Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristy Saunders.
Kristy, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
So before I started my custom Cake business Kristy’s Cakery, I was in retail management and marketing. On November 24, 2015, my youngest son Silas, was unexpectedly born with a rare disability called Arthrogryposis. His medical condition needed weekly care drives to Primary Children’s Hospital and Shriners Hospital about 2 hours away from our home. I had to quit my job in retail management so I could take care of him and all his medical needs. During this time, The Great British Baking Show, Nailed it, and all of those baking shows were super popular on Netflix and on TV. Watching these shows inspired me to make my steps sign at the time a teenage mutant ninja turtle cake. It was all just for fun, I posted it on my Facebook page for his birthday celebration. But it started a lot of talk in the neighborhood, and people started reaching out to see if I would be interested in making a cake for them. At that time, Silas’ medical treatment wasn’t having any success at Primary Children’s Hospital, so I found a specialist for his arthrogryposis out in Delaware for treatment. I decided to start making cakes for people in the neighborhood my friends, and my family, and just asked for donations only for their cake orders, so I could get my son to and from the specialist in Delaware. After about a year of doing cakes for donations for his medical treatment and travel expenses, I had so many orders, a lot of word-of-mouth referrals started contacting me to make cakes for them. I decided to get state and health department licensed and have a legitimate cake business! Through social media, referrals from those who had ordered or seen my work, Kristy’s Cakery has continued to thrive over the last 6 1/2 years and that leads me to where I’m at today. Today I sell delicious baked goods from local gift shops, and boutiques. I also specialize in many dietary needs. I bake custom cakes that are dog and pet friendly for their special occasions too! And my most important accomplishment is I have teamed up with the foundation Icing Smile’s, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation to be a selected baker to provide custom cakes for children in need, who are celebrating a special occasion, cancer remissions, birthdays, or a special wish being granted. All nonprofit and no cost to those families.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Starting your own business is definitely a scary adventure. Believing in yourself enough and believing in your own talents, and just having the drive, and the determination to succeed can be daunting. But I wanted to set an example for my children, and most importantly, to myself, that I could do this successfully and just be able to create something special for my community and the people around me. The unknown or the economy or the desire for specialty food items in my area, has been the scariest part. Especially with my business starting to take off right before the Covid pandemic, you just don’t know what circumstances are going to bring. Custom cakes are definitely a luxury item and I really didn’t know if my business would succeed through Covid. Fortunately, I am blessed to have amazing customers that wanted to celebrate in special and creative ways during that time, in the smallest ways they could, and my custom orders increased drastically, my business actually thrived during Covid.
Unfortunately, my marriage, did not survive Covid. My cake business, was just a supplemental income to my ex-husband‘s primary income that supported our family. I had many doubts about supporting myself and my 3 children on my business alone. But because of the tremendous support I had through Covid, and the amazing customers prior, it gave me success to branch off my business into selling in stores to creating goods for everyday purchase, rather than just relying on custom orders. So for the last two years of being a single mom, I have been able to support my family, doing what I love each day, with my little cake business.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
So I am a self-taught cake artist. I have always had a passion for cooking and baking. I’ve always had an artistic side in me. Forming my custom cake business, I have been able to bring all of that into one and I get to do something fun, that I love each and every day. I am especially known for my fondant and detail work with sculpting custom toppers from white chocolate. Most of my customers come to me for those extravagant cakes you see on TV, sculpted cakes, the little edible characters. I feel what sets me apart from so many other bakers in the area, is not only do I just bring a level of creativity, and detail-oriented pieces, but my baked goods are all-homemade from scratch, delicious, works of art!
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Tremonton has been my home for over 7 years now! What I like most about my town, is the small-town hospitality. People are willing to help you out when needed, we know our neighbors. Kids can ride around town on their bikes and stay out until the street lights come on and you don’t have to worry so much about the dangers of letting your kids be kids! The down fall about living in such a small town is the lack in the variety of food establishments and not having a store that sellings a variety of household needs, Such as Wal-Mart or Target. But we are growing each year so slowly we are getting more options!
Contact Info:
- Facebook: @kristys-cakery
