We were lucky to catch up with Kimberly Licht recently and have shared our conversation below.
Kimberly, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
My resilience came from my parents, hands-down. They taught me to ask for what I want. and, that in the worst case scenario, the answer would be no. My dad also taught me that there are really no right or wrong decisions. You can’t know if it’s right or wrong until you’ve made the decision, so make one. If it turns out to be wrong, then change it up. That allowed me to feel free to make mistakes. I read a book many years ago called “Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway”. It has been incredibly empowering to live by that mantra.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
In 2020 while everyone was baking sourdough and banana bread, my son asked if we could make challah. I used the recipe that was in the book I was reading to him, and it was an epic fail! I tried a few different recipes after that to see if I could get it right, and I finally found the one that worked best for me, I began experimenting with different flavors and fillings and posting them on Facebook and Instagram. Many of my friends and family wanted me to bake for them and a friend of mine encouraged me to sell them. I wasn’t sure at first, but I decided to give it a try . It has become quite the success and I now offer over 30 varieties of both sweet and savory flavors.
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?
I am a creative at heart. That, in and of itself is the major quality that inspired me to try baking challah. I am also an active member of my temple community, and it allowed me to feel connected, especially during the time of the pandemic, when we were all so isolated. It was something I felt I could control that brought me peace and connected my family to our Judaism every Friday night during Shabbat. I was a server in a restaurant for many years and one of the most important things I learned is that the customer is always right. I have used that in my business and my goal is to keep my customers happy. One of my favorite things during quarantine was when people would come over to pick up their challah with such joy and excitement. I love putting a smile on someone’s face. My advice to anyone just getting started in their business journey is to treat their customers the way they would want to be treated.
Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
The book that has played the most important role in my development is the one that I mentioned earlier, “ Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway” by Susan Jeffers. The title alone gives you the permission to be afraid, but not to let the fear control you. My sister also gave me some wonderful advice at one point in my life when I was feeling stuck and afraid. She told me that the anxiety I was feeling was worse than reality. Just rip off the Band-Aid. If the decision I was making didn’t work out, I could make a different one later. This entire way of thinking has freed me up to make mistakes and try new things.
Contact Info:
- Website: The-accidental-baker.ueniweb.com
- Instagram: @kimtheaccidentalbaker
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3344141245643761/?ref=share_group_link
