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

Mili, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

I never imagined I’d become mom to a baby who was severely allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. It was something that was so rare when I was growing up. I thought it to be one in a million, and it never really crossed my mind. My husband has some food allergies, but they were minor. I was going about my typical stay-at-home mom-life, with two little ones. We were having lunch and I was packing up to run errands with my 4 year old daughter and 1 and a half year old son, when he asked for a little of what his sister was eating – peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Knowing that he had eaten peanuts and tree nuts before, I gave him a little bite. What happened next changed everything. He burst into hives so big, that they looked like burn-blisters completely closing his eyes, with big bubbles of rash welts all over his arms and body. My daughter and I were scared but kept calm. He kept saying, “Uh oh. Uh oh. Uh oh,” over and over again. I called 9-1-1. The amazing EMT team of San Marcos swooped us up in a few minutes, and everything worked out in the ambulance and at the hospital. He was safe and sound. After doctor visits, and learning a lot, he carries life-saving medication at all times, just in case.
From that scare, I came to be a mom on a mission. I didn’t want that to happen to him again. With each exposure, could be a worse and worse reaction. At the time, in 2008, food was not labeled the way it is today, so I stopped buying most processed food, and began cooking and baking everything for us at home. Those who loved my family and my son understood and were supportive, but lots of people, especially once he started school, thought I was crazy. They just couldn’t believe that an allergy to food could actually be life threatening. So I thought, ‘Well, if he gets invited to a little birthday party, I guess I’ll be bringing something that I make, so he doesn’t eat their cake, it won’t be a compromise. He’ll love it. He’ll be fine.’ I wasn’t going to allow him alienated because of his allergies. No way.
So as a hobby, I ended up baking all the time, because it was a favorite thing to do in any spare time I had. I wanted to be really good at it. It was like a dream to be able to bake something delicious from scratch, that would be beautifully decorated, that tasted great, and we didn’t have to worry about the ingredients for our sweet boy. It took a lot (and I mean a lot) of practice. Somehow the stars aligned and after what seems like thousands of hours of hobbying, I was pretty good at baking cake and desserts! When I couldn’t buy him a Thomas the Tank birthday cake for his second birthday, I ended up baking him one. He was so stoked, and it tasted so good, it honestly lifted my confidence. I thought, “Wait. Could I do this professionally?’ I was on the fence, but I started sharing my baking with friends and family, and they all encouraged me. I was apprehensive. It was an investment to start a business like this, and I’ve never had my own business. ‘ I had a degree. I was a marketing executive before becoming a mom, but could I do this, and still be a good wife and mom, taking care of the things I needed to, including myself? Could I do this on the side?’ Seemed like a big leap. But I took a deep breath and went for it. I started doing business as Mili’s Sweets in March of 2010, and today those two little kids of mine are not so little! Our daughter is now a Senior, and our son is a Freshman in high school. They really are the best kids.
And those cakes and cupcakes that I started delivering around town in San Diego, expanded into so much more. With the mission to always be a baker that offered desserts that are completely free of peanuts and tree nuts, many other ingredient-necessities became important, and I worked on recipes that catered to both gluten free and vegan customers. Now, we do all small-batch and custom-recipe baking with a menu that I’m really proud of – including custom cakes and cupcakes in more than 100 flavor combinations, pastry, bars, cookies, cannoli, chocolate-dipped strawberries, brownies, cheesecakes, trifles, creme brulee’, scones, biscuits, tarts and pies, with a lot of Italian-influence since my mom is from Italy (and lives with us at home) and the flavors of my childhood can be tasted and felt throughout all that I do. Most of my work is now fulfilled for weddings and events, at San Diego-based venues. I get all of my business through word of mouth referrals from being venues, my customers over the years, including my family and friends.
Beyond creating our custom-recipe, made to order cakes, desserts, and dessert table setting, with gluten free and vegan options, that are always completely free of peanuts and tree nuts, another detail that sets Mili’s Sweets apart from most other small bakery businesses, is the extra time and care give to take care of our clients – that go beyond booking and fulfillment. I really care about our work. This is extremely personal. It’s not just a business. This is part of my life. What we provide is an aspect of lifetime-celebrations that will be remembered and cherished. Some of my clients begin with ordering from me for their wedding, and I end up baking for them for their children or grandchildren’s special days. Today marks 12 years. I can hardly believe it. It means a lot to be chosen. I may not have the most followers on social media, but I’m busier than ever and business is truly thriving. I feel like the San DIego community is showing me and telling me to keep at it. So here I am! I’m here to cater for my customers with the same care and attention I would for my loved ones at home. Nothing but my best from me, to my dear ones.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m “Mili,” Milissa Takashima. My maiden name is Sweet, so this was in the cards for me! I’m a native San Diegan – went to school at Santa Sophia, and Monte Vista HS in East County. I earned degrees in journalism and marketing at San Diego State University. I was a marketing and PR executive at Hang Ten and Lightning Bolt lifestyle brands, before changing directions to be a stay at home mom – the best and hardest job. I founded Mili’s Sweets in 2010, and because being creative is a necessity, I’m also the owner of Glorified Hobby – a florist company I established in 2019. 2022 was my busiest year ever! My small team and I are excited for the years to come. In the background, I’m managing life alongside my husband, our kids, and my mom “Nonna,” at our home in North County. I am a real ‘church-lady.’ Strangers always tell me their life stories. I love and care a lot about anything I take-on. By the way, thanks for asking!

