Doer of the Week: Jasmine Clouser

What were you doing (careerwise) when you decided to create your own business?
I was a design and marketing consultant for a publishing company. After I started the Couture Cakery, I continued to do consulting for the publishing company because I loved the people I worked with.

When did you start your business?
I started my business about two years ago.

How did you turn your dream into a business plan?
As soon as I started booking weddings and creating cupcake towers and wedding cakes, I knew I could turn my dream into reality. I had a very specific vision of where I wanted to take my business. I wanted to work with the best venues and network with the top professionals in my area. It took about a year to make this happen, but it did.

What inspired you to do this?
I actually never would have imagined I would be a cake designer a few years ago. I took a cake decorating class at a local crafts store and realized I really enjoyed designing cakes and had a knack for it. I began to do research about what cake artists were doing, and became really inspired by the amazing creations online, mostly on Flickr. I found a lot of beautiful cupcake and cake designs coming from England and Australia.

What was your start-up cost? How did you get the money, and what did you use it for?
The biggest initial start-up cost was purchasing my Kitchen Aid mixer (which I now I have two of). I also invested in a variety of cake decorating tools which allow me to streamline my business. About a year ago I opened a studio for consultations, which I share with a talented photographer. I only made that investment to rent a space after I knew my business was established and would continue to grow. As far as other investments, I advertise on Wedding Wire, which is associated with Martha Stewart Weddings. I love it because brides can leave reviews which anyone can read. Testimonials add a lot of credibility to a business since they are real clients reviewing your service.

What was the biggest obstacle?
I guess the biggest obstacle initially was being a new player in the wedding cake business. I made an effort to become friends with the other cake designers in my area and now am well respected by my peers and industry professionals.

Did your friends and family support your dream?
Yes, they did. It’s a little crazy trying to run a business and manage a family and home sometimes, but I love what I do. Superior multitasking skills are a must. My family is now immune to my Kitchen Aid mixer whirring away as they go to bed.

How did you maintain your confidence when doors were closed in your face, when people didn’t get it or said “no”?
I think any woman who decides to start her own business has to have a lot of confidence and be willing to take risks and rejection. From the beginning, I knew it was going to take time to become established and respected by industry professionals. Like I said, it took about a year, but I have certainly surpassed even my own expectations. I believe you have to offer a superior product or service that is unique and sets you apart from everyone else offering the same thing. I know my cakes and frostings taste wonderful and my designs are unique.

How long did it take you to get everything off the ground?
I spent the first three months getting my feet wet and figuring out how I was going to run my business.

How long did it take for your business to become profitable?
It took about three weddings before I recouped my initial expenses.

What’s the hardest part of what you do?
The hardest part of what I do is trying to balance the fun part -- designing and creating -- and trying to fit in all the accounting and paperwork involved. Since I operate the business on my own, it’s really difficult trying to be cake designer, accountant, web designer, blogger, and more. I’m learning to work smarter instead of harder.

What's the most fun part of what you do?
I love designing and creating wedding and celebration cakes, and coming up with a concept that reflects a couple's style and theme. I’m an artist and I consider the cake as a blank canvas. Working from home has also allowed me to be a stay-at-home mom, which is very important to me.

Where do you work from?
I have a studio in a wonderful area of my town where I display my cakes and have client consultations. I have a licensed in-home kitchen where I bake from. I don’t think I would want it any other way. I can be home with my children and still run my business. If you are starting out, sharing a space with a complimentary business is wonderful. I share my studio with a wedding photographer and it is really the perfect situation. I think having a professional space has been a great investment.

Do you have employees?
No, I currently don’t have employees, but it’s something I am considering since my business is really growing.

How have you been using social media to grow your business?
Absolutely. I really believe that to be in business now you have to use social media as part of marketing and promoting your business. I find that all the professionals I work with or want to work with are on Facebook. I post all of my work on my blog, CoutureCakeryBlog.net then post a link on Facebook. People want to see your work and what you are doing. Social media has been an important part of my business. There's no cost except the investment of time to keep it active. It’s a must.

Do you have entrepreneurial role models? What’s so inspiring about them?
I really admire Martha Stewart. I respect her drive and her extremely high standards in what she produces and what she expects from the people who surround her. She expects the best, and that is what I strive for, too. I also admire Anne Heap with Pink Cake Box. I am so impressed with her design skills and also how she has used blogging to build her brand and business.

How did you learn and acquire the skills you use to make your business successful? How do you continue to grow and learn?
I have a degree in design from UCLA and have always been interested in art. I think my art background is really what has helped to develop my individual style as a cake artist. I also have experience in marketing, which has very helpful in how I promote my business. I think continuing to educate myself is very important. Once you decide you know everything, you become stagnant. I attend cake shows and watch other cake artists work -- even watching cake shows on TV is a learning experience. I just returned from a three-day master sugar-flower class with Ron Ben Israel in Savannah, Georgia. It was amazing -- I learned so much and met some amazing cake designers. You have to make an investment in yourself if you want to continue to grow and learn. You can never know too much.

What's the best piece of business advice you ever received?
Believe in yourself and don’t give up.

If you had it to do over again, what, if anything, would you do differently?
I wish I would have started earlier.

What is your favorite service that you offer?
I love creating dessert tables. Incorporating cakes, cupcakes and other sweets, plus designing the tags and table design, is a blast.

What is your best-selling item or service?
I would say my cupcakes are pretty popular. We have an annual competition in my area called the Harrisburg Cupcake Cup -- I’ve won the last two years, which was really exciting.

What advice would you give to Dreamers who haven’t become Doers yet?
I would say that if you are passionate about what your dream is and there is a market for your service or product, go for it! Try to make it unique or exceptionally better than what your competition is offering. Start slow and don’t invest a tremendous amount of money until you know it is a viable idea. If you are selling a product, invest in a good camera so you can take professional-quality photos. Many times, a photo is the first thing a client will see -- if it isn’t professional-looking, it’s a reflection of you.

Is your "Dreamer" business your full-time job?
I would say it’s almost a full time job. I’m a mom too and find myself managing multiple things at one time, including my business, which is an important part of my life.

Keep Up with Jasmine and the Couture Cakery
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