Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jennifer Riley, founder of CAKE!, located in Thunder Bay, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

CAKE! is owned and operated by Jennifer Riley in Thunder Bay, Ontario Canada. We specialize in cakes, cupcakes and cake pops. Our clientele comes far and wide as we provide high quality designs and flavours.

Tell us about yourself

An unfortunate event happened in December 2007 that forced Jennifer to switch careers, but it was during that process where she discovered her love for cake and design. Jennifer opened her doors in 2013 and has not looked back. The loss of her mother is what keeps Jennifer going as the artistry stems as a form of therapy.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Jennifer's biggest accomplishment was winning The Big Bake (Giant Gingerbread Cake) on Foodnetwork Canada, as well as being listed as one of the Top Ten Cake Decorators in the World by Topteny.com

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Owning your own business comes with a lot of sacrifice and dedication. You also have to be prepared for high and low times as well as having to think on your toes when the unexpected things happen.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

First and foremost - You have to love what you do, owning a business is a 24/7 type of job with a lot of work involved. If you love what you do it will make it that much easier on tight deadlines or when things happen out of your control.

Second - Be organized, especially when you are at the point of taking on a lot of orders. Time is money, you do not want to spend an extra hour looking for that one tool at 2am.

Third - Be yourself, push boundaries, experiment and figure out what works for YOUR business. Don't focus on what others are doing, keep your eyes in your own lane.

Where can people find you and your business?

https://www.facebook.com/CAKE708/

https://www.instagram.com/cakethunderbay/

https://twitter.com/cakethunderbay

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.