensely. I went to Surgical Technology school and went straight into working in the Operating Room. Upon working for a few years I started to become really drained and exhausted, I was beginning to be overworked and I just felt I needed a break before my head exploded and was overly burnt out. I still love and have a great love for surgery and the incredible surgeons I worked very closely with. Maybe one day my hands will be assisting surgeons again. After those long hard days I would turn to baking to distract me from the overwhelming days that I couldn’t seem to allow myself to fully unwind after. Which led me to the business I have today! I took that baking hobby a little more seriously and went to pastry school and developed new skills! I now create yummy sweets for others, not just myself, and it has been quite the adventure!

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

“Once you pick a career you need to stick with it”, is a phrase I have heard over and over again. I believed every word and thought to myself no matter how drained you are or if you stop taking care of yourself, you need to keep pushing through! Absolute lies! It hurt to allow myself to accept this fact. If you look at your own life, are you the same person you were when you were in elementary school? High school? College? The answer is a resounding no! I LOVED Blue’s Clues as a kid, do I watch it now? No! So why are we told that we need to stick with something that is no longer bringing joy, or allowing us to grow or providing even the littlest ounce of fulfillment anymore. Continued adapting and growth is a part of life. If there is a dream you have been wanting, but feel like is a total pipe dream and could never come true. You’re holding yourself back! You never fully know unless you go for it, right? “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” – Wayne Gretzky. You’re never too old to make a complete career shift and start building talents and skills you never thought you could even have before. Even if it’s just developing a hobby, your hobby could be your next career. When I started to feel the timing was right for a change, I did it! Of course it comes with it’s fair share of hardships, those are growing pains, and they are good. I’ve learned it’s okay to make mistakes along the way and if you learn your dream really wasn’t your dream after all, it’s okay to change too. I think it’s absurd to ask a 16 year old to have their whole life planned out by 18. We have no idea where life will take us and I feel that people have forgotten it’s important to do the things you love. Enjoy life, don’t endure it!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bakesy.shop/b/south-farm-bakery
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southfarmbakery/