We recently connected with Candace Stevens and have shared our conversation below.

Candace, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today. Let’s start with what makes profitability in your industry a challenge – what would you say is the biggest challenge?

The biggest challenge to profitability in the baking industry, I believe, is myself. I am the biggest challenge. Charging for the groceries spent to make a cake was easy for me. Charging for my time to go to plan the cake, communicate with the customer, go the grocery store, measure the ingredients, bake, and decorate their cake was not easy for me. In the beginning I was only charging for the materials. I was scared to raise my prices to charge for my time because I did not think that customers would want to pay those prices. So, I lost money, a lot of money. I was working for free until someone helped me realize that I was not charging what I was worth to make these cakes, and once I got over that hump it became very easier to have my prices reflect my time spent.

With food costs continuing to rise I found that some customers either could not afford the price of the desserts or they wanted to keep the dessert costs lower so that they could budget other items needed for their event at a higher cost, not truly knowing and/or valuing all that it takes to make the amazing desserts that they’re looking for. I used to believe that finding customers who were willing and could pay those costs were the biggest challenge to profitability for my business. However, as a business owner it is my responsibility to have my prices accurately reflect what it takes to make those items while also charging for profitability for the business. That has been the hardest part of running this business full-time. It’s challenging to charge accordingly as well as accept that everyone cannot afford to then order from you. But I believe that the right customers will come, will understand and value the hard work and love put into making the desserts needed to make their day amazing and it will be job to show them that.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Wow just one story is so hard to choose from. What first comes to mind is really the story of my journey in life overall. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia after having pains in my legs and arms dating back to 2010. The pains only grew into sharp stabs, throbs and dull squeezing sensations. This hindered my every day life in so many ways. I had the dream and desire to start my business and kept putting it off until I was no longer in pain. For years I waited, and waited and in 2017 after building my hobby for baking and continuing through that daily pain, my best friend at the time surprised with an official logo for my business. It was a push to either do it for real or let that dream go, I stopped waiting that day. I took a leap of faith and started my website and social media presence.

At the time I was working full-time with children with autism, teaching them and then I started helping them manage and decrease their challenging behaviors. I worked 50-60 hours a week, was in pain daily and baking for others on the side. I didn’t quit as much as some days I wanted to. It wasn’t easy, my job was physically demanding but in late 2017 I moved to Cincinnati and my business began to truly grow.

I worked both jobs for another 4.5 years, crying some days due to the pain of having to stand when I felt like I couldn’t and finish a cake or due to not getting any sleep after working both jobs every single day. I’ll be honest, there are times I wanted to quit. There were days I wanted to give up but but prayer kept me through, the support of friends and family meant so much and still does to this day. I never dreamed I would be able to quit my job and work full-time doing another passion that I love so dearly but God truly put things in order for me to do so in 2022 when I went full-time into baking. Resilience is my entire story and I know for a fact that you can truly do absolutely anything that you put your mind to do.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Facebook! Facebook was one of the key reasons that my business was blessed to be one that grew in 2020, during the hardest times many of us have ever seen financially. Customers, friends and even people I never met either shared a post that I wrote, liked one or commented on a post and that increased visibility on Facebook. The group on Facebook called Chowdown Cincinnati also had a huge hand in it as well when my friend Jen posted a picture of the wedding shower cake I baked for her. I watched hundreds of people I have never met like the post and then new orders came in off that 1 post immediately. In turn, one of those customers, Rachel, did the exact same thing and that has provided a wave of new customers and friends that I am so thankful for.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.candacedenice.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/candacedenicecakes
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CandaceDeniceCakes