Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary DeCicco.
Hi Mary, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I completed my Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality Management, finally, after changing my major three times. I had enjoyed taking both savory and pastry classes. With this degree, I had intentions of managing Front of the House operations in bustling restaurants in New York City. After quickly realizing that I didn’t enjoy working with demanding guests, I interviewed for a chef de partie job at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bakery. I got the job and learned an array of skills such as decorating pastries, mixing cookies, shaping croissants, filling macarons., etc. It was here also that I met my husband, a chef himself.
The work at the bakery was so enlightening, but also very tasking. After nearly two years of 5am shifts, I left Bouchon Bakery and went to a smaller bakery in Brooklyn. It was here that I really learned to stack, fill, and decorate cakes.
I ended my days working as a pastry chef when my firstborn daughter was born. I really missed the job at first and always hoped that I would return to it. I had wanted to bake and sell from home, but NYC had very strict laws that did not make it easy for a stay at home mom. Such laws required baking products from an incubator kitchen.
While in the process of moving to Miami and being pregnant with my second daughter, my first was diagnosed with brain cancer. It was so overwhelming, but we settled in Miami, a walk from the beach. It was what our family needed during the chaos.
KayCie Cakes became an idea for me when my daughter was undergoing cancer treatment. At the time, I was staying with family in NY and began making birthday cakes for my nieces and nephew. This was in a way a therapeutic distraction for me. I realized that I was still good at what I do. I started photographing my cakes and I started an Instagram page for fun.
After three bouts with cancer, my daughter is in remission, thank God. After returning back to Miami from her latest treatment, I was excited to start a new chapter of my life. I wanted a fresh start and decided to really go forward with KayCie Cakes. Florida had much laxer laws compared to NY when it comes to home food businesses. I was excited to see that the Cottage Food Laws in Florida allow one to have an actual business from their own kitchen. I got to work and added product listing and made and photographed different products. Everything was very much word of mouth from ladies from my church. They had all been so supportive. After a year, I started receiving orders from Instagram followers. This was neat to see.
KayCie Cakes turned one this past summer and it’s amazing to see how much it has grown from what I had imagined. I have grown also to better juggle the requirements of a home business. I’ve really enjoyed getting to work after my daughters are in bed, after a long day of homeschooling and activities. KayCie Cakes is an outlet for me to express my creativity and love for detail.
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?
It has not always been easy staying motivated with KayCie Cakes. At first, I was not really receiving a lot of orders, so I would get discouraged. One way that I overcame this was by baking and photographing, even if there was no order on hand. This kept my creative juices flowing. Now it’s a little busier and I am working on ways not to fall behind with various orders. I have to compartmentalize each order into tasks for the days leading up to it. When I do a little bit each day, it’s so much less overwhelming to get the job done.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a home baker. The name of my business is KayCie Cakes, after the names of my two daughters. I specialize in custom cakes, custom shortbread cookies, cake pops, scones, baked goods. I am most proud of the extra details that I put into the products, from the quality taste all the way to the finished look. I like wrapping gifts and I like to do the same with the baked goods that I sell.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
Before the hectic day begins, I like to carve out a moment of quiet time to read the Bible. This is important to me because life is rough and chaotic, but so much clarity is provided to me through God’s Holy Word.
Pricing:
- 8” cake is typically $60.
- Dozen custom cookies is typically $35
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaycie.cakes/?hl=en
