“If only you knew what it’s like carving out a niche in the community - to be a place that people truly want to come to - being the best you can be for these people, whose tastes and affection you are whole-heartedly seeking. And (employees) who are skilled enough to replicate what you do so that you don’t have to be there every minute of every day even though you truly love it. “If only you knew what it’s like pouring your heart and soul into creating products that are consistent, exciting, flavorful, picture-worthy, and finding employees you can trust, like Jordan Alban Vallat, my manager, who is incredible, and Brent Griffiths, who has been there through thick and thin, and many others. most mornings, working 10-12 hour days, coming home to take care of kids while your husband is at work, relying on your dear friends, like Hilary Saner, Patricia Nolan and Leslie Gayle Fillmore-Mascorro, to help you with everything to get the business going - hoping there will be some money left for you to take home after you’ve paid all of your bills and employees in those first few years. “If only you knew what it’s like being a baker, waking up at 3 or 4 a.m. “If only you knew what it’s like to take the biggest risk of your life and open a brick and mortar a few years later – again with 3 kids who are still pretty young, your husband working the night shift at his job so that he can take care of the kids during the day while you’re at work, and this being your first restaurant where you had to borrow money from your generous and trusting family and you’re now responsible for employees, a successful product line, an enticing menu, equipment, licenses, insurance, quality customer service, the whole she-bang. “The rest of our day we spent delivering the cookies I made the night before around town, with 3 kids and dozens of cookies all piled onto a stroller - we were quite the sight. So, I started baking at 8-9 at night, and would finish up around 2 a.m., then try to get some rest, although my youngest was still a baby and would wake up frequently at night while the other two would be up early. “If only you knew what’s it’s like being the first person in the county to start a home based baking business in 2013 with 3 toddlers ages 4, 2 and 9 months at the time a husband that worked full-time to financially support you as you pursue your dream and technically not being allowed to use your teeny-tiny kitchen for production if any kids or pets were popping in and out, meaning all my work had to be done after they went to bed. I thought you were just a prissy little baker.’ Well, after holding back from punching him in the face, I stared at him in amazement for a just few seconds, and thought to myself… “But this person said to me, ‘Wow, a catcher, huh. He was impressed that my position was behind the plate, as catchers are usually really aggressive, and tough, and are willing to get down and dirty – and most of you who know me probably think I don’t exude those qualities. This person who I have known for years and who wants to own his own cafe someday made this comment after finding out that I was a catcher on my softball team both at Yreka High School and Siskiyous College. He lived in Morro Bay near downtown when they married and where they are raising their three children, Lucia, Avery and Isaiah.Įnjoy Carrie’s entrepreneurial journey: “I recently had an interesting comment said to me that has made me think about how people perceive me and what I do. Buttercup Bakery & Cafe owner/baker Carrie Raya baking a tasty treat at the shop located in Morro Bay.Ĭarrie is a graduate of Cal Poly where she met her husband, Rich, when they worked at the University Union.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |