We were lucky to catch up with Ana Arriaga recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ana, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?

Owning a business has its ups and downs. There’s a satisfying feeling being able to make any decision you choose every day. You answer to your customers, but ultimately you decide what direction to take your brand and how it’s going to be represented. Happiness comes from working long hard hours, often with no sleep, and presenting a finished product to someone who is elated to receive it. When someone is excited and tells you that they are obsessed with your brand, or that they’ve driven 4 hours just to come to a pop-up, it makes you feel like every sacrifice is so worth it.

There are, of course, draw backs to managing a business. You don’t have the reliable bi-weekly paycheck as I once did at my last job. The money was in the bank whether I was busy or slow, and I had the security of full benefits. In an economy where things are uncertain, and complications with global shipping leaving store shelves empty or product delivery delayed, you have to be resourceful and be able to pivot when needed. There are times when business is slow, and you start to wonder if you’re truly successful. This summer, after two especially hot afternoons sitting out at a pop-up that was slow, with sweltering heat that was destroying my product, I started to think that maybe it’s time to look for a regular job. I came home exhausted, with a bin full of product that had to be thrown out because the heat made it unsalvageable. I started applying for jobs full force, and even sat through some interviews. I didn’t want to abandon my business, but I felt I had to bring in some steady income to get back on my feet. It is always in these moments that things will start to fall in place. When I am feeling at my most vulnerable, someone will always come with something incredibly uplifting to say. That is the beauty of having a business where you cherish your customers, because they will absolutely give you that love right back. I made the decision that I needed to get creative and find events or pop-up locations that would be more conducive to my particular customer base. With some new avenues to do in person sales and protective cases that would save my cookies from the heat, I decided to keep fighting. It is at your lowest that you will need to dig deep and push forward to do what you love.

Ana, 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?

Baking has been a passion of mine since childhood. I’ve always loved entertaining guests and having a delicious spread of treats just like my parents would always put out for holidays and parties. In 2011 I started a side business decorating cakes, inspired by the amazing shows I watched on tv. I had always dreamed of making this a full-time business venture, but as someone who was self-taught, I felt I needed training or school to gain experience. After several failed attempts to get hired at a bakery, and a move to Atlanta 5 days before the pandemic shut down, I decided to pave my own way to pursue my dream of baking and start my own business. I wanted to rebrand from my other baking venture with a new name that felt more like me and so Ghoul Next Door Bakeshop was born. The focus of this new baking venture shifted to my favorite treat, cookies! I created a brand logo, website, and spooky theme after my own heart that I presented to neighbors for a yard sale. After selling out and gaining a steady customer base with online orders, I ventured into pop-up markets and gained incredible opportunities like Atlanta Food & Wine and Dessert Wars. I wasn’t sure that a spooky brand would work year-round or that people would get the horror and Halloween themed puns like a smore cookie named “Camp Crystal Lake” or a cherry filled Easter cookie named “Bunnicula,” but since its inception it has been fully embraced everywhere I go. People totally get it, and to be connected with your customer base is an incredible feeling.

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

As a baker and decorator that is self-taught, I wanted to have the experience of working in a bakery to learn new techniques and to see how the business runs from day to day. I applied to several bakeries both in Orlando and in Atlanta, but each time the result was the same. I sent in a portfolio of my work, got positive responses inviting me to come in for a working interview, but each time was rejected. I was told I was too slow to work at a fast-paced bakery. My heart was broken with each rejection. I didn’t understand why they wouldn’t give me the opportunity to learn if they saw the potential was there. It was from that heartbreak and frustration that I became motivated to show them what they had missed out on. I decided that if they would not take a chance on me I would have to make a way for myself, and started a business of my own.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Once I started my business and rebranded an identity, I wanted to be sure that the business was sustainable enough for one person to do on their own. As a creative person, my passion was always focused on the artistic side of baking. I found decorating cakes to be the most enjoyable part of dessert making, but this process is incredibly time consuming for one person to accomplish. I had to find a way of making multiple treats, while still putting an artistic spin on it that would fulfill my creative side and be my signature to the dish. I pivoted the focus of my bakeshop from cakes to cookies, while still keeping the meticulously crafted aesthetic that I would be proud to serve. I am often told at events and pop-ups that my cookies look like works of art, and that is when I knew I accomplished something worthwhile.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ghoulnextdoorbakeshop.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/ghoulnextdoorbakeshop
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/ghoulnextdoorbakeshop

Image Credits
All images by Ana Arriaga/ghoul next door bakeshop