Today's guest has gone from working as a mental health clinician to becoming a full-time baker. Join us as we chat with the incredibly talented owner Dayveon of Caked By Day, who shares his inspiring journey of taking a leap of faith and turning his passion for baking into a thriving business.
In this episode you will learn:
Want to follow Dayveon? Tap here to check out his work and support him on Instagram by clicking here
Busines FREEBIES:
Grab my FREE resource guide and get 30 plus resources to level-up your home bakery business click here to grab my FREE guide and get more tips from me every week.http://bit.ly/bakersresources
Are we friends on Instagram? If you enjoyed this episode TAG ME at @bakingforbusiness
I really do appreciate each and every one of you guys and LOVE meeting new baking friends.
Today's guest has gone from working as a mental health clinician to becoming a full-time baker. Join us as we chat with the incredibly talented owner Dayveon of Caked By Day, who shares his inspiring journey of taking a leap of faith and turning his passion for baking into a thriving business.
In this episode you will learn:
Want to follow Dayveon? Tap here to check out his work and support him on Instagram by clicking here
Busines FREEBIES:
Grab my FREE resource guide and get 30 plus resources to level-up your home bakery business click here to grab my FREE guide and get more tips from me every week.http://bit.ly/bakersresources
Are we friends on Instagram? If you enjoyed this episode TAG ME at @bakingforbusiness
I really do appreciate each and every one of you guys and LOVE meeting new baking friends.
Speaker 1: Hey, sweet friends, my name is Chef Schonberg. I started my baking business with the bottle of DiSaroono and one Bundt Cake Pan. Fast forward to today, from news to magazines, speaking on national stages and more. I can truly say that baking has changed my life. So now, as a bakery business coach, I get to help others have the same success. I've helped hundreds of my students across the world in my global membership program create six-figure businesses, mainly from home.
Speaker 1: The Baking for Business podcast is an extension of that, from actionable tips to valuable tools and resources that can impact you as a business owner. I truly believe y'all. We would never have been given a gift if we couldn't profit and prosper from it. So come on, darling. What are you waiting for? Hey? what's going on, you guys? And welcome back to another episode of the Baking for Business podcast. I'm so happy because today we have a young man who I will definitely say is a rising star. His work is beautiful and his personality is super sweet as well, And so he has been blessed to bake cakes from people such as Future Lil Wayne, and also he's going to be on a episode of a popular show that's coming up, but it didn't start out that way. In fact, he actually has a background in clinical psychology, but I will let him tell you all about how the road paved the way in order for him to turn his passion into a full time career. So, Daveyon, welcome to the Baking for Business podcast. How you doing today.
Speaker 2: I'm doing great. Thank you for having me. I'm really happy to be here. Really, really, really excited to be here.
Speaker 1: You are more than welcome baby. So I read that you were a mental health clinician in college. Yes, you were actually almost finished, and then the baking bug hit you, so tell me about that. What did you go to school for and how did you get started?
Speaker 2: Well, actually. So, yeah, i did finish. So I started out as an undergrad. I went in, got, went in Alabama and got my undergrad in English and Spanish. I really thought I was going to law school, so I wanted to somehow pick English so I can learn how to write well and you know, observe things. And I wanted to learn Spanish because I wanted to connect with Spanish speaking clients in LA. So that was the trajectory I was on.
Speaker 2: I shifted once I got an internship and realized, hey, this isn't really what I want to do, but I still have a passion for helping people and I want to connect with people. So I was maybe about 21 at the time and I gave myself this unrealistic deadline. Like, hey, by the time I'm 23, if I don't have it figured out, like I'm doomed, like I need to have it figured out. So, at 23, i enrolled in my master's program and it was a master's in clinical psychology. I had realized that that was something that I was interested in mental health, connecting with people And I felt like, you know, i was fulfilling my school's purpose, which was enter to learn and depart to serve. So I felt like I was doing that exactly and staying with that And I had worked in mental health for about eight years, got my master's.
Speaker 2: I worked as a mental health clinician. I started at the bottom as a line staff. I got promoted to a supervisor. I was doing very well and I always did baking on the side, even while I was in my master's program, and I it was so much like, i had a passion for it so much even during that time, and I think the passion came from just wanting to perfect something and wanting to be good at something that I didn't think I could do.
