Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Mace.
Hi Ashley, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I discovered my passion for baking from working with my father during the holidays in the kitchen. We always made trays of cookies and desserts to give to his coworkers and our family members. He would always let me roll out the dough and frost the cookies. It was from this quality time with my dad and seeing the way that the food I made had an impact in people’s lives that truly made me fall in love with the kitchen.
I started formally as an apprentice for Lyndsy Velasquez, who is a Food Network Contest Winner and is competing again on Monday, October 4th at 10:00PM EST on the Food Network for the Chocolate Meltdown: Hershey’s After Dark Competition, in Lakewood Ranch, FL at 17 years old.
I went on to college at Johnson & Wales University in North Miami, FL where I graduated Magna Cum Laude with an Associate of Science Degree in Baking & Pastry Arts as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in Food & Beverage Management. After I graduated, I went to work for Disney and began my career as a Food & Beverage Manager for many companies such as Panera Bread, Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, and Marriott. After COVID-19 struck the hospitality industry, I was furloughed indefinitely so it gave me the opportunity to focus on my passion and start my own business.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Starting a small company in the middle of a pandemic certainly has had its challenges, but there are so many more rewards. The main struggle I have faced as a small business owner is managing your time. Sometimes it seems that there are never enough hours in the day to complete everything that needs to get done AND have some form of a personal life. Prioritizing what is important and having a constant back up plan in place has helped keep the experience more smooth than rocky for me. As a new business owner, every day is a learning experience and being adaptable is a key component of maintaining my operation, which is a real struggle for a Type-A personality.
Another huge challenge I have faced is my own self doubt. Opening your own business is scary for sure and there were days when I would question should I have stayed in a corporate life? Should I try to go back to that lifestyle? Can I really become successful? However, when I opened Frosted Memories Inc., LLC in October of 2020 and received overwhelming support from friends and family with orders. I absolutely love creating fun and artistic edible memories for my customers. I look forward to continuing to grow and share my passion with Orlando.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in custom cakes but I make all varieties of baked goods. I love all of the flavors on the menu and I love when customers come up with new flavors for me to create!
One of the biggest fan favorites is the “Cannoughnut” which is a Cannoli Cream filled Sugar Doughnut that is shaped like a Cannoli Cone, which was inspired by one of my dear friends who lives in Orlando as well because her two favorite things are cannolis and doughnuts. One day I was thinking about what I could make for her as a thank you, because she helped me get an amazing job while I was in between furlough and getting the business to take off.
In addition to running Frosted Memories I also work for a nation-wide dog training company which partially inspired our “Floofkies” menu! “Floofkies” are the treats I make that are pet friendly and also have ingredients to promote your pup’s health.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
There are so many more people rooting for you to succeed than there are rooting for you to fail, and you have to step out of your own way to prove to yourself that if it’s not your passion, you will fail. If it is, you will never give up.
Pricing:
- Cannoughnuts are $35 per dozen
- Floofkies are $15 per 2 mini dozen
Contact Info:
- Email: contact.frostedmemories@gmail.com
- Website: https://sites.google.com/view/frostedmemoriesinc
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frosted_memories.inc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/contact.frostedmemories/
