Contestant's Case to Win

This is based on the number of votes received.

I started the business with my brother and sister after teaching for 5 years. When my brother (the baker)left months after opening our first bakery/cafe, I was pregnant with my first child and left with a failing business that was in major debt.

After attending a wedding show, I decided to change our business model and focus on wedding cakes. Having learned cake decorating while working at my uncle's bakery as a child, the switch was the best thing we did. My sister, Mary Ann, my cousin, Wallace, our baker, and I raised my daughter at the bakery while growing the business at the same time. I took my daughter to business meetings, shows etc. and created a schedule that allowed me to mother and run a business.

After three years, our business broke even and by year four and five it made a profit. On January 23 2004, we signed the papers to purchase the Cake Studio, which was a competitor of ours. I was in labor with my second child when I headed to the lawyers office to close the deal. I delivered my baby that evening and stayed in the hospital for a day. The following day, I took my three year old and my newborn with me to run errands for our new expanded business.

Our business has grown many times over since we opened in 1999. We have a solid business model, that now includes a retail store, two cake showrooms and a growing wholesale division. We have a loyal customer base having been voted "Best Cakes in Western Washington in 2008."

At Celebrity Cake Studio, we support non-profit organizations that benefit children, schools and women. We foster a mom-friendly environment for both customers and employees. We bring product out to cars so moms/parents don't have to wake sleeping children. We have a kid-friendly retail store with tables and free cookie treats. I am also very flexible with my employees who have children. Once one of my cake decorators had an emergency and couldn't find childcare. I took her two children with me along with my two children and ran errands with four of them.

I do salute all moms who spend their time juggling business and mothering. It is a challenge to grow a business and raise children at the same time and looking at my two happy children, (to whom I am the primary care giver) and my growing business, I am very happy I took on the challenge.