Speaker 2: So I remember being in class and all I could think about was my cakes or cupcakes at the time, because I wasn't even doing cakes. I'm just thinking about cupcakes, thinking about my business, thinking about how to streamline it, not paying attention. And I said you know what? I need to take a quarter off. And I took a quarter off, got my business together at that time, but I thought was my business. You know how we all think we haven't figured out in the beginning And I started you know, doing it part time, and I checked back into school, finished it, and I did it part time literally for maybe about 2013, up until two years ago, and two years ago is when I decided to go full time. And wasn't it easy, wasn't it easy road, wasn't it easy decision to make. But I did pray about it. Heavy consultation with my wife, heavy consultation with God, and the pandemic was a great time for me. My business just boomed during the pandemic and I quit my job and decided to do it full time.
Speaker 1: That is crazy. You know, a lot of times we always think we have to follow that path. After high school, you know, i have to go to college and we're trained so often to go to school and to always be the employee that we never really have. You know, no, you can be the boss that's never really on our forefront, but with you it was just tugging at your heart, and so you said you started off with cupcakes. But I heard these weren't just any kind of cupcakes. What type of cupcakes were you selling?
Speaker 2: Yeah, they weren't, they were cheesecake cupcakes And I had a friend It's a funny story. So this was my girlfriend at the time. She's my wife now, nicole, and I was at her parents' house, always like to cook, so I wasn't a stranger around the kitchen, so baking wasn't my thing, but actually cooking savory things, you know, i can whip up a finger too, you know. And we were in her kitchen at her parents' house and I was just like, let me make some cheesecake cupcakes. I don't know, just being silly, let me see if I can make it, made them, posted it And again, this was 2013. So this is exactly 10 years ago.
Speaker 2: This was 2013, in August, and I made the cheesecake cupcakes. I posted them on my Instagram. This was before influencers, before you know, all the entrepreneurship became so popular. I was really just posting it just to, i guess, what I considered to be content at that time. And I had a friend who said, hey, you made those. I'm having a dinner party, can you make some for me?
Speaker 2: And I was thinking like um, yeah, i guess you know. Oh, how much would you charge me for them? Um, i mean, i'll just give them to you, like, i'm just happy that you want to let me to make something, and what I didn't realize at that time and I don't think she did either was the power of, you know, being an influencer even at that time, and again, this is 2013. So once she posted them, literally it went from that one order to I promise you, i'll say, within like two months, i bought like a really big deep freezer that I had to store in my mother's garage because it just took off. And next thing, you know, i was the cheesecake dealer, or cupcake cheesecake dealer, in LA. So that's where I started doing many cheesecake cupcakes.
Speaker 1: That's amazing, I can imagine, especially a wonderful city like Los Angeles, because that's where all the action is And in fact, like you said, as an influencer your friend had, we don't have to say her name. We don't want people to bum rush him or her. They have pretty cool occupation. What is it that your friend does?
Speaker 2: Well, she, she was just a socialite, I would say. So it's just very popular in Los Angeles and being a socialite at that time, And I think people just saw her post them and then, you know, to pat myself on the back, you know they looked good, you know they tasted better. So I think that people were just sold And clearly they were sold on the price, because I'm sure we all started at that one place before. We were pricing things nowhere nearly what we were priced them now. But imagine homemade cheesecake cupcakes for only $20 for a dozen. So it was a steal.
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's a steal.
Speaker 2: It was a really good steal. So on top of people really loving them the way they taste the presentation, they also really like the taste too. So I think that was that was good for her to be in a position to not even know that she was putting me in.
Speaker 1: That's a blessing. Has anyone inspired your baking bug? Is there or are there any influential people in your family? or where did the bacon bug come from?
Speaker 2: Wow, Like I said, i definitely was no stranger to the kitchen. So I would say my grandfather is actually someone who I would say I got my kitchen chops from, if I can say where I began to cook. He was a savory cooker, so he cooked a lot of savory things. So that's where I just began to enjoy just being in the kitchen and cooking things for people and just being comfortable again in the kitchen.
Speaker 2: The baking part, amanda, if I could tell you I would. I don't know how it happens. You know how people have those stories and it's like oh, it sounds so perfect, you just fell into this. When I literally tell you that, i fell face forward like into baking, that's 100% what it is To see where I started and where I'm at now. You would think maybe I'm into arts, arts and crafts, any of those things, hated all of that, like in grade school. That was just not my thing. So when I really say I just fell into it, the baking just happened and it was a task for me. So I've always been drawn to things that I feel like may be difficult to achieve at first. Or you know, i'm no stranger to just working hard as something. So baking was a task for me. So I said let me try the cheesecakes. Oh, let me try to sell them. Oh, let me try, oh, let me. You know, it just kept going on to let me try, even to today. So, yeah, i definitely really just fell into it.
Speaker 1: And what exactly is the name of your business and what do you specialize in, because now you've evolved a little bit more than just cheesecakes. So tell us the name of your business, the city that you serve and what all you offer.
