Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Molly Wilkinson, Founder of MollyJWilk Pastry, located in Versailles, France.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I teach French pastry both online and in Versailles, France. My customers are mostly Americans who are looking to learn how to make those gorgeous treats they see in the patisserie windows.
Tell us about yourself
I'm originally from Dallas, Texas. I've always been really passionate about baking but didn't pursue it until later in life when I decided to make a career change from digital marketing to baking to see if it was for me. Ends up; I loved it! I went to school at Le Cordon Bleu Paris and got my pastry certification. After working at several places in France and the US, I started teaching.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Quickly shifting what I was offering at the start of the pandemic, which allowed me to grow quickly and offer fun, easy pastry classes for folks all over the world. Another big win was writing my cookbook, French Pastry Made Simple.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Balancing it all! For the longest time, it was just me doing tons of dishes, social media, customer service, and so much more. My first hire was a cleaner to come once a week, and it changed our lives - at least one day, I wasn't doing all the dishes :D From there, I hired a virtual assistant, and it allowed me more time to be more creative.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Try to structure your days and weeks to give yourself a big routine. When growing a business, it's easy to be pulled in tons of different directions, and this really helps!
- When you can, invest in paid help to further grow your business.
- Be confident in yourself and what you're doing. This is probably the hardest, especially as the days are long and stressful, but taking a breather and being proud of what you've achieved, however small the step, is BIG!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.mollyjwilk.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MollyJWilk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mollyjwilk/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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