We recently connected with Ebony Johnson and have shared our conversation below.
Ebony, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Parents play a huge role in our development as youngsters and sometimes that impact follows us into adulthood and into our lives and careers. Looking back, what’s something you think you parents did right?
I grew up in a 2 parent household where both my parents were entrepreneurs business owners. My mom owned a hair salon and was a cosmetologist. My dad owned a carpet flooring business. On top of that, they owned several rental properties. I learned firsthand that you could be your own boss. They worked hard and yet always made time for my siblings and I. We still had family time every Sunday. My mom still made dinner for us for the week. I admired that they worked for themselves. When I was 16, my mom enrolled me in cosmetology school. So by the time I graduated high school, I was licensed to do hair and worked in my mom’s salon as a stylist. So I’ve been an entrepreneur for a long time. It’s in my blood you could say. I was taught at a young age to always have a skill you can fall back on because a regular job was never guaranteed. There’s no one to fire you when you’re working for yourself lol.
Ebony, 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?
My name is Ebony. I’m the owner and baker of Kake and Kettle Bakery. I specialize in custom cakes and treats. I value baking from scratch using fresh ingredients you can find in your pantry. My motto is “cakes that taste as good as they look”. I believe cakes should be fresh using quality ingredients and not full of preservatives and chemicals. I started baking during a difficult time in my life. It was then that I realized the baking was my therapy. It wasn’t until the loss of my mother, that I decided to go full on and turn my passion into a business. My mom used to always tell me to throw the spaghetti on the wall and go with what sticks. In other words, take a chance and go for it. That’s exactly what I did. I baked my heart out to it only help me to deal with the loss of my mom, but in a way I wanted to prove to her that I could do it. She was proud of my new found passion and I know she still is. So I baked and baked. It started just for family then eventually for others. I started with cupcakes and worked my way up to cakes. I was and still am, a self-taught baker/cake designer. I perfected my craft constantly. I always challenged myself and would take on the challenge of a request from a client. I wanted to offer clients a better option than just your average grocery store Cake. I wanted them to have a piece of art they could show off to friends and family. I love the responses I get from clients when they open their cake box. It’s pure joy.
I recently started cake classes for kids. I want to show kids how creative they can be with their hands using cake. I love seeing the smiles on their faces and the excitement they have when they show their moms. It reminds me of the first time I made a cake for my mom. As I said in the beginning, baking is my therapy. I want to show others just how therapeutic it can be.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
I think the most aspect that helped me build my reputation within my market is showing my face. It’s easy to get lost in social media marketing by constantly showing your products. However, I noticed a huge jump in orders when I started showing my face. I truly believe it made my business more personal. Not only would they see my face online but they would see me at their front doors delivering their products. I’ve been greeted with so many hugs and warm smiles since then. It’s so funny because you would think they knew me before. People want to know who’s behind the scenes.
Can you open up about a time when you had a really close call with the business?
There was a time in the beginning of my business where I almost called it quits. I was completely burned out and overwhelmed. I was working so hard that I felt like I was losing myself. Things became so overwhelming that I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I felt like I didn’t have time for my family and I was missing out on life. I wanted to say “ forget it!” and just go back to a 9-5. It wasn’t until I went to a baker’s conference that I learned I wasn’t alone. That what I was feeling was normal. I was provided the resources to help me get back on track. It was then that I hired myself a business coach to help me manage myself and my business better. I learned that no matter how far you are in your business, never feel like you can’t seek help.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kakeandkettle.com
- Instagram: @Kake_and_kettle
- Facebook: @kake and kettle
- Other: Kakeandkettle on Google
4 Comments
Darrell Henry
All i know is her cakes are delicious and beautiful. Her valentine’s specials keeps my marriage happy.. Almost every occasion I order something because I know the quality and tast are beyond measurable. Thank you for your dedication to your craft.
Nikea Wainwright
Wow… what an amazing story. She’s truly impressive and inspiring. Her cakes are so detailed and beautiful. I loved when she said her parents taught her how to be her own boss. I hope to instill that in my own kids one day.
Jackie Dunn
Thank you for this informative and great article on Kake and Kettle. My experience is they are one of the best cake / desert makers in Corona. They are high quality business owners with an amazing and delicious product.
Onica
Kale and Kettle is the best most delicious baked goods around and the presentation is beautiful