Today we’d like to introduce you to Jon Manganello.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jon. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started baking and decorating cakes last summer. I’d been an avid fan of baking competition shows and when I watched I’d find myself thinking “I could do that!” I was also on the paleo diet and jonesing for baked goods. I told myself that at the end of my 30 day diet I’d bake myself the greatest cake ever. It was something I had never done before, but I was happy with the first ever cake I made. Immediately I was hooked on the baking thing.
Over the year I’ve tried–and often really, really failed–to bake one-of-a-kind cakes that both taste great and tell a story.
Pretty quickly, I was baking several cakes a week, bringing them to dinners, parties, and other events. The great thing about cake is that it’s obviously THE birthday food. Since everyone has a birthday, there have been endless opportunities to share my work with friends of friends–many of whom then call me up when they have an event coming up.
The one rule I have is that each cake I make has to be totally unique. I’m not interested in pumping out a ton of cakes every day or even really owning a traditional bakery. I take my time with each cake and make sure it is representative of the person I’m baking it for.
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?
I’m still a baby cake maker, so there have been a lot of baking disasters over the past few months. Many of which have been caught on camera (I film my decorating process). But it’s cake, so like, I can’t really take it too seriously.
As for the business side of things, I’ve had challenges with pricing my cakes. Each cake takes at least two days to complete. I think a lot of people would be surprised by the amount of time, energy, planning, and supplies it takes to make each cake. If I’m not paying myself fairly, I’m really just screwing myself over. It’s tough because a lot of customers use a mass-produced grocery store cake as their idea of what a cake should cost. I’ve had to work on knowing my worth and charging accordingly. That part is uncomfortable for me, but I know I need to let go of that.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Jonnycakes – what should we know?
Jonnycakes is a bakery that specializes in custom, super personalized cakes. Every cake is baked with high-quality ingredients and decorated to match the personality of its recipient. No two cakes are alike, and each one tells a different story.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Really great tasting cakes. Incredible amounts of personalization. Humor and fun.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thejonnycakes.com
- Instagram: @thejonnycakes
- Facebook: facebook.com/thejonnycakes
Image Credit:
Dylan Hancook Photography
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