Speaker 2: So the name of my business is Caked By Day And I am in Los Angeles, california, located downtown Los Angeles. I am an online business, so I don't have a storefront at the moment. However, i do definitely want that in the future. But right now I am an online business located in downtown Los Angeles, and I specialize in specialty cakes. So I actually started off with the Cheesecake Cupcakes, but those aren't really my favorite things to do now, so I even just cupcakes in general. I really just enjoy doing cakes. Those are my thing. I love doing cakes. So specialty cakes from, you know, novelty fondant cakes to wedding cakes, things like that on occasion. So we definitely specialize in it.
Speaker 1: That's pretty awesome, and so did you ever take any professional classes along the way, or are you YouTube University?
Speaker 2: I am definitely YouTube University. I definitely started out watching a lot of people online.
Speaker 2: I mean, there were people who were who I was influenced by Crazy Cool Cakes. Louder and Arnie were people who I definitely got my start from. I watched her YouTube channel and just learned a lot And definitely, you know, you had a guest on your podcast who has been influential to me, more so once I started baking. Mr John Cannell is someone who I admire And I just stalked his page, got recipes, practiced things and just really got me even more acclimated. So, yeah, definitely YouTube is where I learned everything. Kind of wish I had some formal training, because I do think it's a lot of things that I don't know, that I would know that I can't learn. Actually I should say So definitely something that I've thought about, but I don't even think I have the time for that right now. I'm so busy.
Speaker 1: Yeah, so if you guys pull up his Instagram page, you will see that his cakes are the specialty cakes are really flawless, His execution is amazing and he does really great work. So were there any challenges from when you decided what hit you and made you say, okay, you know what, I'm actually going to leave my job and do this for time.
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's a satechi one and a good question. So thank you for asking me that. I don't really answer this question a lot because I don't think about it often, but it was a real big deal for me. I went to school as we kind of talked to earlier. I was in somehow it was ingrained in me just a traditional way You go to school, you get your bachelor's, you know, if you want to get the master's, you do that, then you get your job. You work in corporate America, you become a supervisor, then you do this, and that was the extent. That was what was being a boss to me.
Speaker 2: So I was doing it part-time, like I stated before, and when the pandemic happened, i don't know what happened, but when I do know that happened was people began to inquire a lot more. So I would literally be at work and taking orders. I would be at work and we're working from home at this point. So it was like the best recipe for me, literally The best recipe for me to be at home and do this, because I would literally be on Zoom with the cake. You can't see my arms, but I'm coding a cake right now. You know, i would literally make sure when I was in a Zoom meeting that I would answer first so that I can then fade into the background and do my thing. So that's how bad it was. I was literally in meetings doing cakes on my lunch break, delivering orders to people.
Speaker 2: So it got to a point I was like, wow, i'm making three to $4,000 extra a month, like this is cool on top of my salary. This is good. But I wanna make more And I believe that I can make more. So I knew that I was at my wit's end. I was at my bandwidth. I could not take anymore. It was like I know that I wanna. I think the goal for me at that moment was like $5,000. Like ooh, if I could just make $5,000 a month, like I'll be good. But I knew that I couldn't do that while I was still working full time And I was a supervisor, had a lot of stuff on my plate still and I had to pray about it. And I prayed about it, went on my balcony literally and I did something that I literally have never done before.
Speaker 2: I've been a Christian almost my whole life, but I'd never talked to God in the way that I did at this moment, and I called my wife on the balcony.
Speaker 2: I said, no, you come out here too. I need you to hear this, because I did have support from her, from Jump. She always supported me. But I always tell people, woman gonna support you when she know the money coming in too. So she saw the money coming in already. So I tease her about that all the time, like, yeah, people always say, yeah, you got a good. I mean I do have a good woman. But, man, you got a good woman, she supported you. I'm like, yeah, she saw the money coming in already too, so she knew it was gonna be something. But no, pulled her outside and I said out loud and I said, hey, god, if this is what you want me to do, i need you to show me, i need you to make a way for me. And I said that out loud again. This is something that I've never done before.
Speaker 2: And a couple of days later I got a call from a best friend, kind of just spoke some things like over me and literally within two weeks I put in my two week notice And from there I can honestly say, chef, i have not looked back, i have not regretted my decision. It's definitely been a lot of hard work. I can't take that away from the process. But I've definitely been able to quit my job and actually make a real living off of my home baking business And I never thought that I can concede that for myself. So I went from making maybe three to four K a month to now I can range anywhere from 10 to 15,000.
