Meet Michelle Wetsch

We were lucky to catch up with Michelle Wetsch recently and have shared our conversation below.

Michelle , so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

To be honest I don’t think I’ve ever completely overcome it. She sneaks up here and there when I least expect it. Sometimes I’ll start an order and really have no idea how I’m going to decorate a cake. I’ll have a little panic attack but then once I actually push myself to get started it all typically just comes together perfectly. Sometimes I surprise myself at the end. I’ll still be in my head about how it looks but then someone will walk by and be completely impressed. I’m always going to be my own worst enemy. I have to remember to take a step back, take a deep breath and look again.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

My name is Michelle Wetsch. I am 35 years old and I am the owner of Chelle’s – Cakes By Michelle Wetsch. My business is based out of the Raleigh/Wake Forest, NC area. I have been decorating cakes for about 13 years. My passion started out as a hobby on the side but has now turned in to my full time career and main source of income. I graduated Cum Laude from the Culinary Institute of Virginia and earned my Associates Degree of Applied Science. Although I am classically French trained in Culinary Arts, my main focus and passion lies in baking and decorating cakes for people!

I specialize in made from scratch custom cakes and baked goods. All my orders are baked fresh and made to order. Paying high attention to detail and cleanliness in the kitchen.

You can typically find me inside Flavor District in Wake Forest Mondays through Fridays. My hours vary on my workload for the week. I typically keep my weekends open to spend time with my family unless I have a pickup or delivery I need to take care of.

I love making wedding cakes and themed cakes for special occasions. I typically need about a week to two weeks notice for custom orders if I’m not already booked up.

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?

One of the things I clung on to from culinary school was the term, “mise en place.” It’s French for “to put in place.” Basically meaning that when you are about to make something. You should always go ahead and take the time to measure out everything first. Once that is all done and organized it will be much easier to put your recipe together without scrambling for things you’re missing.

Another thing I was told was to document everything! Since I started my cake decorating journey, I’ve always taken pictures of my food and posted the pictures on social media. The good, the bad, and sometimes the ugly. Over the years I started to have people and friends order cakes from me. To this day, I still get most of my business through social media and word of mouth.

If you’re just starting your baking business journey don’t give up. It’s not always sprinkles and cotton candy. There is a lot of blood, sweat, and tears that go on beyond the scenes. But give it to God. Trust in Him. Be consistent. Be open and adaptable. If you ever get knocked down, take a deep breath and get back up and try again.

Tell us what your ideal client would be like?

I love over communication. I’m always going to give you too many details and ask all the questions because I want to make sure I make something you want. I have a collection of questions I’ll typically send you when you first inquire about a cake quote. You can’t just send me a picture of a random cake and I can’t just throw a number out there. Many times it’s hard to even tell what size the cake is in the picture. Cakes can average in price based on so many factors. So if you come prepared with the details, then the whole process will go much smoothly.

I thrive and work best with creative freedom. If you can give me at least a theme, style, or color scheme I can typically just go from there. Of course I will do and I welcome any specific details you want me to add to an order but when everything is nit picked then sometimes I’ll get the feeling that I possibly won’t be able to satisfy you in the end. I’m never going to give you something I am not proud of. I just ask that you trust me with your vision and trust the process.

Lastly, if you pay your invoice and deposit on time then you are the MVP. I do not do payments at pickup because I’ve had some clients stiff me on a cake after spending my money and hours of my time putting it together for you. Respect me and respect my time and business please. Also please read the invoice. I always take the time to type up directions and attach information for picking up instructions, cake care instructions, and even information on how to cut cakes. This information is always in your invoices and I also attach stickers to your cake box and will mention details in our message threads as well.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chellewetschcakes
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chellewetschcakes

Image Credits

Carolina Noir Photography