We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Tracey Shi. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Tracey below.

Tracey, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

I don’t think happiness has a direct correlation with being a creative or not. For example, working as a graphic designer in the healthcare industry, a photographer at a creative agency, or a self-employed videographer all involve very different realities and responsibilities, even though they’re all considered to be holding creative roles. To find happiness through creativity, we need to consider the working environment in which one chooses to invest their creative energy, the people they work with, the supporting cultural structures, organizations and fundings, etc.
As someone who has moved between full-time employment, contract work, freelancing, and self-employment, I’ve realized that my search for meaning and happiness at work often has little to do with the specific job itself. What consistently brings me a sense of fulfillment is having creative ownership and freedom, even over seemingly trivial tasks. That autonomy allows me to feel more connected to the work and, by extension, happier overall.

Tracey, 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?

I’m a cake designer and owner of Brooklyn-based micro bakery, Lost Horse Cafe. My cakes explore unexpected combinations of materials, textures, and forms through excessive decorating and piping, pushing the boundaries of what is considered or perceived as edible, sculpture, or objets d’art. I love when people first encounter my cakes, often confused by their appearance—wondering if they’re seeing a hand-shaped ceramic vase dipped in amber and silver glaze, soon to discover it’s a three-layer sponge cake filled with Swiss meringue buttercream and stone fruit jam. This playful discrepancy between what’s perceived as forms of food and what might be mistaken for sculpture has unintentionally become a cornerstone of my brand. It worked out perfectly because the name Lost Horse Cafe is just as deceptive, which alludes to a figurative, and wholesome, place where people come together to enjoy a slice of sugary treat.
At first, I didn’t have a strong vision for the cake to look like anything. I started with very basic recipe, worked to perfect them and move on to develop my own recipe and flavors for the cakes that I’m currently selling. Cake occupies a very special and unique occasion for most people, setting itself slightly apart from other sweet delicacies. Each order is different, depending on the space, occasions, and general ambiance, the people attending… so why should my cake be the same? I want everyone to have their own unique moments. I treat my cake as an artistic practice where I constantly experiment with different colors, materials, forms and techniques, which results to the non-uniformed visual effect.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

Many people outside of the creative industry, especially those unfamiliar with culinary arts, often don’t realize how much labor and hidden costs go into each creation. They’re sometimes surprised by the prices, but those prices reflect the cost of materials, production, hours of labor, and overhead expenses. Beyond that, there’s a lot of time I spend alone, perfecting techniques or experimenting with flavors. Creativity needs time to develop, and refining it is not something that can be rushed—especially with the one-of-a-kind designs I create. This is also an important lesson for me to learn, which is to balance the cost of pushing artistic edge of my designs and building a sustainable model for business.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

Finding the right community is so important to start small business! There are people who just down to help and network. I hope I started talking to people earlier.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: losthorsecafe