Speaker 1: My favorite month yes.
Speaker 2: It's been a journey and I never I really never thought that this would be. I thought being a boss was being a supervisor and, like I reached where I was supposed to be. This is what it is. but quickly I learned that at that job I was a salaried employee. So all of you who are salaried employees we know we don't get paid overtime, like what it is is what it is. So I can put my 10 hours in, but my check's still gonna look the same. So I had that cap there. but I did learn, and what was motivating for me to even continue to push and pursue the entrepreneur business was to was me realizing that there was no cap that I could literally there was an endless amount of money that I could make, of course, if I applied myself.
Speaker 1: So I think, one of the best lessons there. Well, two lessons. Number one it's so amazing to have a great support system And I'm glad that you did have, you know, an amazing understanding spouse, and I know you said she saw the money, but I'm pretty sure your wife is amazing. It's not the most. Sometimes as women, yeah, you know we get scared. It's not that we don't want you to chase your dreams, but when you're looking at what you can see in the tangible, you know it's easier to have a lot more faith when you see something Right. But a lot of times people wanna jump when there's actually nothing there. I'm like you wanna leave your job and you haven't even had a $1,000 month or $2,000 month, and so Right.
Speaker 2: And so something too. That was. I think it's good for people to know too, or just at least to know, my journey and how it happened. For me, it was not even just the, it was a process that I went through. So, of course, in my mind I'm like, oh, you know, i'm baking. Once I make what I make at my job, then I'll quit. Here's the thing When I started to make what I made at my job, i couldn't quit because I had got accustomed to what I was making at my job plus what I was making at the baking.
Speaker 2: Yeah, but I was an income. So it's a lot of people say those things And it's like, oh, when you start making what you make on your job, and that's when you know. But it's like, well, the grind to get there. I've gotten accustomed to three sets of incomes now. So now I need to be making double what I'm making, and a lot of times that works out for people where they are able to make double or make that goal, whatever it is that they want to make. However, in my situation, i had to pull God in for me. You know what I'm saying. I had to pull him in because I wasn't making double, and it was a really you know call to faith and a step out on faith for me to go hey, this is what I'm making. I want to make more. I believe I can make more. Let me go head on and do it. So.
Speaker 1: And that's a really good point too, because let's say, for instance, just example, let's say your baking business is bringing in an extra 50K in profit, which will probably be a lot more, because a lot of times new bakers don't understand the difference between profit and revenue. So that means, after all, expenses. But let's say you're making 50K on your job. Well then, technically you're bringing in over six figures. But if you, like you said, if you say, oh, once I make the same, once you walk away and you tell that job, oh okay, well, job, i don't want you, you've actually just taken a decrease. You now walk away from your 100K year to now you're at 50 and it takes time to build, and so you hit it on the head. Too often I meet bakers that expect this to happen overnight. They're not willing to show up to make the connections, to get out into the city.
Speaker 1: You're the adamant You're always shouting people out who connect you on social media about just working with the planners and the people in your industry. How important is it to you in order to make those connections, to help your income continue to rise?
Speaker 2: Yeah, i think those connections are very important, so much so that they have got me to the place where I am now and where I wanna continue to grow even further. And when I say where I am now is I do bake. And when I say I'm just gonna set, i don't believe in classes and things, i'm just separating in this class just so I can make a point. But I do bake for the everyday person And then the connections that I have built has also allowed me to bake for also everyday people, but celebrity clientele as well. And it's because, strictly 100% on the connections that I have built, and I've heard people they've asked me a lot of times, even just recently, like, oh, how did you get those connections, how did you do that And how are you able to break down the celebrity door and get into that field. And it's literally we hear it all the time it's who you know, not all the time what you may necessarily know, because I've learned a lot along the way, so it's definitely been who I know. So, living in Los Angeles I definitely think like your location plays a big part on wanting to have clientele like that and capitalizing off of things.
Speaker 2: I think we're in that era now where a lot of people don't want to do things necessarily what I would say pro bono and to get their names out there, because making a profit and I have to make the money, i have to make the money, i have to make the money And what I think that I did. Again, i'm really big on just sharing my experiences. I never want to tell people how they should do it, but what I did was I was very big, and still currently big on doing things that I feel like are a business move for me. So when I say a business move for me, i just recently, for example, i won't say their name, but I did a cake for someone and it was 100% free. It was free for them.
