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

Stacey, appreciate you joining us today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your business sooner or later

Always sooner. I had been working in bakeries for 14 years before I started “Whisk & Twirl.” It had always been my dream to run my own cake business, but it was a matter of a million questions running through my mind. When is the right time? Am I good enough? Do I have what it takes to make it successful? How will this affect my family? The more questions I had, the more doubt I had, and the more doubt I had, the longer it took to make a decision. Family was the main reason I finally decided to make the jump. It was a time in my life when my only child was entering her teenage years, and I knew I wanted to be there for her as much as possible. Running my own business would allow my schedule to be more flexible, and I could make time to attend her school activities. I knew everything else would be “figureoutable,” and it was! Starting is the hardest part, especially when you don’t know what you’re getting into. It just took baby steps. I created a to-do list, and as I checked things off, the momentum got easier and the confidence got bigger. Three years later, I keep thinking that I could’ve started my business sooner, but I don’t regret when I did. I believe it happened when it needed to. Now knowing that I am successful has taught me not to be afraid of the unknown, and I’m able to give that confidence boost to others wanting to pursue their own entrepreneurial dreams.

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

Since I was young, arts & crafts was my favorite time of day during school. I continued taking some sort of art class every year throughout my school years like drawing, painting, and ceramics. Then at home, I would always be looking for something sweet to eat and ended up baking anything I was craving. I was passionate about both and thought, why not combine the two? I knew early on in high school that I wanted to go into the baking industry where I could make people happy with something I love to do. I received my Baking & Pastry Arts degree at Johnson & Wales University, one of the top culinary schools in the country. As much as I love baking in general, my focus became creating cakes specialized to what the customer wants with a creative element to it. Wedding cakes are particularly special because I love that I can be a part of one the most important days for a couple. Spreading joy is my goal, and it makes me happy to see them so happy. Having the technical background of baking and years of decorating experience. I focus on both the flavor and look of the cake, so couples will get the cake of their dreams while tasting amazing.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Authenticity, care, and talent. Every time I meet a new client or industry specialist, I strive to be my most authentic self. Selling and marketing are not my forte, but I genuinely love to make people happy and others can tell when you actually care. Then that care goes into everything I make. I feel the support I get when returning clients and fellow vendors refer new clients. They’ve experienced and tasted what I can make, and photos of my work speak for themselves.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I have been on a personal growth journey since before starting my business. It started with a book my friend recommended, “You are a Badass” by Jen Sincero. It has opened my eyes and taught me that there is always room for improvement. As I’m baking, decorating, or even driving, I’m constantly listening to audio books or “The Rachel Hollis Podcast.” They have taught me how to have different perspectives, better my faults, be more patient, and balance work and life. Over time, I have learned how to live happier in both my personal and business life by not putting so much pressure on myself. It has truly been life-changing. That being a better version of myself means being a better cake decorator, business owner, wife, and mother.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.whiskandtwirl.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whiskandtwirl
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whiskandtwirl

Image Credits

Ngan Huynh from Proof of Shutter; Brooke Sanchez from Primrose Wedding & Adventure Photography