Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Benny Rivera, co-owner of City Cakes, located in New York, USA.

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

I'm one of the owners at City Cakes! A high-end cakes and desserts company where we make sure to bring your dream cake design to life! Personally, I specialize in 3D sculpted work, but we do all types of cake designs. From simple kid's birthday cakes to the most complex design you can ever imagine. All our custom cakes are created specifically for each person based on their ideas or requests. Anything is possible at City Cakes! I really love when customers give me total control of the design as I can go as crazy as I want. But that doesn't mean all the cakes we make are very elaborate. Not at all! We try to work with everyone's budget so everyone will have the chance to experience a custom cake from City Cakes!

Apart from our awesome cake designs, another thing we are famous for is our half-pound cookies. Yes! Half-pound cookies! They are about 5 inches in diameter by 3/4 thick. We have about 12 different flavors, which includes some gluten-free option. They have become so popular that we currently ship them nationwide and to Puerto Rico. Also, this year we started selling cake by slices at our location and our "takeaway designs," which are small beautiful options for people who are looking to get a last-minute cake. Some of the flavors and designs change seasonally as well as the cake by slices.

As you can see, there is something for everyone. Walking into our new location will take you through an amazing experience. Not only because of the amazing options you will have in terms of the menu but also because you will be able to see how some of our custom cakes are made as the decorating room is visible to the public.

Tell us about yourself

Believe it, or not everything started as a hobby! One day a friend of mine and I decided to go to culinary school to learn some techniques and just for fun. Then after that, we started doing a few things from home until he (one of my business partners) saw a small spot that we ended up renting as a side business. I used to work as a research specialist in the finance industry back then, but I felt I needed to do something with my hands. After renting our first studio, I saw myself working from 9 to 5 in a private company and then running to our studio to work with the orders we were getting. As you can imagine, it got to the point where it was too much for me as there were times when it was 3 am. I was still working at the studio, then went home to sleep and got up again at 6 am to do what was my "regular day job." It got to the point where I made the decision of staying working with our business. Then a few years later, TLC contacted us to make a TV show called Fabulous Cakes. It was a documentary in which they will follow us through the entire process of booking a cake until the creation of this one. Then after that, I had the great opportunity of being featured in different TV shows thanks to my work. Also, throughout my career, I have been able to create cakes for celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Mike Myers, Mariah Carey, James Franco, and others. Also, there was a point in my career when I was competing in competitions all around the world, winning some of the big top prices. Also, one of the most important parts of my career is the opportunity I have to teach my workshops around the work. I have been able to teach in Australia, the United Kingdom, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and all over the USA. I really love my job. Actually, it doesn't really feel like a job, and I think that is the beauty of this type of work. There is not a specific routine since every single cake design we make is different. The customers are different, and their visions are different, which makes this job exciting each day.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is the chance we had to expand and move the business to a brand new state of the art. The new space is just gorgeous. As stated previously, the intention is to make sure the customers have an amazing experience while visiting us. Of course, this brand new location was not possible without the help from my business partners, Marc Coolrecht and Luigi Caiola. Also, another big accomplishment for me personally was being able to be hired as one of the judges for the new food art competition show called Foodtastic from Disney. This is still one of the best experiences ever. Foodtastic is a competition in which the artists competing have to create larger than life edible pieces of art using any type of food. The beautiful thing is that each episode is based on a Disney movie. Foodtastic is currently streaming on Disney Plus.

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

One of the hardest things being a business owner is the fact that every day we have to deal with other businesses trying to make the same products. Sometimes I keep asking myself, "what happened to be original?" But hey, that's life! It makes you stronger, and you then work harder to create a better product. Also, the fact that as a small business, it has been extremely hard to deal with the pandemic effect. This was or still is something we were not prepared for, so like many other businesses, we are still trying to figure out some changes to make sure we can survive.

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

  1. First and most important is to set a plan. Create a business plan that will cover you for the first few years.
  2. Research not only the area that may be the best for your type of business but also research for the type of product you are planning to sell. If you are planning to bring into the market a product that is similar to others, then find a way to make it unique and different. As I always said, there is a market for everyone.
  3. Set up another business account that is only for emergency use. You will feel better if, in situations such as the pandemic, you have another account that may be able to help you for a few months until you have a more clear idea of business coming in.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

I would like to take this opportunity to invite everyone to stop by City Cakes, which is located at 155 West 18th Street between 6th and 7th Ave in NYC. Come visit us, and while at the shop, don't forget to grab one of our half-pound cookies or even a cake slice. Trust me when I say they are Not your typical sweets. They are just amazing! And if you are looking for a cake design that all your guests will remember for the rest of their life, then give us a call. We will bring your dream cake to life.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://citycakes.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CityCakes

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/chefbennyrivera/
https://www.instagram.com/citycakes/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/citycakes

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.

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