Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Jacobs.
Jennifer, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started baking as soon as I was old enough to see over the counter. My mom and I spent much of my time growing up in our kitchen, especially around the holidays. I never thought that baking was something I would do professionally. My dream was to work in the music industry, so after graduating from the University of Central Florida, I moved to NYC. I took a job in the industry, working long hours and used baking as a form of stress relief. After a few years of long winters, I made my way back to Florida and got a job working overnights at a TV network. Since most of my friends worked standard 9-5 jobs, I had a lot of free time during the day – so it was back to baking. I made Red Velvet Cookie Sandwiches and my co-workers went crazy over them. I had one guy ask if he could buy a batch to take home to his family – and this is when I made my first sale. I went on to win a local cupcake competition two years in a row and before I knew it, Wandering Whisk Bakeshop was born.
My love of traveling has also inspired much of my baking – as well as my name Wandering Whisk. Every time I go somewhere new, I stop in local bakeries and find myself getting inspired by their unique flavors and designs. I also like to pick up ingredients to use in my desserts while traveling abroad. The concept of baking is really simple for me – it gives me great pleasure to see the joy my desserts bring to others.
Has it been a smooth road?
Anytime you start a business, there are definitely challenges along the way. I look back to the beginning and my main struggles were the same as any business owner just starting out – deciding how to price your products and building a customer base. Running a business is a huge commitment and can take away a lot of time from your personal life. Make sure you find a balance or you will quickly burn yourself out. It’s important to take care of yourself – if your body isn’t at its best, neither is your business.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Wandering Whisk Bakeshop – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
I am primarily self-taught and people are always amazed at the complexity of my decorating skills, the originality of my flavors and the uniqueness of my desserts. I am very proud of my buttercream frosting. At a local cupcake competition, the judges created a spontaneous ‘Best Buttercream’ award just for me. My signature style has evolved over the last few years and includes lots of bright colors, vibrant flavors, and modern design. Every dessert I make is not only pleasing to the taste buds, but also to the eye.
My colorful buttercream cakes are very well known in my community. Growing up, I never considered myself an artist but maybe instead of paint, I just needed some buttercream. Cake has truly become my canvas for creating a piece of art.
Aside from cakes, some of my other popular desserts are cookie sandwiches, French macarons, tarts, and cream puffs. I love incorporating sweet and salty together – like in my Chocolate Sea Salt Cookies or Salted Pretzel Cake. In my Lemon Lavender Cake, I use ingredients I found while traveling- the lavender is from Aix-en-Provence, France. Then, there are those classic desserts that remind you of your childhood like an Oatmeal Cream Pie or Confetti Cake (my take on the nostalgic Funfetti).
What advice would you give to someone at the start of her career?
Know your worth! Remember that what you are creating is one-of-a-kind and your skills have value. Your customers are paying you for more than just the ingredients and supplies. They are also paying you for your time and your creativity.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wanderingwhiskbakeshop.com – serving the Tampa Bay Area
- Email: hello@wanderingwhiskbakeshop.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wanderingwhisk/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WanderingWhiskBakeshop
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/wanderingwhisk
Image Credit:
My head shot = The Dashing Ginger
Getting in touch: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
