Today we’d like to introduce you to Marisa Zaremba.
Hi Marisa, 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?
It almost feels strange telling the story of how Minns started because sometimes you can get so engulfed in a project that you don’t realize what you’ve created until you take a step back. So let’s go back to March of 2020 because that’s where it all began. It seems funny to say that I created a vegan home-based bakery during a global pandemic when at that point in time I identified with being a fine art painter. I was scheduled to have an art exhibition culminating in two years of art classes I had been taking after deciding that I didn’t want to use my degree to be a teacher. The day of my scheduled exhibition I found myself sitting in a trailer in the desert painting a sign for a greenhouse on a permaculture farm, no art show. Not exactly what I had envisioned for myself but life was vibrating with an undercurrent of uncertainty and I decided to make the best of it.
What seemed like a huge disappointment at the time actually became fertile ground for planting the seeds that would bloom into where I am today. Being stuck inside makes you wanna move and that’s when I started making moves, well from my notebook and google searches of course. I had a really strong desire to be a voice for the voiceless by giving people an option for choosing a compassionate option but also eating something that tastes really good. I think there is a misconception that vegan means giving up flavor/satisfaction but I was determined to prove otherwise. I started with a mission, then came the name and then the logo which I spent most of my time in the desert brainstorming. I had a name and a logo but now I needed a product. Once I returned home, I went full force test kitchen and once I had a cookie that my family couldn’t tell was vegan I started giving some to close friends and family to try. The entire time I’ve been baking, I’ve felt like a spider and ever since I gave out my first cookies, a web of connections has been building and before I knew it, I was signed up to be a vendor at my local farmers market only a few months after starting to bake. I was a vendor at the market for two years while also vending events and doing local pickups and deliveries.
Most of my business has been through Instagram and I have enjoyed being active on the app, posting my baked goods as well as connecting with customers and supporting other small businesses. I really enjoy coming up with new cookie flavors and the creative side of marketing and advertising. My cookies have been sold in various local restaurants, cafes, an animal sanctuary, and community events. It’s super rewarding to hear when people enjoy my baking and to know that my products don’t contain any animal products. Recently I have ventured into the realm of cakes and enjoy baking for people’s special occasions. I am also going to be speaking at a community event about starting your own home-based bakery and look forward to sharing what I have learned with others. Reflecting back I see that the artist was never lost, she just changed her canvas. Even though I don’t have any concrete plans for the future, I am excited to see what the future holds with Minns and whatever creative endeavor comes my way.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I enjoy the creative process so to me things like brainstorming, testing recipes, getting permits, etc. never really seemed like a struggle. For me challenges would be more internal like work/life balance, boundaries, knowing my worth, and the bookkeeping end of running a small business.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I like to create things. One of my creations is a home-based bakery called Minns. I am known for my cookies, cakes and other baked goods and specialize in being an all-vegan woman-owned small business. I am most proud of the love I put into my orders and that everything is baked homemade to order. It feels good to see a passion/idea become reality and determination and consistency are key in any creative endeavor…
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Our community is very supportive and as welcoming as they have been for my vegan desserts, I do wish we had more establishments that offered plant-based options.
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