We recently connected with Tara Konitshek and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Tara, thanks for joining us today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

Every business starts with a great idea. The reality is that it will remain an idea until it is actually executed which is often a struggle or even stopping point for many. What most people don’t realize until they actually start is the amount of work involved; the discipline, consistency, and sacrifice that is required to not only execute an idea but to continue to grow and thrive. It is also important to learn to not let the opinions of others impact your decision to start as often times I’ve learned they can heavily weigh on you and hold you back from pursuing your ideas or dreams.

Baking was always a hobby of mine since I was a kid. There were many occasions when I was young, where I would climb up on the counter after school and pull all the ingredients out and just bake….even if I had no idea what I was doing at the time. I simply wanted to create something. I was that kid who had lemonade stands and would go door to door trying to sell my dad’s soda cans and make homemade bookmarks and try to sell those as well. I was always looking for ways to make a dollar. A true entrepreneur at heart?

In my 20s, I loved to throw dinner parties for my friends and bake for their birthdays. People started suggesting I should sell my baked goods on the side and it sparked an idea in my head to give it a shot. This was the year Instagram had just launched (2010) and it was still very new and Pinterest was also new and not very well-known. I didn’t even have an account for either at the time. I started going to the library to check-out books on baking and read up on a variety of baking styles and techniques as well as how to start and run a small business. I practiced and experimented in the kitchen as often as possible, whenever I had free time. I posted a simple ad on a mom’s group on Facebook and started to sell custom decorated cupcakes through there. I was eager to learn and to grow and would have many of my friends and family try out my recipes. Eventually, I joined a creative/small business group for women in San Diego called, Creative Connection per a recommendation of a friend and from there, my business really started to take off. I went full-time with my business 3.5 yrs after starting and obtained the proper licensing, permits, commercial kitchen through googling what I would need on my own. The internet is a powerful tool!

Over the years, I continued to make connections with other creatives in the wedding industry, participated in styled shoots, and networked for many years while growing my clientele little by little. I had zero experience in running a business or any sort of educational background on baking but I had the drive to learn and simply taught myself. I have always been a kinesthetic learner and while I may have built my business at a slower pace than most, it was the right pace for me which is why I strongly believe it is one of the reasons I am still in business almost 12 yrs later (this Aug. 2022). I started with the intention of only wanting to bake & sell custom decorated cupcakes and little did I know that I would be selling cakes and a wide variety of other desserts shortly after.

I pivoted numerous times over the years which I have found is key in maintaining a thriving business. It is important to stay on top of the trends and to be ok with pivoting when necessary. You have to be brave enough to challenge yourself and to try new things and if it doesn’t work then that’s ok and if it sticks, then great! I have made countless mistakes and quite honestly, there have been many nights of lost sleep and moments of wanting to give up but would soon after realize it was just a bad day and the problem at hand would eventually resolve. I’ve learnt overtime to restructure the way I was working and running my business so I wouldn’t burn out entirely.

Today, I can confidently say I’ve finally learned to master having a healthy work/life balance. I am super intentional about getting 7-8hrs of sleep every night, having a slow morning (most days of the week) and making sure I fit in working out + eating well to nourish & fuel my body which are all considered non-negotiable for me to function & thrive as a business owner with a physically & mentally demanding job.

Whether I continue this business for another 2 or 10 years, I know for sure that I want to always work for myself. The fulfillment I have gotten from working in a creative industry, making my own schedule and the freedom to live life on my own terms is paramount.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

Simply put, I am a creative by nature. I am free spirited, extraverted, independent and highly intuitive all at the same time. I have a deep love for adventure, yoga, pilates, hiking and trying new food.

I’ve explained about what I do and how I got started previously, however what I feel sets me apart from others is that I’ve developed many recipes designed for those with many dietary restrictions (i.e. gluten free, vegan, nut and refined free). Many of these recipes I will be sharing on my blog to be launching soon! Also, every cake I offer is custom tailored to each client, from the flavor to the filling to the finish and design details. This is something I am most proud of as I know it is hard for many with dietary restrictions to find desserts they can enjoy. I was inspired a decade ago to develop these type of recipes because of nephew, who has severe allergies to dairy, eggs, and nuts.

I feel strongly about the ingredients I use. I do my best to avoid artificial ingredients and additives when possible. There are some things like food coloring in which it is hard to find suitable alternatives to color a swiss buttercream or macaron a specific color with natural alternatives but I try to refrain from hydrogenated oils and additives as much as possible. For example, my sour cream has just one ingredient. My heavy cream, is Horizon Organic, my pastry flour is an organic high quality flour from Azure Standard (located in Oregon), and my cocoa powder is Bensdorp, sourced from Europe. I use real vanilla beans instead of paste and I developed a red velvet cake recipe that is naturally dyed with beets instead of using artificial red food coloring.

It is also important for me to connect with my clients as much as possible. I enjoy learning about the details of their wedding, including how they met and what aspects of the wedding they are most passionate about. Setting up and styling a dessert table is probably my most favorite part of what I do. It’s literally the “icing on the cake” (pun intended).

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Being reliable, consistent, communicating and owning up to your mistakes if/when they happen because they certainly will!

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I use to teach yoga sculpt on the side (for fun initially) but found myself clocking in 75-80hr work weeks combined with running a full time business. It was incredibly fun and fulfilled all of my creative needs in many ways, but it was also incredibly draining as it left me with very little free time. I eventually burnt out physically and it resulted in a torn hamstring and overtime, lumbar disc issues which I have spent thousands of dollars in various non-invasive therapies, treatments, medications and natural remedies (all to avoid injections and surgery). Covid hit which forced me to slow down and it was honestly the best thing that happened for my physical and mental health. It allowed me to have more time to rest and heal in many ways and to restructure the way I work. I also had more time for friends and family and I have learned I am a much happier human being and more effective business owner with more sleep and free time!;) These days, I am practicing yoga and pilates in my free-time but just for fun:)

Contact Info:

• Website: www.taraheathercakedesign.com
• Instagram: @taraheathercakedesign
• Facebook: facebook.com/taraheathercakedesign
• Yelp: yelp.com/taraheathercakedesign
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/taraheathercakedesign/_created/

Image Credits
Lisa Riley Photography, Jarrod J Photo, Lucid Fem, Brogen Jessup Wedding Photo, Cate Batchelor Photography, Jax Connolly Official, Shane and Lauren Photo, Allie Lindsey Photography