Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tobias & Charlyn Madison. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Tobias & Charlyn , so happy to have you with us today and there is so much we want to ask you about. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others developed certain skills or qualities that we are struggling with can be helpful. Along those lines, we’d love to hear from you about how you developed your ability to take risk?
Honestly, it started with faith before anything else. TCakes was born in a farmers market parking lot—with folding tables, long weekends, and a dream that people would fall in love with our 8-layer cakes. When the opportunity came to open a storefront, it wasn’t a neat, easy decision. Charlyn left her nursing career to run the café full time. That was the real leap—trusting that what we were building together could support our family and our community.
From there, every step has been about turning that same courage into strategy. We’ve learned to take risks that are rooted in preparation and prayer—whether that’s trying new flavors, launching our first event, or figuring out payroll.
Our “risk-taking” didn’t come from chasing chance; it came from betting on purpose. We went from a pop-up tent to a storefront because we believed in the power of what we serve—something homemade, heartfelt, and worth the leap.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
What makes TCakes special is the feeling behind it. We don’t just sell dessert—we serve nostalgia, community, and joy. Our cakes have become part of people’s birthdays, graduations, even proposals. Seeing that connection grow from a pop-up tent to our first storefront at the Riverside EpiCenter has been incredible.
Right now, we’re most excited about Velvet Vibes, our monthly live event series that celebrates local artists and musicians. It’s where cake meets culture—a space for people to gather, unwind, and experience something indulgent and soulful. We’re also expanding our catering and preorder options as we prepare to ship our signature 8-layer cakes nationwide in the near future.
At TCakes, we believe dessert should be unforgettable—and we’re just getting started writing that story, one velvet layer at a time.
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?
The three qualities that shaped our journey the most were faith, resilience, and business discipline—and each one came with its own set of lessons.
Faith was the foundation. We didn’t start TCakes with perfect timing or a big safety net—we started with belief. When Charlyn left her nursing job to run the café full-time, we had to trust that obedience and preparation would carry us further than fear ever could. My advice: don’t wait for certainty to move. Start with what you have and let your belief catch up to your boldness.
Resilience came next. There were long nights, slow days, and moments that tested our “why.” Farmers markets in the heat, equipment failures, and the grind of learning every side of the business—those things build muscle. For anyone just starting, don’t be afraid to fail publicly. Every challenge teaches you something about what you’re made of.
Finally, business discipline turned passion into progress. We learned to budget, track margins, plan cash flow, and make decisions based on data, not emotion. For creatives and dreamers—fall in love with the numbers, too. It’s what gives your vision structure and staying power.
Faith got us started. Resilience kept us standing. Discipline made us grow. And if you can cultivate all three, you’ll find that even the hardest parts of the journey turn into your greatest teachers.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
Absolutely. TCakes has always been about community, and collaboration is at the heart of how we grow. We’re looking to partner with brands, creators, and community leaders who share our passion for creativity, culture, and connection.
That could mean collaborating with local artists and musicians for our Velvet Vibes event series, restaurants or coffee shops interested in featuring our 8-layer velvet cakes, or corporate and event planners who want to bring something unforgettable to their dessert tables. We also love partnering with schools, nonprofits, and small business owners who align with our mission of celebrating flavor, family, and faith-driven entrepreneurship.
If you’re reading this and think we could create something special together—whether it’s a new flavor collab, a pop-up experience, or a community event—we’d love to connect. You can reach us through our website or social media at @tvelvetcakes, or stop by our new storefront at the Riverside EpiCenter in Austell, Georgia.
We believe in building tables big enough for everyone to eat—and collaborate—at.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Tvelvetcakes.com
- Instagram: @tvelvetcakes
- Facebook: Tvelvetcakes
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
