We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sally Gadea a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Sally, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?
My confidence comes from the ongoing project of realizing that I am enough, exactly as I am and am both lucky and deserving of being where I am. It’s all a work in progress, and I think as I’ve gotten older, I’ve gained the clarity to realize what bullshit the superficial expectations on women are. Through the love and support of my friends, family and community I’ve been able to see that my value as a person has nothing to do with any of that. I share my hospitality and warmth with everyone that steps through the doors, which might be one of the most valuable tools for connection, something everyone is looking for. My confidence is the superpower that gives me the ability to reach out and do that. I want everyone to feel that they matter, that they are doing great just as they are. I tell my daughter all the time “you’re doing a great job, just being you” because I want her to know that she doesn’t need to do anything more, doesn’t need to receive a big award, or go to an Ivy League school, or have a high-powered job. She’s already complete, and I hope that gives her the same confidence to be who she is, and not be distracted by the weight of expectation.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I’m the owner and pastry chef at Panna Gelateria & Bakery in Yardley, PA. My husband Jemil and I have brought our dream to life with artisanal gelato and pastries. We rotate the flavors, with new additions each week that reflect the season and our creative whims, such as Crema Della Nonna, Smoked Almond and Green Apple sorbetto. We want to keep guests curious with new additions like Lemon Meringue Tart. Chocolate Lavender Layer Cake, Apple Galette, and Double Chocolate Cookie (which is baked with a Peanut Butter Cookie *inside!*). Last year we introduced our custom-made Italian gelato cart, to bring our gelato to special events and markets. Later in the year we brought in a beautiful hot chocolate dispenser with a chocolate fountain, that quickly became very popular. We use high quality white chocolate, dark chocolate and cocoa and make a thick European-style blend that highlights the festivity of the cooler season. We’re always thinking about what new items and ideas to bring to our small shop, while both honoring tradition and embracing a creative experience that keeps everyone excited.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
In terms of my journey, I think having an unwavering determination and willingness to push through difficulty have been qualities in my personality that keep me striving for success. As far as skills, I realize more and more how all the little things that seemed unimportant throughout life and school were all part of a long game. Algebra, group projects, cleaning my room, or my mom reminding me constantly to “finish one project before starting another” are all a tower of knowledge and skills that built me into a capable person.
For any one early in their journey- take your time. Avoid an all or nothing mindset- one of my major challenges. You might start out small, and you can always grow but get the dream going. Find people who can impart their experience and advice, make local friends in the business that you can call if you need help or have a question, don’t try to go it alone. Lastly, and I think this can work in different industries, let your business reflect your style and experiences- that’s what will make it special! Whether it’s your customer service, or the aesthetic, the personal touch makes you different from box stores and from other businesses.
What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
The biggest challenge our business faces is the ability to grow. Our space has been too small for us since the beginning but we make it work because we like the location. We want to be smart and maximize what we do now in the space we’re in, but we also don’t want to limit ourselves. We’ve been getting more requests for wholesale items and it’s hard to manage the concept of wholesale pricing when we’re bursting at the seams as it is to do our retail business. You wouldn’t believe what we manage with the space we have. Currently we’re considering finding a “residency” for the gelato cart during months that it’s less likely to be booked for private events and also potentially converting it to be used to serve our hot chocolate in the cooler months. The cart is like a mobile satellite location. We have long term goals such as an additional or larger location, a commissary for production and ultimately selling our product nationwide in grocery stores. All of this takes some patience and money, but I believe we’ll get there. Our goal is not to stand still but to thoughtfully move Panna forward without compromising the quality of our product.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.pannagelateria.com
- Instagram: @pannayardley
- Facebook: Panna Gelateria
Image Credits
The last two images are from Evelyn Cirignotta
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
