Blog | cake

Our fundraiser for the Juravinski Cancer Centre was a wonderful success and a very fun day!  Thank you to everyone who came out to support us and especially to our amazing volunteers.  The cake decorating contest was particularly impressive.  All the contestants went above and beyond in creating absolutely stunning pieces in only 90min.  Photos of the results above are courtesy of www.loveelycia.com  Please visit her beautiful blog to view more photos of the event. 

Even more impressive is that one of the contestants made a time lapsed video of his team's cake decorating process!  Inspired by the Spring theme?  Check out our Spring Menu.

Hi Everyone! In an effort to maintain a connection with all you fine folks who check out our website, we
are going to be making a concerted effort to keep our blog regularly updated. This way, you’ll be able
to see what we’re up to, the things/people/food we enjoy, and get a glimpse behind the scenes of Cake
and Loaf while we gear up for opening in the spring.

Our first post is an interview I did, talking about my decision to become an entrepreneur and how things
first got started with Josie and I. It’s been a long journey so far, but the best is yet to come! Enjoy the
interview, and if you’d like to request any topics for us to cover in our blog, we encourage you to leave a
comment or email us and let us know- we’d be happy to fulfill your request!

-Nickey

What prompted your first thought about running your own business and being your own boss?

I’ve always thought about it, ever since I was young. I always knew I wanted to work for myself. Back in grade six, I sold dream-catchers and beaded and hemp necklaces to friends and family. I was so into it, I would make pamphlets and order sheets to advertise my wares! When I got into baking in high school and realized I had a knack for it, it wasn’t long before I entertained thoughts of running my own business.

How did you and Josie meet? How long after meeting did you first discuss opening your own
business?

We met at Niagara College, in the patisserie apprentice program. We were in the same class, which was rather small (around a dozen people). Given our similar personalities, we grew close early on. After school, we lost touch for a few years, and then connected again on Facebook. We went for coffee one night and I mentioned opening a bakery, Josie said same thing, and we spent the rest of the evening talking about opening one together.

What steps did you take in the beginning that really made you think this could be possible?

Securing clientele prior to working together, and having a solid customer base. I knew there was a market, so I pursued it further while continuing to work a regular job at Sweet Paradise bakery. I think purchasing the house with Josie (the future site of Cake and Loaf bakery) was a big step.

What was the turning point in your decision? The point of no return, where you committed yourself to
this endeavour?

At first I thought it was the house, but when the recession hit, thoughts of just renting it out were being brought to the table. Josie having a baby also put a hold on things for a while, while I continued to do cakes for clients as i had been in the past. The point of no return ended up being our website (cakeandloaf.ca) going live, and everything kind of falling into place after that.

Do you feel that you still would have made the same decision without Josie?

I think so, but it probably would have been home based, through my own kitchen, and possibly growing to some point from there.

What were/are your biggest fears with opening a business?

Financial fears were probably my biggest fear at first; now it’s more a matter of not meeting goals or expectations within the business, or finding the right ingredients and maintaining local and responsible operations. Although I know we’ll do our best at making sure those goals are realized, it’s always something that will be on my mind.

Do you think Hamilton will be a good place for your business? Why/Why not?

Yes, I think Hamilton has undergone a lot of change in recent years that will be conducive to the type of business we’d like to run. The revitalization of the bakery’s surrounding areas and the emergence of local and sustainable eating habits within Hamilton definitely show promise. A burgeoning community attitude, the popularity of our farmer’s markets (including the new and improved market downtown), and being right next door to a large elementary school are all great reasons to think Hamilton will be a good place for our business.

Looking forward, what do you hope to accomplish within the next year?

We want to be a solid part of the surrounding community. We want to reach more people with alternative baking and gluten free options, giving them more choice than they currently have. Being able to source all our ingredients from local farms or wholesalers is really important to us and I want to make sure that will continue as we continue our business.

What advice would you give to an aspiring entrepreneur, or someone who wants to change their life?

Don't give up, no matter how hard it seems. I know it’s cliché, but it really is true. Make lots of mistakes, because you'll always learn something from them.

Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for our next post: an interview with Josie!