We were lucky to catch up with MELISSA SLIGH recently and have shared our conversation below.
MELISSA, so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?
I would like to think that my optimism comes from my faith in knowing that any obstacle that comes my way will always be able to be resolved and/or turned into a learning lesson.
If things feel like they aren’t going as I have planned them in my head, I just have to remember that it is ok to pivot the plan and simply “make it work”. I also know that a negative mindset does not help any stressful situation, it does the complete opposite! If you tell yourself you are going to fail or that everything is going to be bad, then that’s what will happen. When making cakes, I can never allow the self-doubt to win.
Staying optimistic about a cake design will always help me to create my best work!
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?
I am a self taught, home based baker who loves to be creative!
My passion for cake making came from making my godson’s 1st birthday cake back in 2009. My sister and I just wanted to make something cute for the special occasion but little did I know it would turn into this. I always enjoyed art and I also love to cook, so it made sense that I would love this creative outlet.
After that first cake that I made, just for fun, I began to constantly watch baking shows and videos to learn new techniques and cake trends to try. I quickly became the designated baker for all my family and friend’s special occasions. I took a lot of pride in the positive feedback I would receive and it only helped my confidence grow to begin baking for people outside of my circle. Once I started to actually promote my work via social media is when business began to increase and I felt like this was something I could take seriously instead of just a hobby.
I am so thankful to all those that have allowed me to be a part of their special celebrations because it has helped me grow in my craft and only become better throughout the years!
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 think that consistency, creativity, and willingness to learn are three of the key factors that have been most impactful for me. Staying consistent with promoting myself has been a huge factor to receiving orders and keeping a booked schedule! Also staying creative, everyone wants their cakes to be special and unique. Any way that I can incorporate special/creative touches to make my customer feel like they are getting something completely customized is so important.
Willingness to learn has definitely been the most productive quality I have obtained. I know that there is always something that I can learn and that my way of doing things could always improve in order to be more efficient.
Being open minded with creative techniques, business strategies, and time management will always benefit you in the long run.
The best advice I would give to someone just starting out as a home baker would be to be patient with yourself. Do not compare your work or abilities to anyone else because we have all started out the same way! But also, do not be afraid to try new things and work outside of your comfort zone! You never know the limits to your own talents until you attempt it!
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
I have been blessed with amazing clients thus far! I hear horror stories sometimes and I thank God I haven’t encountered anything like that after 10+ years of creating for people!
My ideal client is anyone who allows me to be creative but at the same time knowing what they want. Sometimes it is nice to be told to do whatever I want and I definitely appreciate the trust they have in me to give them a beautiful final product. But I do also appreciate someone with a vision, because I definitely relate to that! I think there is a perfect medium of someone who has an idea of what they are looking for while respecting that I can put my own creative touch/style on it!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mycakesite.wixsite.com/melissas-cakes
- Instagram: @melissas_cakes
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