Speaker 2: But what I got in return was hey, this is someone who has 10 million followers. They shouted me out multiple times, they are a big celebrity person And I had to make a decision and say, yeah, i can charge you for $500, or I'm gonna charge you for this cake and that be the end of it, or I can use this as marketing and publicity for myself as well. So I think a lot of people don't really take value in that and understand. I do know that it is maybe what some may call, what I may call, like a old school way of thinking, which is like putting the groundwork in and getting your name out there, and I feel like I've done a lot of that And that's what has allowed me to just even build my client base just with the everyday people I serve, as well as industry people who are in the entertainment industry as well.
Speaker 1: You hit the head on the nail for anyone listening who's in the entrepreneurial community. My students know this a lot because this is something I teach, but I firmly believe in you. Serve before you sell, and you said it correctly. Big businesses do that all the time. When Coca-Cola has a new product, they will post up in the Coca-Cola truck at Walmart. They give out samples. They give out. This is a billion dollar corporation. They don't have to give in order for you to say, hey, i need you to know who we are. Everyone knows Coca-Cola. They do it because it's good business, and so I love the fact that, as you're growing, you're applying good business techniques. You're planting good seeds which is what I like to call it so that you can reap a harvest. And the harvest is beautiful because who was one of your first celebrity clients that you remember? You got to think about it.
Speaker 2: Oh, it's been so long. My first, or can I say my most notable. You said my first right.
Speaker 1: Your first, your very first time. Look, he didn't just admit, you got to think about it. All right, how about?
Speaker 2: this. I'm gonna say that humbly too. Y'all I've done so many that it's like I can't even remember who the first Was it Future? I would say that was probably the first big celebrity that I did And, if I can, can I just share a story about how that happened and how I feel like it is just important to just also go with your gut So Spill the tea.
Speaker 2: It was someone. He was, you know, no Future. He's a man who loves his ladies. There was a woman he was dating at the time. She reached out to me and she asked about you know, getting this cake And she gave me the details on the cake And because I'm a really big fan, i'm like tell my wife, i'm like Nicole, i think it's just for Future. His birthday is in like November two, mine is in November. Like I think this is for him. Like she wants a Pluto, a cake made out of you know, the planet Pluto with an eagle on top. I'm like it has to be Future.
Speaker 2: So I still didn't know it was him. She didn't confirm anything And so she reached out to me. I saw the DM, i reached back out to her And, long story short guys, i she stopped responding to me. I sent her the invoice and she stopped responding. So I had already like ran to like hobby lobby. I wanted to get this eagle that I saw. So I'm all driving around town, you know getting things, and she's just not responding anymore And I was like dang okay. Well, yes, i'll just watch my hands with it. And I'm talking to my wife. I'm like Nicole, do you think I should call her Like?
Speaker 1: no, that would seem too weird if.
Speaker 2: I call, like I don't want to fall. That seemed like I'm being too pressed. I was like you know what? No, like I'm gonna call her and ask her if she still wants it. So again, she's a celebrity too, so I'm like let me call her and see.
Speaker 2: So I call her phone. I'm like, oh, hey, you know, i'm trying to know if you still want to get this cake or not. In my mind I'm thinking like, hey, you want it, like at seven, it's like four o'clock now, hello. And she's like, oh, have you started already? Yeah, yeah, like you know, i started to get some things. You know, i'm telling her I started. She was like you know, yeah, she put me on hold for like two seconds. I was like you know what? Yeah, i wanted. So, long story short, i ended up doing it and met up with her and got it.
Speaker 2: The point that I wanted to make was that, a lot of times, like we as people, and me as myself like we have to get out of our own way and we have to take that step and we have to like, maybe, swallow that pride or even, if it's not pride, if it just may be a little shyness that we have, and I feel like to be the boss that we want to be, to be that entrepreneur that we want to be. we have to step out of that box, and that was a big deal for me to feel like. let me call her, because I'm really big on. I don't chase anybody for nothing. If you wanted, you wanted. If you don't, you don't, you know.
Speaker 2: but something in me just pushed me to do that and earn out. you know, end up doing a cake for him, and that was like one of the best experiences I had. I didn't necessarily meet him, but I was just happy that I was able to do something, and then, when he posted it, i literally almost passed out on my living room floor Like I was like what? So, yeah, i just think it's very important for us as well as to build those connections and just to also trust ourselves and to just have faith or just to have courage to just step outside of the box. And you know, you never know what will happen ever.
Speaker 1: Yeah, cause some people will say well, i don't want to come off, like you said, as pushy or desperate or anything, but sometimes things that like happen. we're always too quick to say you know, i sent this invoice and they didn't respond. or this is that there's a person on the other side of the screen who may be going through something that we know nothing about And that reminder may really be something that they need or that they wanted. And so kudos to you for listening to your gut, because it paid off in a big way. And so what are some other? or, as you stated, your most notorious or more I don't want to say more popular, but some other celebrity cakes that you've done.
