It was always a dream of mine to be my own boss and do cakes my way - that being, super girly and bougie cakes. Iykyk. However, I was not getting opportunities to do so at my baking jobs. I stayed at these baking jobs for steady income and a predictable day-to-day. I was comfortable that way. I liked knowing how much I would make, so I can budget accordingly. I liked knowing when I would work, so I could plan other activities. After focusing more on personal and professional development, I realized that the only way to make real money is to take risks. No one gets rich by working 9-5. I mean, yes, you can have a stable life and become upper middle class that way, and some people are happy with that - by all means! But I wanted more. I want private jets and yachts. The only way to ever get there is to take risks. I'm so far from that point right now, but at least I know I'm in the running. Having that mindset alone is gold. The greatest things in life come from risk-taking. Growing up poor, I was very risk averse and always saved my money. But I decided to take a leap of faith, go into debt, and start my own cake shop (just from my home at the moment). And yes, I work about 12 hours a day doing baking, marketing, and administrative stuff, but I honestly think I have more work-life balance now because I'm doing things I like, my way. I can take a break whenever I want. Heck, I can even take a break, go out to lunch with friends, and come back and pick up where I left off. I can schedule doctor or beauty appointments whenever I want, and it's nice because I get better times since I'm not held back by a 9-5 like more than half the population.
Feeding off the previous point, there is greater opportunity when starting a business versus working for someone else. The ceiling is endless when having your own business. You can diversify into manufacturing or teaching. You can become an influencer or content creator. Of course, you can also do these things when working a 9-5, but that eight hours that you're giving to your employer, you'll never get back. You're losing out on time that you could put toward your own thing, thus delaying your dream. Let's be real, having a 9-5 job where you work for someone else is draining. Sometimes, you don't want to do anything but rest when you get home after that. Therefore, it was clear to me that I had to quit my job if I was going to take my dream seriously. I wanted way more than I could ever get out of my 9-5. Again, my family does not come from much, and all my parents could offer me was their debt. I had to think bigger. If I ever wanted financial stability for myself and my parents, I had to quit my job and start something of my own. It was my best bet on ever living the life I wanted. At only 22 years old, it only made sense. Right now, I have time to fail and eventually get it right.
That being said, the number one reason why I quit my job was that I could not justify working on someone else's dream anymore when I had my own. Think about it, so long as you're working for someone else, you are working toward their dream - but what about yours? I had dreams of being my own boss and making cakes with a certain aesthetic. I love making girly and bougie cakes, and I was not getting that opportunity where I previously worked. In fact, I did not even feel appreciated working at my other job and helping my employer achieve their dream. And the sad matter is, this is a common occurrence, and a lot of employees feel under-appreciated for their efforts. So it only made sense for my own happiness and sanity to start working on my own dream. It was now or never. Why delay it? What was I waiting for? The leap of faith I took to start Camélia Cake Shop has been stressful, but I believe I am a happier person overall than I was before, and for that I am thankful.
I will be posting regularly with insight as to the steps I took to start Camélia Cake Shop. I will also be posting my signature techniques that I created during my experiences baking. Stay tuned and please subscribe if any of this resonates with you :)