We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Yana Todorova. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Yana below.
Hi Yana , so happy to have you on the platform and I think our readers are in for a treat because you’ve got such an interesting story and so much insight and wisdom. So, let’s start with a topic that is relevant to everyone, regardless of industry etc. What do you do for self-care and how has it impacted you?
To stay productive and keep my effectiveness on a high level, I practice Ashtanga yoga for the last several years. Self-care also includes walking every day (at least 30 minutes) and taking breaks from work to sit down and eat proper breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Lunch and dinner are always a 3-courses affair. I cook everything from scratch and always have salad/soup, main course, and a high-end dessert.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
After graduating from Le Cordon Bleu Dusit Culinary School (one of the most prestigious in the world), I opened my brand Todorovi Boutique Desserts and start selling French style desserts, pastries, and handmade chocolates. The business was successful. I was also teaching cooking classes for a local Community College. Since my family moved to Monterey Bay, I continued my business in the new Monterey County. This time, I am the first owner of Micro Enterprise Kitchen, which means that my home kitchen is licensed to operate as a restaurant. I have expanded my menu and now sell Contemporary Neapolitan Pizzas, handmade Organic Sourdough Bread, all fancy French desserts, macarons, and chocolate bonbons. I even offer a variety of salads. Currently, people can pick up or I deliver. I will be also teaching group classes at Cabrillo College in Santa Cruz starting February 2024 and they are open to the public.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
3 Qualities that were most impactful in my journey.
1) I am such a hard worker. I never stop. I work since early morning to late night.
2) I am very organized. Every day is planned ahead. Also, to prepare elaborated desserts, one needs to prepare several layers and organize the time of execution.
3) Persistence. I never give up. There will be always haters and people that don’t believe in me. But I will still continue what I believe makes me the happiest.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
Number one obstacle I am currently facing is that I moved to a new area and I lost all my old customers. I have to find new customers. It is very hard to explain to people exactly what I am doing. I am trying to resolve the challenge by posting many social media posts, participating in public groups, and also spreading the word. I hope this year 2024 will be very productive and many new customers will get to try my desserts, book my private cooking classes, or hire me for catering events.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/todoroviboutique/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/todoroviboutique/
