We were lucky to catch up with Stephanie Hansen recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Stephanie, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
I get my work ethic from my parents as well as my extended family. Every Sunday growing up, we would go to my grandparent’s house for lunch. Afterward, all of my family-parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. would go work in the garden, pickup sticks on the property, or tend to the cows. My parents worked hard my whole life, with my mom going to law school when I was in Kindergarten. I remember being a small child watching my mom study all through the night to accomplish her goals, but making sure she was able to spend quality time with the family at the same time.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Les Amis Bake Shoppe is a full service specialty bakery and coffee shop that opened in August 2013. We feature handcrafted baked goods and deserts for retail and commercial sales. Everything is made from scratch in-house, using recipes handed down from family. We pride ourselves on exceptional customer service and fresh products–no premade mixes, fillings, buttercreams, etc.
My twins grew up in the bakery. I was making cakes with one strapped to my front and the other strapped to my back. We have a great family atmosphere as we are a female-owned business and our staff includes some fantastic moms.
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?
1. Determination and perseverance.
There will be many things that come up along the way that would make it easier to quit or change direction. If you set your mind to it, push through to make it happen.
2. Be adaptable.
There are things I said “I would never do at the bakery” that not only do we do them, but they are some of the most popular items that we create now.
3. Gather as much knowledge as you possibly can before getting started. You can’t read too many books or do too much research.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
My mom. The amount of support she has provided over the years has been so valuable in my life. When I started the bakery at 24 years old, she did everything she could to help me get started with no debt. She worked weekends with me, helped deliver, helped with some of the office work. When I had my twins, she kept them on Saturdays so I could work. She is constantly doing anything she can to help build me up. My staff all love seeing her come in the shoppe as she lifts everyone’s spirits instantly.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.LesAmisBakeShoppe.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/lesamisbakeshoppe
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/lesamisbakeshoppe
Image Credits
Colin Ritchie
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
