Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Nickol Hayden-Cady, Founder & Executive Pastry Chef of Foxtail Bakeshop & Kitchen, located in Bend, OR, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We are a small batch from scratch bakeshop and kitchen that serves brunch and fine pastries, and wedding cakes with a focus on local, high-quality ingredients. We now specialize in virtual cooking classes and consultation and have a cookbook coming out in Spring 2023.
Tell us about yourself
I found a passion for cooking when I was very young and was honored to get the opportunity to start in a culinary kitchen at the age of 13 and never looked back. I attended the Culinary Institute of America after many years in the industry, which gained a different love for the industry and a drive that kept me going. I am motivated each day by creation and a passion for the product.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is I have fulfilled all my dreams that I imagined years ago, and I continue to be inspired by new ideas and goals daily with our land, animals, and possibilities of what food can be and what it means to humans moving forward.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
The hardest thing, I believe, in owning a business in food is the unpredictability of the cost of your ingredients and what your customers are willing to pay. If you stick to not compromising quality as I do, how far will your customers follow you until they are no longer able to support you.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- The top 3 tips I would give to someone who would like to open or grow a business is to stay true to yourself because as soon as you lose who you are, you have lost your passion and reason why.
- The second does not run your business based on what your customers think you should be.
- Third, keep creating and growing. It's the only way to stay inspired and to truly be innovative and respected.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.foxtailbakeshop.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088720037809
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foxtailbakeshop/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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