Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Maryn Silverberg, founder of Piece of Cake LA, located in West Hollywood, CA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Hello! My name is Maryn, and I am the owner of Piece of Cake, L.A., a private bakery featuring products with that homey tastes-like-mom's flavor, with a modern twist! My mom Gail started her baking business, Piece of Cake, in 1963 and is the reason that butter and sugar, and love runs through my veins. It's only fitting that she is the face of my business, as she is my inspiration every time I put on my apron and pre-heat the oven. Baking was instilled in me as a form of bonding and a way of communicating - the aromas of dense, espresso-laden brownies and light, lemony, graham cracker-crusted cheesecakes were rich with love, comfort, and confidence. Sitting around a table, gathered at parties, or secretly sneaking the last bite of cake in the middle of the night, dessert is the perfect way to share, enjoy and indulge (sometimes all at the same time).
Tell us about yourself
As a film major at Emerson College in Boston, baking was never far from my mind. When I wasn't writing papers on Fellini or deconstructing David Lynch, I was baking: lemon-glazed bundt cakes, Oreo cookie cheesecake, double rum cake, triple chocolate chip cookies; my friends and neighbors loved coming home from a suffocating ride on the T or a cold walk down Boylston to find a wedge of cake at their door. After living in Los Angeles and working in entertainment for eight years, I began to long for the days of bringing a smile to someone's face with a treat and to smell those familiar, comforting aromas of my childhood.
After careful reflection and a lot of encouragement from my friends and family, I donned my kitchen whites and slip-proof shoes. I began the intensive pastry program at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Pasadena, CA. After graduation, I turned in my kitchen whites for a blue bandana to become part of the staff at SusieCakes bakery. My next job took me to the front of the class as a cake-decorating teacher at The Gourmandise School of Sweets and Savories, where I could share my excitement for cakes with others. After teaching, I decided to focus on bringing my love into other kitchens by starting my own company and have been focused on that goal ever since!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
This is a great question, and I can confidently say that my answers could change daily. Today, I feel that my biggest accomplishment as a business owner is that I still have a company. Being part of an industry that was hit the hardest during the pandemic - to have my main product being something typically enjoyed with company, has been challenging to say the least.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
For the most part, a lot of the things that can be hard about being a business owner can also be the things that make it great. For example, the onus is on me for everything - literally. But that also means that I am the one in control. If something goes wrong, it's my fault, but if something goes fantastically, it's because of me. One thing that I personally struggle with is taking time for myself. I know if I'm not here, production stops, so I have a tendency not to give myself that downtime to recoup.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
First and foremost is looking at the numbers - all of them. The cost of starting up a business, what kind of revenue you would need to bring in to turn a profit, etc. Without a very clear knowledge of the numbers, you're flying blind.
Secondly, you need to be passionate. There are going to be times when you just don't want to work - times when you're sick, or have personal obligations or haven't had a break in literally eight years - all of these things tend to take a backseat when you are a business owner so you better love what you do or you will start to resent your job.
The last tip is to have a business concept that is needed today. There are so many saturated markets that you want to be sure you are offering something that no one else does, which is virtually impossible these days, so you need to be able to set yourself apart.
Anything else you'd like to share?
One of the greatest pieces of advice I have received to date is: You are your business. Your company is something that came from you - that you created - so you are the best person to represent it. You will be the person who is most passionate about it, the most knowledgeable, so YOU should be the one to share it. Employees can respect and love your company, but like children, no one will love them quite like their parents.
Where can people find you and your business?
https://www.instagram.com/pieceofcakela/
https://www.facebook.com/pieceofcakela
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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