bake - December 2018 - 36

cakes

A little ﬂour and a lot of

PATIENCE
BY A L I YYA H B AY LO R , OWNER O F M AK E M Y CAK E

One Harlem summer while I was on break between college
semesters, I found myself the owner of my family's bakery, Make
My Cake. After years of knowing my family business as a bakery
squeezed into our ﬁfth-ﬂoor, walk-up apartment, change was
well on its way. It was my mother's home-based bakery that she
started when I was a little girl. When she decided to shift to a
corporate position, I suddenly found myself in the driver's seat
of our family business. The task of bringing sweet treats based
on rich cultural heritage and family recipes to our customers was
now mine to maintain. Looking back, it was old family traditions
mixed with modern business perspectives that led to our once
small bakery officially taking off.

process. Together, we should be growing the business every
day because if the business succeeds, we all succeed.

My grandmother and my mother's famous recipes were traditionally Southern, offering a dash of Harlem soul in each bite. I knew

This mindset has served our team well. Having just opened our

her cakes were enough to keep clients around, but I'd need a brick

third location, we are already starting the search for a fourth

and mortar location to expand operations, grow clientele and

location to expand our offerings of Southern sweets. My team

establish our family business in the New York City bakery scene.

has risen through the ranks and, together, we have learned
countless, invaluable lessons. Make My Cake thrives thanks to

For years, I had saved almost all my money, anticipating growth

hard work, determination, and smart decisions. Organizations

in the business. If I earned $500 from making cakes, I'd put

like the SBA and my banking partner, Chase for Business, have

$400 away in my rainy-day fund and spend the rest on the

been instrumental in this success as well. New York City is a

ingredients for cakes. My mother taught me very early that

tough place to start a business -about half of small businesses

my entrepreneurism wouldn't unlock opportunities without

do not even make it past ﬁve years - so it's vital to have organi-

a permanent habit and mindset of saving. Funneled savings,

zations that you can trust to support and guide you. The ability

Small Business Administration (SBA) startup loans, and

to always have key information at my ﬁngertips is vital when

generous short-term investments from friends and family led

making deals, and a bank that listens, like Chase, is crucial.

me to opening my ﬁrst storefront and commercial bakery.

Surround yourself with people and organizations that value
your business and growth just as much as you do.

successful business isn't possible without a strong team

For anyone looking to take their personal or family business to

working together. We have 10 full-time workers plus part-time

the next level, my advice is to expand thoughtfully along the

employees and interns from local schools, and it's my mission

way. Remember not to lose sight of why you started your busi-

to make sure everyone feels empowered and accountable

ness or what made you successful. When we started looking to

through training and open book management. I shared goals

open a new location, I was approached by customers pleading

of helping my co-workers become 'intra-preneuers' - people

with me not to lose our mom-and-pop feel in the growth

who grow with the success of the company they are working

process. We're always listening to our customers and making

for. We set projections based on location and time of year, and

conscious decisions that ensure the culture of our company

we listen to our customers throughout the decision-making

doesn't change, even when our footprint does.

36 < DEC 2018 | bakemag.com

MAKE MY CAKE

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bake - December 2018

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