We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Michelle Le a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Michelle, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

I was working a 9-5 job from home and although it gave me a little freedom of not having to be in the office, I felt so depressed and drained doing something that I wasn’t happy doing. I knew that I did not want to work a 9-5 job forever. My boyfriend played a big part in making me realize that sometimes you just have to go out there and do something out of your comfort zone! It’s a scary ride not knowing what the outcome is whether it’s going to be good or bad but it’s the best feeling once you see your work come to life.

Ever since I was a little girl, I always played it safe. I followed the rules and never did anything that would draw attention or anything out of the norm. I was raised to do well in school, obtain a degree and secure a well-paying job. The thought of being an entrepreneur never came to mind until during the pandemic.

In September 2020, I bought myself my first Kitchen Aid. I didn’t know anything about baking or how to make cakes! I watched countless videos educating myself on how to bake. I really thought it was easy but there’s so much science and thought that goes into each cake you make. I decided to make a small treat box and gave them to my neighbors in this condominium community I was living at the time. The news started spreading around the community and I started promoting my small business on social media. Next thing I knew, I received messages from people wanting to order sweets! Michelle’s Little Studio started out with chocolate covered strawberries and then it expanded to custom cakes and party treats.

It’s been 2 years since I took that risk to start a business and I’ve now had the opportunity to cater for birthdays, engagement parties, baby showers, graduations, and a few corporate events. I can say it was the scariest but best decision I ever made. One thing I’d like to share is to never quit and just go for it no matter how big or little the risk is!

Michelle, 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?

Hi! My name is Michelle Le, a self-taught baker and the owner of Michelle’s Little Studio. I was inspired by mom at an early age watching her in the kitchen always cooking/baking which motivated me to get into baking.

I specialize in custom cakes and desserts for YOUR special day! My cakes are freshly homemade and specifically designed to be unique for each and every customer.

What sets me apart is the dedication that I put into the personalization of each cake. I truly enjoy the ability to turn a customer’s vision into reality and seeing their face when I hand them their order. I pride myself in being a small local business that is very community orientated. My business guarantees exceptional services valued on friendliness and customer satisfaction.

How did you build your audience on social media?

PROMOTE, PROMOTE, PROMOTE! People spend an average of 145 minutes on social media every day. There are so many platforms out there that you can use to gain attention and build your audience. It was hard for me in the beginning to gain customers because I didn’t really know how much you were supposed to be socializing and what content you needed to post. I learned that the more I promote my work on social media platforms and interact with my current audience, my business gained more customers.

Can you talk to us about your experience with selling businesses?

A few years back, I bought a vending machine business on Offer Up. At the time I saw a lot of Youtube videos of people operating vending machines, and it seemed like it was going to be an easy source of income. I found a location that already had the vending machine set up so all I had to do was occasionally stock the inventory. I kept the business for about a year and sold it. I didn’t gain as much as I thought I would but because I didn’t fully invest my time into it, so I did not see growth. The lesson I learned from this was any business you invest in there’s a risk in failing or succeeding.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/michellelittlestudio
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MICHELLELITTLESTUDIO/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michellelittlestudio/
• Other: [email protected]

Image Credits
First picture: @yazzaspazza All other photos are taken and edited on my personal device.