We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sheree Hollis Gilles. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sheree below.
Hi Sheree , so great to have you on the platform. There’s so much we want to ask you, but let’s start with the topic of self-care. Do you do anything for self-care and if so, do you think it’s had a meaningful impact on your effectiveness?
I think self-care is the hardest thing to make a priority, especially when you work full time, parent, are sleep-deprived (hello, parents!) and carry a heavy mental load. I have an 19 month old and I’m breastfeeding so most of my energy goes to taking care of her, literally, calorically and otherwise! Self-care can often feel selfish because there are a million other things you could be doing and other seemingly more important things to cross off an ever-growing to-do list. What I know to be true though, is it is literally impossible to continue moving forward if I’m not taking care of myself. I cannot be all the things I want to be to those I love or accomplish the goals I have for myself when I am running on empty. I am a better mom, partner, employee, baker, etc. when I remember to add myself to the list. This year specifically, I have been trying to intentionally take care of myself and understand that self-care does not have to be a long spa weekend, take hours at a time, or be the same type of self-care that some else is into. Self-care in its simplest form is just taking care of myself even if that is listening to an audio book on the way to an appointment or a ten-minute walk outside. Lately, my self-care has included going to the gym, resting when I need to, taking a few minutes to myself, staying hydrated, doing my nails, and listening to audio books in the car or shower. That is subject to change as what refreshes me in one season of life, may not be true in another season. Taking care of myself and engaging in those activities has allowed me to be more effective in every area of my life, simply due to the fact that I am operating from a healthier place. The activities clear my head, especially working out which has profound impact on my mental health. Operating from a healthy place physically and mentally allows me to focus more on whatever is in front of me.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I have been baking most of my life and come from a line of women who could throw down in the kitchen! At the urging of some closest to me, I launched My Sweet Amour in 2015 and have had the opportunity to bake for first birthdays, photo shoots, weddings, baby showers, fundraisers, and other special events. I have the honor of making someone’s event or celebration extra sweet and I do not take that privilege lightly. I personally think dessert is the most important part of any event and my business has allowed me to be a part of momentous occasions for various customers, some known and some who learned of me through word-of-mouth. I use the freshest ingredients, take custom requests such as following specific recipes or baking gluten-free, and I am precise in the execution of my customers’ vision. I tend to be a perfectionist, and baked goods are no exception! I am always trying to perfect my craft, either by learning from others in the field or utilizing new tools to increase efficiency. I am a small business, and solo in the kitchen, but owe all of my success to people who encouraged me to begin, those who order from me regularly, and those who make late-night runs to the store for more ingredients!
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?
The three things I think are the most important are knowing your worth and pricing accordingly, managing your time wisely, and non-judgmentally understanding your limitations. In the beginning (and still), it was difficult for me to put a price on my time and abilities. I have a tendency to down play my skill and effort; however, at the end of the day, no matter what your craft, you should be compensated accordingly if you are selling your creations. I would encourage pricing out your ingredients, the necessary materials, and realistically determining how much time it will take to complete the order. I also factor in how much money I would need to make per-hour if I were to go full-time. I suggest comparing your prices to the prices of other bakers in your area to ensure you are pricing according to market value. As for time management, I’m talking to my fellow procrastinators, my stay-up-all-night to achieve a project folk- use your time wisely. In the beginning, I tried to complete an elaborate cake within two days’ time, partly because I did not want to start too soon at the risk of compromising freshness and partly because I was underestimating the project. Over the years, I have learned to break each order into smaller parts, bake ahead of time and use the freezer to preserve freshness, and leave more time than I think for mishaps, such as the late-night store runs I mentioned! Lastly, always know your limitations. I have had people reach out requesting things that are just out of my wheelhouse, either due to time or skill, and have had to turn people down. Being out of my skill-level right now, does not mean that it will forever be outside what is realistic for me in the future but in the moment, I have to assess what I am truly capable of completing and if I have the time and skill-level to devote to the request. The last thing I want to do is take on a project and then realize half-way through that I am unable to complete it. I love the advice that saying yes to something is saying no to something else and as I strive to balance motherhood, working full time, engaging in self-care, and baking, it is important to be realistic with my yeses.
Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?
I had a baby 19 months ago and it has changed absolutely everything in my life, including my business, my outlook on life, my relationships, and how I spend my time. Matrescence or the transition into motherhood has been unlike any other experience in my life because suddenly you have a tiny little human who depends on you for absolutely everything, but more importantly the decisions you make greatly affect that tiny human for the rest of their life. I am quite literally growing a brain (again!) and teaching my daughter what she can expect from other people and this world. It is a responsibility I do not take lightly, but one that has required dramatic shifts in other areas of my life. In the last 12 months, I’ve had to learn to balance motherhood with the demands of my full time job, my relationship, and my business. It is remarkable how parenting disorients you in the best way, bringing what is absolutely most important into focus and teaching you to let go of the rest. I have learned to be gentle with myself, have grace in all endeavors, and do my best to be present for the ones I love.
Contact Info:
- Website: mysweetamour.com
- Instagram: @mysweetamour
- Facebook: facebook.com/mysweetamour
Image Credits
TC Lanthrope- Photo with daughter Amanda Christine Massimini- Naked cake and Lord of the Rings cookies Joseph Bills- Present cake
