Today we’d like to introduce you to Giselle Wong.
Giselle, 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 Acuppofcake about four years ago when I used to bake for my family but nothing serious – I knew nothing about cupcake decorating or designs. It’s actually a funny story how Acuppofcake started. One day, I baked red velvet cupcakes and posted them on my Instagram. My co-worker at the time saw them and said he wanted some. I baked another batch for him and posted it again on my Instagram. After that, more people were hitting me up saying they were interested in ordering a batch and I honestly do not know why because when I look back now, I personally don’t think the presentation was appealing.
(I want to give a special shout out to Omar because if it wasn’t for him I probably wouldn’t be baking right now.)
As more orders started to come in, I grew a passion and love for baking. For a while, people were only ordering red velvet cupcakes. I couldn’t wait to try new flavors and designs. Slowly, those requests started to come in which allowed me to show off my hidden talent and creativity. As the years went by, I wanted more for myself and my brand so I expanded into cakes and cake pops.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Nothing is ever a smooth road with anything in life. I learned everything on my own. No one in my family is a baker nor do I personally know a baker so when it came to learning new techniques, I had to learn everything on my own. I couldn’t just pick up the phone and call someone – it was all trial and error.
The very first struggle that I faced was trying to find a name and coming up with a logo. People may think this is not a struggle but to me, it was. I wanted something authentic, original, and different! I could have easily come up with the name “Gigi’s Cupcakes” or “Cupcakes By Gigi” but I felt as if it wasn’t different and catchy. Once I found a name, I had to get a logo. My current logo is my third logo and I still feel like it needs some improvement.
As Acuppofcake grew, I had to overcome the hurdle of networking and baking at the same time. I am a strong believer in networking as it can get you into doors that you wouldn’t have imagined. I remember last year August, I attended a pop-up shop every Saturday of the month just to get my name out there. Attending the pop-up shop was easy but it becomes hard when you have your regular orders and you haven’t slept. I don’t have a big team as of yet so I do almost everything on my own. Sometimes, I wish I could clone myself so that I can attend a popup shop, bake my orders, sleep, and run my personal errands all at once.
Till this day, Acuppofcake is not perfect. As we grow our business and expand our products, we are constantly trying to find ways to keep up with the growth and the workload. Right now, I have my family members assisting with my deliveries and inventory shopping so that way I can focus on taking orders and baking.
Struggles are a part of life and a part of any growing business. Come up with a plan and conquer them – don’t let them break you!
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Acuppofcake – what should we know?
Acuppofcake has always and still specializes in gourmet cupcakes but we have expanded into cakes, cake pops, chocolate-covered strawberries, dessert treats, and a lot more. We also offer edible images, cake stand rentals, and grass wall rentals.
As a company, we are more proud of our customer service and I believe that is what sets us apart from others. We take pride into making sure that each and every customer is satisfied with their order – from presentation to taste.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
The characteristic that I feel is most important to my success is my ambition. You have to want it more than anything! You have to eat, sleep, and breathe your brand. Even if no one is reposting, liking, commenting on your work, still post your content! Trust me, they are still watching and looking.
Some weekends I probably sleep a total of five hours between Friday, Saturday, and Sunday just because I have to finish my orders and prep/work a popup shop. I can easily not take on as many orders or not attend any popup shops but I am nowhere where I would like to be in the baking industry. Practicing new techniques and getting my brand’s name out there is my main priority right now.
And even when I feel like I’ve reached where I want to be or I feel like I’ve gained enough exposure, I still want more of myself. I’m always thinking “Okay, what’s next?” or “What cake design can I try that is different?” or “How can I brand myself more?”
I am never not working nor thinking of ways I can perfect my brand. Your brand/business should be your life and in order for it be successful, you need to have ambition no matter what struggles or obstacles come your way. Want success like you want to wake up every morning!
Contact Info:
- Website: acuppofcake.com
- Phone: (954)591-2377
- Email: acuppofcake@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acuppofcake/
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/acuppofcake/
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ACuppOfCakeByGigi?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=725341844
Suggest a story: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