Speaker 2: So I was really excited to do Little Wayne's birthday. I did a birthday party for Little Wayne Most recently. He's one of my top five, so a lot of the celebrity clients that I have is more in the entertainment industry, so it's music industry, have done some actors, but it's mainly music entertainment industry. So Little Wayne was definitely a big oh man. I was so excited to do that. I just had a moment because I just took me back to being excited And I feel like those are the moments that I have where I go like I'm really able to do this, like, wow, they really want something from me And I was able to do that for him And I've done several things for him as well. And something else also with just that I want people to know is just also taking that step and just it's okay to do extra, it's okay to go over and beyond. And I say this as just good business practice, not even just for any celebrity clients, but just any customers that you have, because, to be honest, yes, i do have celebrity clientele, but what I classified as my everyday clientele, that's what carries me more than anything. So I definitely feel like good business practices to have is to just make sure that you are like, not afraid, like I said before, to just put that you know best with Ford. And to go over and beyond, i've made things specifically for Lil Wayne before that was ordered specifically because I know that that man likes chocolate chip cookies. I'm like they didn't order them but let me whip up my chocolate chip cookies, you know, hey, i got these extra, you know, for Wayne, and I just think things like that go a long way And I've learned very early on in business And I like how you kind of make the comparison of just seeing how their businesses that maybe I admire or just other businesses that are notable in how they do things, and I think that's very important for us as well. Me coming up in this industry, i looked at people I named several, a couple of people earlier that I really looked at, i watched how they did things and I took from it and I was really astuted And I feel like a lot of people I know we're in an era now where it happens instantaneous, where a lot of people go from here to you know all the way here with social media, but to not forget about those basic practice, you know, our business practices that we should have And yeah. So I think that those are good things to have when you are trying to build your business making those connections, not being afraid to do things for free, not being afraid to really understand that your return may not be in a monetary sense return in that moment, but you're getting knowledge, you're getting experience.
Speaker 2: I tell people all the time like, hey, when I didn't have cakes to do, i mean yeah, i can have eight. I just did 11 cakes this past week. You know what I mean. So I've gone from not having that many. However, when I only had two cakes in a week, i was still doing cakes on my downtime, perfecting my craft. I don't care, people thought that I was real busy back then. Good, like seeing me do cakes was reminding people over and over again I'm practicing, i'm building my craft. So I was still, you know, putting that work in, and I feel like people miss that now because we are in an era where if I don't see a monetary return, i don't want it. So I just think those are just good things to know.
Speaker 1: Absolutely, and so you're putting your cakes out there and you're taking the right steps and you definitely have the right mindset. And so, speaking of taking steps, then you also apply for a popular television show. So just to build more on those connections and just stepping out on faith. So tell us a little bit about that process. How was it?
Speaker 2: It was crazy And when I say crazy, i mean just crazy in a good way The experience, how it all happened. I was literally minding my own business on social media and I got a DM from an agency and they reached out to me for a show, and I don't know what happened. I don't know what. So what I think I did, guys, was I changed my profile picture. So my profile picture was just my logo, and it's always like little hidden gems and everything I want to say. I'll be very, very quick. So I had a my profile image as my profile picture. I went through my whole phase and I wanted people to know who.
Speaker 2: I really was, didn't want to show my face, you know, didn't know if I fit in the industry, which is a whole other. I cast, probably. But so I was hiding behind a logo and I had a friend who was very successful who told me like, oh yeah, you know, keep your logo, don't? you need to keep that? because people need to know your logo before they they see your logo, before they see anything that you know, all this kind of stuff And I just been. The message in this is for us to just be mindful of when there are people who are giving us advice and giving us input, that, even if they are in a position where they are more successful or in a position that we would want to be in, is that it's still OK to take it and store it and then still weigh it out with what you want to do. And that's exactly what I did. So when I have this person telling me this, something in me was just like, no, like I think people need to see me, like they see the cakes, they need to see the face, and so you know, i'm a pretty handsome guy. I had a picture taken, you know, no, but I had a picture taken and you know I was smiling and you know I was, you know, felt like I was looking good. I posted it at a chef code on. So I really think from that point, next thing, i know I had several opportunities lining up. So the one that I did go with was I'm seeing kitchen And it was a great experience. I shot it a year ago, so it actually was done in April of last year, and it was a great experience.
