We recently connected with Briana Johnson and have shared our conversation below.
Briana, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
One of my main goals with my baking business is to never stop learning. Despite how many years I’ve been doing this, I know that there is more to learn because trends come and go and new techniques pop up that could be useful to me. To make sure I am on top of changes, I am constantly watching videos of other bakers/decorators. I research different styles of art that I can use in my work as well. Sometimes I even learn a new skill that doesn’t seem to be related to baking but can be used. One skill that I’ve been practicing for several years is hand lettering. It is something that I use daily because I always write on cakes and cookies.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Sweet Bri’s Bakery is a home based, woman-owned bakery located in Allen, TX. Specializing in custom cakes and from scratch desserts for your everyday needs, I bake from my heart and I’m ready to provide sweet treats for any occasion big or small. Fan of cooking shows? Catch me on re-runs of Food Network’s Holiday Baking Championship Season 2.
The one thing that I take pride in, that also sets me apart from other bakeries, is that my desserts look AND taste good. I love playing with flavors and putting a twist on familiar desserts, such as my banana pudding pie and sweet potato pie cookies.
While I do everything through pre-orders, you can always catch me popping up around town. This Fall you can find me at the Pinners Conference in Fort Worth on September 22nd and 23rd. I will also be popping up at several markets to start your holiday gift shopping. You can find more information about where I’ll be on my website and all social media outlets.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The three things that have helped me on my journey from being a hobby baker to a professional baker would be: 1. Trusting myself and knowing what I wanted. I’ve had people telling me for years to open a store or do this and do that. Sometimes that pressure from others will make you take steps that aren’t right for you or you’re not ready for. I had to really figure out what I wanted versus what I wanted to do just because someone told me to.
2. Communication is always going to be an important skill to have. I’ve had to learn how to say no and set boundaries so that I don’t become overwhelmed and burnt out. I’ve had to learn how to sell my product with more confidence and ensure a first time customer becomes a long term customer.
3. It never hurts to love what you do. People can see that I love baking and it brings me joy. You can’t wake up one morning and say, “I’m going to bake for the rest of my life” if you’ve never done it before and have no interest in being in the kitchen. It really shows in your work whether or not you enjoy what you’re doing.
Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?
I’m currently in my second year as a full time baker and in the past 12 months I’ve seen my reach go beyond my local community and even past the Texas borders. Most recently, I’ve had people travel over 8 hours in a day to get a cake from me. I was also able to start shipping my treats nationwide after collaborating with tiktoker, HYMtherapper, who did a review of my products. The response I received from the review was phenomenal! I even had requests to ship to Japan!!
Contact Info:
- Website: sweetbrisbakery.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/sweet_bris_bakery?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SweetBrisBakery/videos/1242602199886189/
Image Credits
Aven Willow Portraits Briana Johnson
