Today we’d like to introduce you to Priscilla Cruz.
Hi Priscilla, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
It has been a dream to own a bakery for as long as I can remember. I was always the type of person to have a plan when it came to my future. Anything from what university I was going to and I even wrote down every step I needed to take to obtain my degree.
What inspired me? It all started in my adolescent years when my dad used to take me to visit the pastry kitchen at one of the most prestigious hotels in Orlando, Florida. The Peabody Orlando was known as one of the finest hotels, but I knew it as the place with the best cookies. Fast forward to when I graduated high school with a culinary arts certificate and itched to start my career; becoming the next Pastry Helper at The Peabody Orlando was the first step to many career goals.
Working long hours, weekends, and every single holiday, all while attending the University of Central Florida, was a sacrifice I was willing to make. My passion for pastry had grown rapidly over the years. For ten years, I had made my way up the ladder and ended my journey in hotel commercial kitchens as an Executive Pastry Chef.
This was it, I made it to the end of my “planned” journey. As every new career role, it was tough at the beginning. Having to prove yourself daily and not showing any weakness takes a lot of inner strength. But I did it! I was proving myself to be the right candidate for this position and I was proud of myself. I built a pastry team, creating new and improved desserts for the entire resort and impressed LOTS of returning guests. I had finally reached the peak of my career and there was no stopping me.
Until, shortly after stepping into the highest role in my career, I became terribly ill. January 2020 was when the hospital visits began, and I was admitted at least once a month until June 2020. After months of testing and hospital visits, I was diagnosed with Systematic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). Not having any knowledge that this disease even existed, I did not know what to think. We were in the middle of a pandemic, and I was just diagnosed with an uncurable disease. Now this is where the real journey began.
It took a lot of mental strength and support from my loved ones to get through the beginning stages of Lupus. I had gained knowledge not only on the disease, but I had learned a lot about myself. Describing everything I learned is another story. After months of recovery, it was now time to figure out what am I going to do with my life. From someone that had everything planned out, I pretty much had to start all over. I had to swallow my pride and learn that we must pave our own road. At first, I thought, “this is the end of my career,” but I did not want to give up and just let this chronic illness control my life. Ironically, this diagnosis had pushed me to go further, and Just Because Baking was born.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Every small business owner learns something new every day. It can be anything from improving the quality of their product to realizing a mistake that is too late to fix. I am not saying that it will never be a smooth road but there will always be speed bumps along the way.
You never realize how much work it takes to start and run a business until you dip your toes in. At first, I assumed it was just all about making delicious desserts and selling them locally. I figured I would use social media as my marketing strategy, and everything will fall into place. What I did not consider were the small expenses like packaging for my desserts, stickers with my logo, thank you cards, etc. Most importantly, making a big enough profit to keep moving forward.
All of this may seem like I am trying to talk anyone out of starting a small business, but you must make these small mistakes to better yourself and your business. I have learned to do a lot of research and read blogs from other small business owners. There are a lot of resources out there; you must look for them and reach out.
Another struggle that I am and will forever experience is battling an invisible disease. Symptoms appear without any warning, and it becomes a daily struggle. Motivating myself to push ahead has become part of my morning ritual. Honestly, this struggle is the one I fear the most. It is called an invisible disease for a reason and not having any clue how you are going to feel in the morning can make anyone a bit nervous.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I wanted Just Because Baking to be all about delivering messages with something sweet. We are a unique online bakery offering all kinds of sweets to be delivered for that special occasion or simply for that special person in your life. There is a plethora of fine desserts to choose from on our online bakery and we do prepare custom orders. Our desserts have been featured in birthday parties, weddings and even cooperate events.
We specialize in French-style desserts with a Latin twist. Ever since the start of my Baking and Pastry career, I have worked with some of the best Pastry Chefs in Orlando, and they have all been from France. Not having gone to Pastry school, they all took me under their wing and taught me from their first-hand experiences. I have mastered many techniques that you do not see in American desserts and have also gained knowledge in many different ingredients that are produced in France.
The Latin twist comes from me. My family is from Puerto Rico, and I have always loved the flavors of the island. Our most popular desserts currently are the Guava and Cheese French Macaron and the Pina Colada Petit Gateau. What is a petit gateau, you ask? Well, Petit Gateau is French for “little cake,” but we don’t just make a typical “little cake”; we specialize in combining flavors with different techniques and textures. Our petit gateaux have up to four different textures combined for you to experience an extraordinary flavor profile. Being able to incorporate these two different cultures is what sets us apart from many local bakers.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
There are many people that deserve to be recognized and it can be hard to put into words the appreciation I feel. First and foremost, my biggest support team includes my parents, siblings and long-time boyfriend. Without them, I do not know where or how far I would have gone. After being diagnosed with Lupus about a year ago, I really hit my low and they all stuck with me to make sure I got back up. Until this day, they are inspiring me to keep going and they even lend a helping hand when they can,
Along my journey, I have been able to network and meet some inspiring entrepreneurs that have guided me in some way. Whether it was business advice or just advice about life, I am thankful for every person that I cross paths with and this includes clients as well. I appreciate them supporting my small business and spreading the word. Not one person I have met throughout this journey has gone unnoticed.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.justbecausebaking.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/justbecausebaking
- Facebook: facebook.com/justbecausebaking
Image Credits
Priscilla Cruz, Debra Cruz of CPN Infinity Photography
