Today we’d like to introduce you to Shraddha Jain.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
The art of Cake decorating happened to me by chance. I decorated my first cake for my son’s birthday when we couldn’t find the cake in the stores to suit our needs.
After that, I had done many cakes for friends and family on various occasions. When I was young I always used to watch my mom baking cakes in the kitchen which comes in handy now that I am baking professionally. I have a degree in Architecture and worked professionally in the field on a variety of projects. The creativity, design skills, and attention to detail which I acquired from the field of Architecture is now being applied to cake decorating.
After coming to the United States in 2003, I took a break from my profession for my family. After that, I worked in IT as a software developer in Newyork city for a few years. The work was interesting but I always looked for some creative avenues. When I got introduced to the art of cake decorating, I immediately fell in love with it and could not stop myself from making it as a profession.
I am a self-taught cake artist. Every day I aspire to learn some new skills, new ideas and try those ideas on my next project. In my kitchen, I am always experimenting with different recipes and ingredients. I prepare egg free, vegan, gluten-free and other special dietary needs baked goods. It’s a pleasure to be able to make sweet memories for people with cakes.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Being a self-taught cake artist, I have had my failures. Every failure has taught me something. Each day brings its own creativity and challenges. There have been lots of hiccups of a start-up business- going through the permits, managing the finances and other aspects of a small business. As an artist, I can spend hours and hours on a cake passionately working on the details.
At times, I have to time myself to finish a task on hand. In the beginning, I was asked quite often why did I leave a corporate job to decorate cakes? But lucky for me, my husband always helped me follow my passion and always inspired me to grow. I couldn’t have done this without a supportive husband and kids. My kids, age 14 and 9 are always there to admire and critic on my work. In fact, my daughter has started to help me on my cakes and she’s won cake competitions at this young age of 9.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
At SJsCustomCakes we create custom cakes and various other custom-made baked goods for all occasions- weddings, baby showers, birthdays, graduation and many more. I offer a wide variety of flavors and cater to various dietary needs- eggless, vegan and gluten-free. I listen to each and every customer’s requirements and guide them with the process of finalizing the order. I take a lot of care to make each cake a special one. I love to take challenges in designing a cake of a client’s dream.
What were you like growing up?
As a child, I had a special interest in fine arts and crafts. Always tried my hands on a new medium, drawing and painting on any surface possible.
I grew up watching my mom in the kitchen. Even though I wouldn’t be working with her I learned a lot by just observing her. She has been a constant source of inspiration to me not just in the kitchen but in the outside world too. I have been a good learner as a child and always learned to value the work no matter how small it is.
Contact Info:
- Website: sjscustomcakes.com
- Phone: 732-429-5652
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @sjscustomcakes
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/SJsCustomCakes
- Yelp: https://m.yelp.com/biz/sjs-custom-cakes-irvine-2
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