We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Angela Kmetz a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Angela, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
I believe I get my work ethic from my dad. Growing up, he was always working on something. He had his full time job and on the weekends he’d always be working outside in the lawn. Mowing the grass, trimming the hedges, putting the water sprinkler in the exact right spot so it reaches the whole yard. Then after he retired from his job, he helped my mom at the donut shop she worked at for years, buying it together. So he was still working even after retirement. I’ve always kept busy and would work long hours in my baking business. My passion has always kept me driven in my baking endeavors.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I have always had a passion for baking and have been baking professionally for the past 12 years. I remember making brownies and cookies with my dad and loved the whole process. I co-owned a bakery in Austin for 6 years after college then moved back to the DFW area to be closer to my family. Since moving back in late 2018, I’ve been attending local farmers markets on the weekends and taking any custom orders.
Right now, baking is my “part-time” job, as I have a full-time job during the week. I hope to make my baking full-time again with anticipation of having my own brick and mortar again. I have a dream to have a shop where you can get my sweet treats with a cup of coffee and socialize with your friends!
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?
I’d say you should be dedicated, resilient and try not to give up. There’s going to be a lot of challenges of trying to start a new business. I know I felt like wanting to give up but I just tried to think of why I started this in the first place and to keep going.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
The most impactful thing my parents did for me in my life was being supportive in me and everything I do. My parents never pressured me into anything, whether it was educationally, professionally, or personally. They let me choose which college to attend, what to major in, and what I wanted to do with my life. They always told me throughout my life, “as long as you’re happy”. They never pushed anything towards me to try to become a doctor or lawyer or anything of the sort. In my last year of college, when I told them I wanted to open a bakery with my friends, they were a little worried of course, but they still supported me. They let me pursue and follow my dreams.
Because my parents have always supported me and saw what I can do with my hands in the kitchen, I am still pursuing that dream.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.theicedwhisk.com
- Instagram: @theicedwhisk
- Facebook: @theicedwhisk
