We were lucky to catch up with Laura Petrolino recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Laura , thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
Overcoming imposter syndrome is a daily, never-ending journey for me. Which would probably surprise a lot of people because I’m not afraid to jump into new challenges. But the truth is, I absolutely am. I question myself and abilities constantly. Daily I have a moment of wondering what the heck I think I’m doing.
But I’m more afraid of not doing something than I am at failing at something. So I lean hard into that fact. For me the worst thing that could happen would be not trying vs. failing miserably. And I use that barometer as a indicator of if I should move forward. If the fear of not starting is still greater than the fear of any possible negative consequences of going for it, I go for it!
I also think it’s important to remember if you are scared, it means you are probably closer to doing it successfully than you think you are. Walking down that fine line of not being quite sure something will work but doing it anyway is basically the sweet spot for an entrepreneur. You are aware enough of shortcomings to have a critical eye, figure out how to fill them in other ways, and be strategic about how you grow and scale BUT fearless enough to just do it.
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?
MePowered Pastries is Maine’s only entirely kid-focused bakery and learning studio. Through our play-bake-learn model, we:
-Empower kids to grow, create, and learn through the magic of baking.
-Create fun events, birthday parties, and opportunities for community connection.
-Give back by focusing on local ingredients, sustainable practices, family fun, and donation bake sales.
And most of all, believe everything tastes so much sweeter when a community comes together to lift each other up.
Baking is an incredibly powerful tool for kids because it’s so accessible.
Science, math, history, learning about new cultures, geographies, and even their local community. Baking makes these things so much more accessible to kids.
It provides a hands-on and relatable way to see chemical reactions and scientific concepts play out in real time.
It unites us with new and different cultures with stories shared through food traditions. It connects us with our community through the understanding of our food-ecosystem and how things move from the farms around us, to the bowl we bake with, to the delicious treats we put in our bellies. It teaches us through all of our senses and in turn makes learning personal and part of our own stories.
Obviously baking is magic just in and of itself. To create something amazing from simple ingredients and tools is a human super power. But it also can be the launch pad for so much more. It’s so exciting to watch kids connect, thrive, learn, and build confidence in classes.
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?
Anchor with joy: The truth is, you could do a lot of things. And probably do most of them fairly successfully. But do you really want to? When making decisions about where to start, how to grow, which path to take…anchor with joy. You’ll find the most success and happiness there.
Be ok with being unique: It’s ok (and normally beneficial) to lean into what makes you unique. When anchoring with joy you might make decisions that go against the status quo, and that’s ok. You don’t have to do things they way the “normally are done.” In fact, I’d argue if you are doing things the way everyone else does them then you probably should just go work for someone else vs. build your own business. But the secret to being unique is to do it unapologetically and confidently. Don’t look back. It will make it easier for the people who need you to find you (and easier for you to build a business for those people who resonate with the unique mission your are driving).
Be impact-focused vs success-focused: Prioritize impact which is long-term and agile vs. success which can be short-termed and rigid. This will prevent you from rolling too far from your original mission because you are trying to chase the next wave of ‘success.’ Impact requires patience and focus but it’s also what matters most, lasts the longest, and allows you to use your gifts to make the world a bit better.
Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?
I’m currently navigating how to take the platform and community we’ve built and grow in a way that provides more community benefit and impact. How can we support the community, kids and families more. My background is heavy in a lot of professional and volunteer mission-driven work. And professionally, I’m not completely fulfilled unless this aspect takes priority in what we do. So we are at an excited juncture of saying, “what’s next?” How can we build up the community as we build up the business.
Contact Info:
- Website: mepoweredpastries. com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mepoweredpastries
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/e8JXKEQ3HBHksNRg/?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lkpetrolino/
Image Credits
Amanda Huebner Photography
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
