We were lucky to catch up with Erin Higgins recently and have shared our conversation below.
Erin , thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?
I have a saying: things will be okay; because they have to be.
Before I can explain where my optimism comes from, I have to be very clear that sometimes, it’s playing a great game of hide and seek and I am failing in the seek department. But outside of those moments, I’m able to see that it’s right in front of me. There are always folks, whether it is family, friends, repeat clients or strangers that are impressed by what I do. These people are always ready and willing to remind me that I am successful, have been successful, and will continue to be. If I think something I create is good, they think it’s great. And who am I to say they are wrong?
I have learned that it is incredibly important to listen to those around you when they want to build you up. And let them! Because the optimism around me from other folks is only there because I work to deserve it. I have gone from someone who doubts that I can be successful in my business to someone who knows they will be, and is simply on the journey to finding the best way to do so. At some point I surrendered to fear and chose to lean on others when I needed to. Fellow business owners will be the ones that “get it”, friends and family will be first in line to sing my praises, my therapist will help me believe them, and clients will spend their hard earned dollars to prove those people correct. After a while, it felt silly to be the only one that wasn’t optimistic about the success of my business.
When optimism is low within me and around me, I choose to remember that things are going to be okay because they have to be.
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?
As a custom cake and cookie artist, I get to be a small part in so many people’s incredibly important moments. Sometimes, I even get to help making something that doesn’t seem like a very important moment, become memorable. I am lucky enough now to have earned the opportunity to be many families go-to artist, so I have been with them for multiple milestones. I can never express how special that is to me.
Life is hard- it’s messy, complicated, and painful. So when we find the chance to pause and celebrate, whether it’s a wedding or a quick stop at a farmer’s market, I think it’s important to make the most of it. That’s where I come in! A custom cake or set of custom cookies means that I spent time designing and creating just for you- because you deserve it. I create for any and all events and while I hold true to my own style, I pride myself on bending to fit what would be perfect for each client.
I also have items that can be pre-ordered (and shipped!) for holidays, so stay tuned on my socials to see what I’ve offered in the past and what I will be offering in the future so you can get your hands on whatever it cakes!
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?
Looking back, I have come this far because of my work ethic, empathy, and leadership qualities. My work ethic has always been high- I want to excel at what I do. Truly, you don’t get far without it. To anyone who may want to improve theirs, I would suggest leading with intention. To this day, I still set the goal to move through my work days with intention. It helps me tell the difference between useful (and necessary) breaks, and truly wasting time. Intention can mean different things to everyone, but eventually it will work its way into a solid work ethic as you find yourself getting more and more accomplished.
Empathy is something some people have more of than others. I am someone lucky to have plenty of it. Choosing to understand how someone else is feeling allows me to communicate clearly with them, meet them where they are, and have a successful client interaction. At the end of the day, we all want to be seen and understood, right? While that is a very broad concept, it can certainly start with taking the time to treat each client as if they are the only client you have. I have seen it make an impact on new and returning clients, and that warms my heart every time.
To run my own business, I had to hold some sort of leadership abilities. I picked them up from many chapters of my life, but most learned so much from working for multiple small businesses before setting out on my own. In a few different settings, I was put in positions to lead- even if that’s not what I signed up for. I remember being angry about that (which was fair). But now, I look back and am thankful to my past self for choosing to lead when asked to do so. Because of that, I now lead myself. If you aren’t in a position to lead, keep taking notes in your head of what things around you seem to work and how you may do things differently if given the chance. You would be surprised how much not leading can still hone your leadership skills.
If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?
Currently, I am working to find the fine balance between maximizing profit and continuing to create the time consuming, custom, hand decorated work that I pride myself on and my clients come to me excited for. There will always be those who value what I do, and for that, I am forever grateful. However, I signed myself up for a business that requires high overhead, long hours, and chronic back pain. I knew what I signed up for- and if anyone can do it I can- but finding places to simplify what I do to maximize profit is a fight with my ego I don’t often win. Sometimes I fear that if I simplify things here and there, clients will think less of my business. They won’t. I fear that if I stray from the incredibly detailed work I love, I will lose the passion. I won’t. I fear that if I keep doing what I’m doing, I can’t be successful. I can be. But yet, creating that Venn diagram that perfectly crosses between profit, work I am proud of, and hours where I can sleep and eat, is still an uphill battle. Let’s face it: that’s just.. business, right? Everyone who decided to take this leap is fighting this battle. I think my specific industry has some battles a bit more difficult than others, but as I have said previously- if anyone can do this, I can.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.whateveritcakesma.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whateveritcakesma/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whateveritcakesma/
Image Credits
Jessica Morgan Photography
Nina Weinstein Photography
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