Speaker 2: I've never, ever, ever, ever, amanda, thought in a million years like literally, and I think very highly, you know just what I can achieve and what I'm able to do. But when I was coming up in the game watching Cupcake Wars and Cake Wars and all that stuff, i never would have thought that I was going to be on any of that. I always was literally looking at it saying, oh, i would love to do that, oh, I know I can win. But I never thought that one day it would cross my path where I would have an opportunity to be able to be on the show ask, crime Scene Kitchen and on a major network like Fox and on top of that like the cherry and Hulu Yes, yes, it was well, and the cherry on top like of all of that like I feel like my biggest influence in my novelty cake journey has been Yolanda Gamp, from How to Cake It.
Speaker 2: So when I found out that she was a judge on the show, when I tell you I was just like man, like come on. So that within itself was just like a like. When I say, like I'm have her, i could literally have her on my TV and I'm doing a whole cake. Unrelated, but just watching her do cakes, hearing her do it on her thing, is just somehow puts me in that mindset. So to experience all of that and to really truly be a fan of someone, kind of like how I am, of yours, and then an opportunity like this comes and we're able to connect. It was the same way with Yolanda And, yes, it was a great experience.
Speaker 2: I wouldn't trade it for anything. I was able to build community. I can admit to you guys I'm very working like silos. I used to in the cake industry. You know I didn't. I just stayed focused. I didn't want to talk to anybody, didn't really want to be a part of any communities. But that was the time when I did the show that it opened me up to just being around other people that bake, other people that have gifts, other people who are just as talented as I am, that we were able to share an experience together and which kind of opened me up to, you know, be more open to working with others and just enjoying just the community itself. So it was a great experience.
Speaker 1: That is wonderful. So Crime Scene Kitchen this season premieres.
Speaker 2: Updated air date. They changed it to June 5th, so right now it is June. They just recently updated that to June 5th, so it is June 5th. Is the air date?
Speaker 1: Yes, OK, awesome, so they've changed the air date, so it's coming out soon, pretty soon, and so we can look forward to seeing you on it soon as well. And so what are you doing to celebrate? Are you going to have a washing party?
Speaker 2: Yes, so in my place, where I live at, we have a theater. Let me be clear I live in an apartment. So yeah, not my. I don't have a theater in my house Not yet, because I got to sell a couple more in case you know. But no, i have a theater in my building. So I'm thinking about having a watch party. I'm actually going to have a watch party in my theater room and just have some family and friends over. I competed with a close person I don't want to give the details because you guys have to watch the show to see But I had a teammate on the show, so you guys will be able to see who my teammate was, how that happened, because there's a story within that. So it's very interesting how I was paired with the person that I was paired with on the show.
Speaker 1: So all right, cool B, so we can be on the lookout to see you on Crime Scene Kitchen and overall, from just being in college to doing the cupcakes, to putting yourself out there, having that leap of faith. For anyone else listening, who may be on a corporate career journey, or maybe they want to take the jump as well, what advice would you share for anyone out there who's listened, who might want to do as you do now and bake full time?
Speaker 2: The question. I would definitely want people to know that, yes, baking can be fun, and when you're doing it part time it's fun, it's nice, you just in the kitchen having a good time. But when you do decide to do it full time and you take it serious and it's something that you want to make a living off of, it does begin to turn into work. So it is work now Still can be fun. But I also want to just clear up the misconception, at least for me, that it doesn't turn into just like, oh fun, i'm at home and I don't have to go to work and clock in every day. What I have learned is that I actually do work more. I work more than I've ever worked before.
Speaker 2: Having a nine to five And I know that may sound like wow we're supposed to do the nine to five to have the freedom, the financial freedom, the time freedom, and I feel like where I'm at now is I'm slowly embarking on that space where I'm able to not necessarily have to do so much to have, you know, a return. So what I do want people to know is that you do have to put the work in, have to put the work in. I tell people all the time. There is success, that happens for people and it is overnight, but what I can say is for most of us, we actually have to put the work in. I don't want to negate the fact that, yeah, there are people that don't have to work as hard and there are going to be people who may not have to work as hard as you and they're able to get to the places that they want to get to. But I feel like good business practice and just being able to stay grounded and being well-rounded is being able to put the work in and grind and really knowing that it's not going to be something that happens overnight.
Speaker 2: I've been doing this for 10 years and I'm nowhere near where I want to be, but I'm also nowhere near where I started as well, and I'm able to be comfortable. I'm able to afford a good lifestyle for myself and my wife because of the baking and because I put the work in. So I definitely just want people to just stay encouraged and just to always remember to do things the way that you want to do them and, taking advice from people, to know that we don't have to take everything and execute everything. We hear that it is okay to take information and then scaffold it into a way where maybe you compartmentalized it and to how it'll register for you at different times in your life. But to just know that it's best to just do things your way, work hard, stay the course, and to know that if you want to be successful, you just have to work. You have to work hard.