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

I only take on as much work as we can, while maintaining the highest level of handcrafted products and services. I offer beyond-fair pricing, and terms and conditions that are clear and easy for anyone to understand and be comfortable with. I make my products from within my many years of expertise, and that may not be the right fit for everyone, and that is totally ok. I’m always happy to refer customers to other bakeries, when I cannot or will not be able to create something for them, because it’s not on my menu, (I decided not to work in fondant, offer tiered cakes, or iced cookies, because I don’t want to. And if they really need peanut butter, there are plenty of bakeries who can accommodate.) or because we’re already booked and cannot accommodate their date. I’ll only do what I am comfortable with. I always want my customers to feel super excited to work with me and to not compromise in any way. They should enjoy exactly that they want – especially on their wedding day or special occasion. Into the pandemic, I had to change some of my terms, to be even more clear, so that both the client and myself feel confidence in moving forward together. I think there has to be a tremendous amount of trust and respect on both ends – while fulfilling the promises to be kept on the contract. I think that my ease of this aspect of business, and professionalism balanced with familiar-comfort without ever having a thought or pretentious tone, is the best way to conduct dessert catering for any client, anywhere they are getting married. I take care of my clients with the same expertise whether they are picking-up from our kitchen facility in San Marcos, or having huge event at Hotel Del Coronado – as it should be. I’m noticing that the people behind the scenes, chosen to work inside the venues, and the vendors being chosen as florists and coordinators are no longer the stuffy and attitude-driven people they once were. Those days from when I first started in this industry are long gone. This generation is nice and wants to be nice. They love their work and are chosen for what they bring to the table. Anyone who wants to work as they did before will most likely be left behind.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

Mili’s Sweets is a small family business. I had a discussion with my cousin the other day about it, but you know, there was a time, when I couldn’t work or make any money at all. During. that time, I was just as valuable to the family as I am today, as a small business owner. We made a family decision when I was pregnant with our daughter, and I was 100% on board, that my husband would work hard to support our family, so that I could stay home and we could have a better quality of life – to manage the home and the kids. I didn’t know that this would be in the cards for me, and I was really happy about it. I had worked since I was 14, got myself through college at SDSU, as the first and only person in my family to go to college, and ‘gave up’ a career and excellent-paying job of my dreams to travel and be an marketing executive of a clothing company, to literally be a stay at home mom. That was ok. Life was great. When I decided to take the leap to start Mili’s Sweets, I didn’t have any capital. It was something that our family-funds took care of: getting me certified, licensed, permitted and insured, while finding and renting a commercial kitchen facility was a big investment. (It still is!) Years later, when I needed to build on what I was doing, I needed more equipment, and my dad provided me with the gift of capital to fulfill all of those needs and dreams. He was my bff. He would comment, like, and share every single one of my baking social media posts. His name was Mr. Sweet! That’s right, my maiden name was Sweet. So Mili’s Sweets seems like it was just written for me. I’m always grateful to get to do this, and I literally could not have been right here without my dad, and without the daily support of my loved ones at home. My dad passed away from cancer in 2016. I miss him. However, he is with me in my heart and thoughts while I work.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.milissweets.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milis_sweets/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/milissweets
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyGk4oMJ1stj-8pUiMcFXjQ
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/milissweets/
• Blog: https://glorifiedhobby.com

Image Credits
All photos provided were taken by Mili’s Sweets and belong to us. Thank you.