Today we’d like to introduce you to Wendy Risquez.
Hi Wendy, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’m from a family of bakers and all-around food snobs. We’ve always loved trying out and creating new recipes. My sister owned a bakery where I worked for her and she taught me all of her decorating skills. The sugar cookie recipe I use (and the one we used at my sisters’ bakery) was passed down to us from our Canadian Grandma. I make cakes and other desserts as well, but sugar cookies are my most popular item, and I know my Grandma would be so happy to know that her recipe has provided a way for me to work from home so I can be with my children. We like to joke that our cookies are baked with love and cuss words… but mostly love.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I was very blessed to have my business take off pretty much overnight. I started out offering biscotti from a little house my husband and I were renting in Williston, ND. There were no other bakeries in town other than the grocery store, so we had amazing support from our local community, who were starving for home-baked sweets. We moved to Florida in 2016, and I started baking again in early 2017. We’ve been incredibly blessed with the best customers and consistent business through word of mouth. We’ve definitely had some bumps along the road. Trying to figure out the best items to offer and where to set boundaries on what we can or can’t offer. I absolutely hate turning away orders, but I’ve learned that in order to give my best work, I have to sometimes. In October of 2019, we opened a little shop at the Mount Dora Marketplace. It was so much fun and so hard. We were open for one year and decided to close because our custom orders were more than we could handle while still having the shop open. It was a wonderful learning experience and we will always be grateful we had that opportunity.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My specialty is buttercream sugar cookies. They are my first love with baking. I believe desserts should always be worth the calories and that they should also taste as good as they look. Most cookiers use royal icing to decorate their cookies. I love working with buttercream because it’s just as beautiful as royal icing, but in my humble opinion, it’s calories better spent. In addition to the decorated cookies, I also offer cookie decorating kits and I have a YouTube channel where I have short tutorials showing my method. I also offer custom cakes and flourless truffle tarts.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Social media has been an incredible tool for connecting with other bakers and cookiers. We share ideas, encourage, and inspire each other.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sweetiesbakeryfl.com
- Instagram: Sweetie’s Bakery FL
- Facebook: Sweetie’s Bakery FL
- Youtube: Sweetie’s Bakery FL