Speaker 1: Those are amazing words. Yeah, because we live in a microwave society where everybody tends to that's what they want. It's like they want to post one post. that post goes viral, then they think the orders are going to come in, and now, all of a sudden, they're just booked every single week, every single week, and it's like no, your work ethic is a reflection of your thoughts and your actions.
Speaker 2: Absolutely absolutely.
Speaker 1: And I love the fact that you are putting in the work, that you're showing up And I'm actually grateful that you did not listen to that person because I think putting your face, that's really. When I started to connect with you It was like, oh, this is a male.
Speaker 2: Right right.
Speaker 1: In our industry. that's pretty cool And that's something that I believe in. People never forget a face.
Speaker 2: Right, right, and that's what I was happy to be able to show that. So now there was once a point in time where, oh, i didn't want to show who I was, oh, they didn't. It was a point in time where nobody knew. You didn't even see my hands, because I went through a whole phase. I didn't want people to know, like I was even black, like I didn't want people to know anything, like I don't want people to know nothing. I just wanted it to be just only focused on the cakes.
Speaker 2: And although that kind of it's not a place that I would ever suggest anybody to dwell in or be in, for me it worked because I felt like I always knew the bigger picture. Maybe I knew that, maybe I'm always good, let me get the hook in, let me hook in and then we can go from there. But again, that was just my way. I definitely am not encouraging anybody to present in any different kind of ways other than yourself, because I also feel like that'll also get you way further than impersonating anything as 100% being yourself and being the best yourself. We hear it all the time and a lot of times the things that are so cliche that we hear all the time are cliche for a reason because they have been around the block forever and ever and ever and they stand to be true. So, yeah, i definitely 100% agree with that.
Speaker 1: We learn as we grow and it has really been a joy watching you grow and we all look forward to continue to watching you grow. So, from the bottom of my little heart, thank you so much for taking your time today to come talk to us. De'Bion, are you ready for Lightning Round?
Speaker 2: Yes, I am, I am.
Speaker 1: All right, what is your favorite color? I?
Speaker 2: don't have a favorite color. my favorite color to wear is red, So I'll say red.
Speaker 1: Okay, what is your favorite kitchen utensil?
Speaker 2: My offset spatula.
Speaker 1: Good one, awesome. What is your favorite book?
Speaker 2: Who. Right now it has to be my cookbook How to Cake It by Yolanda Giddo. That's what I remix recipes all the time from there.
Speaker 1: Okay, and do you have a celebrity crush?
Speaker 2: Yes, i do have a celebrity crush, and what's crazy is I actually just did a cake for her too. I can say this because my wife already know what time it is. So, yes, my celebrity crush is Drea. She's beautiful Drea, and Michelle, she's beautiful amazing. You know tins all around, but yeah, i just recently did a cake for her too.
Speaker 1: By the way, Okay, go ahead on, All right. and what is one of your favorite desserts?
Speaker 2: I am a sweets person so I would say anything sweet You know lemon, chocolate, cheese, anything. I'm a sweets person So well before I started baking anything sweet you put in front of me, i'll take a piece of cake over a savory dish almost any day, so anything cake.
Speaker 1: Anything cake, love it Awesome, De'Bionne. Well, thank you so much for coming to Baking for Business podcast and talking with me today. It's really been a pleasure.
Speaker 2: Likewise, thank you for having me. I'm really honored and happy to have been here and share this moment with you, so thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1: You're more than welcome. You guys. How amazing was it to hear De'Bionne's story. It is so refreshing to see more males step up within our industry and tap into their gifts and their talents. Also want to take a minute to also shout out De'Bionne's wife. You know, before we started recording he was very adamant that his wife has really stepped in and saved the day with answering phones, handling clients. So shout out to his wife, nicole. They always say behind every great man is a great woman, and it is really refreshing when our spouses do step in and help us as we build our baking businesses.
Speaker 1: I hope that this episode gave you some inspiration. If you are not, go follow De'Bionne's page. Be on the lookout for his episode of Crime Scene Kitchen, where he will be appearing on Fox and Hulu. Let's be sure that we support this young man, that we shower him And I actually convinced him in the future to start teaching and sharing some of those amazing talents that he has. So yes, de'bionne, i'm putting it out there in your future We will be seeing him teaching, so you're going to want to follow him for that. So be sure to stay tuned for all the things that he's doing so that you can support. Thanks so much for listening to this episode. Take care and bye for now. Music.