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

Alright, Dana thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

What I think it takes to be successful is having a good work ethic, being financially responsible, having good customer service and most importantly, being kind. Success is born within.

Dana , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Dana, I am the owner, baker, and cake decorator of the bakesmith LLC. I first started my business when I had my first daughter 8 years ago. I wanted to do something I could do from home to be with my daughter. I’ve always had a passion for baking, so starting a baking businesses from home only made sense. I started out doing only cupcakes and began to experiment with custom cakes. Making custom orders and interacting with my clients made me want to experience having a store front, so I began signing up for different markets and pop up shops. There are many different markets in and around the triangle area, including my personal favorite popup Carolina’s. They have provided myself and other local vendors with the opportunity to grow our business and network with potential clients. I have had the chance to meet so many wonderful people, and grow as a business owner. My goal is to provide all of my customers with quality and tasty treats, and to make them feel like they are dealing with a friend and not just a business. I hope to one day have my own store front where my customers will be able to visit me and continue growing and learning in the process. I am so excited to see what the future holds for The Bakesmith LLC!

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

The best source of new clients for me has been social media and word of mouth. Making sure my social media accounts are up to date and in with the latest trends has made my social media pages eye catching.

Any advice for managing a team?

I run my business alone so managing myself can be a challenge sometimes. What has been most helpful for me is keeping a notebook with due dates, market schedules and different ideas I have for the business. It doesn’t always go as smooth as I would like, but it definitely keeps all of my thoughts organized. Sometimes it can be stressful and overwhelming but thinking about how happy my product will my client and being able to contribute to their special day really keeps me going.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: ThebakesmithNC