Today we’d like to introduce you to Lesli Lonergan.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started Two Birds Baking Company the same way that many people who start their own businesses get started. I hated my job. I had done accounting for many years in Action Sports and it was nothing that was challenging me or allowing me to be creative and thoughtful. One day a friend asked, “if you could do anything in the world what would you do?” My immediate answer was “bake.” There’s something so wonderful about baking for people. About being a part of their important life’s moments, being able to bring joy to them. A scratch made treat says, I was thinking about you and took the time to make something from for you because I care. It instantly cheers people up. I wanted to share that with people. It never occurred to me that you could just decide to just do something else. You could just change course in the middle and you didn’t have to stay stuck where you are. That you can do something you loved. I thought what’s stopping me? So I grabbed my best friend Nycole, came up with some recipes, a game plan and three weeks later I had a brand a website and just jumped off the proverbial cliff. That was 11 years ago.
Being vegan there was a very small market when we started for decent vegan baked goods. I knew I could do something better and I wanted to bring the vegan community something more than dry red velvet cupcakes and cookies that tasted like rocks. I knew my desserts could be better than even “regular” cupcakes and I was going to prove it. I worked the first several years in tandem with my accounting job and then we received a call that would change it all. We were asked to be on the first-ever all vegan episode of Cupcake Wars. It was a great experience even if we didn’t take home the W but it changed the direction of the business. Shortly after, I was able to quit my full-time job and do Two Birds exclusively which I have been doing for the last seven years. I have grown my company from a small start-up in a tiny apartment kitchen to a fully working commercial cottage business that I now get to do every day. I get to be home to spend time with my son which is priceless to me. It’s taken a lot of work and we still have a lot of growing to do but I’m excited for the challenge.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Running your own small businesses has lots of challenges. I decided to start something from nothing with no capital, no storefront, no kitchen even. We started in my tiny kitchen with my little oven that could barely bake two dozen cupcakes at a time. We had to learn to grow enough to succeed but slow enough not to fail due to overreaching. We had to navigate not having a retail location. My business partner left early on to pursue other endeavors and for a year, I had to regroup and decide where this was going and if I was going to pursue it alone. In the end, I forged on and not having investors or business partners can make for scary seas sometimes. Being your own boss is amazing but some days when you’re solely responsible for all the successes and failures, being the only boss can be terrifying.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Two Birds Baking Company?
We are an all-vegan baking company specializing in cakes, cupcakes and cookies. We offer gluten-free options as well. Our goal is to prove that you can make compassionate desserts that taste even better than their non-vegan counterparts. We believe that our customer’s matter and they deserve the best.
We still get questions all the time about Cupcake Wars and to answer the big one, yes the timer is real. We are best known for our Churro Donut and Death By Chocolate cupcakes but our real hidden gem is our chocolate chip cookies. What sets us apart is a Two Birds secret but you’ll know it when you taste it.
We are based out of Huntington Beach with a pickup location available. We also have delivery options. Check our IG for pop ups and events that we will be participating in throughout the year.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
My favorite childhood memory is being in the kitchen with my Mom and Grandmother making food. I would sit there and watch them cook and bake. Taking in the smells and sounds. Helping clean the green beans or peeling potatoes. My love of the kitchen came from them. Everything really does taste better when it’s made with love.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.twobirdsbakingcompany.com
- Instagram: @twobirdsbakingco
Image Credits
Lesli Lonergan/Two Birds Baking Company
