Today we’d like to introduce you to Elena Cisneros.
Hi Elena, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
During high school, I never really knew what I wanted to study in college or what I really was passionate about.
One day we had during senior year, we had, I guess, a career day for colleges to visit us, and the volunteer who visited our economics class was a student from a culinary school.
Automatically, that struck my interest. As a child, my great-grandmother was my “babysitter.”
My mom was a single mom who worked full time, so my great grandmother is who would take care of me during the day. Every morning she would get up really early and begin to cook. She made breakfast, lunch, and dinner for all of us. And even would ask me to help her.
I would see how her cooking would unite us and make us happy, especially during the holidays. My great-grandmother Blanquita wouldn’t sit down until all her kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids were fed. To her, we came first.
I decided to take the culinary route and studied the entire course.
I gravitated towards baking because baking is an art, a science, and if you don’t measure everything to perfection… you’ll end up with a mess lol. So, I was up for the challenge and wanted to make sure I mastered that art. I graduated from culinary school and started applying as a pastry cook to so many bakeries, restaurants, and hotels, but they all wanted someone with experience.
Not until I finally heard back from a restaurant that was up in the making in DTLA. They needed all kinds of kitchen staff, from those with no experience to pros. This restaurant was Bottega Louie.
I worked there for a couple of years and then went on to work at Delphine at the W in Hollywood. Eventually in 2011, I left Delphine as they were downsizing; I left the kitchen and went back to corporate America.
In 2014 I started making cakes for friends and family and decided to start Sweets by Shandy while working a ft job.
I named my business after my mom Sandra aka “Shandy” because without her, I wouldn’t be here.
Throughout the years I would juggle my job while baking on the side. This was super tough.
In 2020 – I was working at UCLA, and something clicked in me, and I decided to leave a steady job and try to bake full-time.
The business didn’t do as I would’ve wished it would due to COVID and the unemployment we all faced.
I decided to go back to working FT and just keep Sweets by Shandy as a hobby.
I learned from all of it and will forever be grateful for the experience I went through.
Now, I’m working on a new business idea, but it’s totally opposite from baking and sweets. It has to do with improving our health with fruits and veggies.
Alright, 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?
Not at all. It’s hard to keep up with social media and all the new trends or what’s going viral.
And imposter syndrome. Trying not to compare yourself to another person in the same industry that’s doing way better.
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’ve worked in customer service since fresh out of HS.
I’ve been in the auto claims industry since 2011.
And currently work in accounting.
I guess what I’m most proud of is my work ethic. My determination to get things done no matter how long it takes me.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Consistency and making sure you do what you say you’re going to do.
Also, give yourself grace and be patient with yourself.
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