Today we’d like to introduce you to Angel Taylor.
Angel, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I have always loved to cook, it’s definitely in my blood. For as long as I can remember, I was always in the kitchen trying something new and it would just always seem to work. I guess I only looked at cooking as a hobby, because it took me a long time to come back around to it, in the creative capacity, that is.
Right after high school, I did what most are expected to do, went off to college. But, it just wasn’t for me at the time. After my first year, I went back home to Chicago. But I have never been the type to just “bum” around, so I wanted to figure out how to get away quickly and be able to take care of myself. So, I joined the Air Force and became an Air Traffic Controller, and boy did I getaway. I’ve lived all over the world, literally. From Mississippi to England, to Korea, to Texas, to Iraq and Afghanistan, and that’s just to name a “few”. My husband and I are both Air Traffic Controllers and were both Active Duty Air Force, which became taxing on our family, as we’ve had to leave our children way too many times. So, eventually, we decided to get out of the Air Force and become civilian Federal Air Traffic Controllers for the FAA. After a while, I was able to quit and stay home with our girls and finally do something that I always said I’d do if I were blessed enough to have the ability to accomplish go to culinary school. I attended Le Cordon Bleu Dallas and graduated in 2016. Crazy enough, I got my degree in Culinary Arts instead of becoming a pastry chef. But, here I am now, with my own custom bakery. After graduating, I discovered my love and talent for baking and decorating. Thus was born my first business, which was TaylorMade Kreationz.
After so many ups and downs, and stopping to figure out what God wanted me to do, I found that this was exactly where I’m supposed to be. God gave me a gift. I never had any kind of training to learn about custom decorating and such, it was something that He put inside of me. Something that I was just able to do. Other than my time spent at “YouTube University” as I call it, I have just been able to make these creations. After deciding that this is truly what I am supposed to be doing, I worked with my mentor and came up with a new business plan, name and focus.
Today, I am the proud owner of It’s Sugarcoated Bakery and I am kicking out custom cakes and other desserts more and more, and I couldn’t be more grateful. Recently, I was blessed to be on a segment on Claudia Jordan’s show, The Morning Rush on 105.7 and make a custom cake for her and that opened some doors for me that I am also so grateful for. Not to mention, the recent PopUp shops that I have been able to have at Angelic Touch Beauty Bar in Arlington. Angel is amazing and I am so grateful for her graciousness!
Aside from my bakery, I take very much pride in being a wife and mommy first. My husband and I have five daughters and he and our girls are definitely my first ministry. Additionally, I love to help others, so I volunteer with Icing Smiles and mentoring high school culinary students. I am also working diligently on and will be debuting my non-profit organization, Identify Her, in December. Brought about to teach adolescent girls and young women to find their identities in Christ instead of society’s opinion, Identify Her will provide a physically, emotionally, and mentally safe place for these girls and young women to find their purpose and walk in it. I have gone through a lot of struggles in my own life and had to fight to define myself outside of what life said I was and I am determined to help as many as I can address and overcome those issues as early as possible so to get everything out of life that has for them!
This all has been years in the making, but I believe that it is just the very beginning! Stay tuned…
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?
Ha! I don’t think the word “smooth” has a place in my journey. I have dealt with so many health challenges over the past few years, some that actually threatened my life. I was diagnosed with a blood clot after having my 4th daughter a couple of years ago, and that was a very difficult time in our lives. For one, the obvious health issues, but also, my husband had to take months and months of unpaid leave off of work during this time, which brought about financial strains. In addition to those health issues, I am 80% disabled from the Air Force, with one of my biggest challenges being Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Acute Anxiety. These things are a daily battle. On top of this, we also got hit with the financial burden that came as a result of the government shutdown, as my husband is a Federal Air Traffic Controller. There are some health issues within my close family that have been a huge roadblock and have affected us directly in more ways than one. Lastly, but certainly not least, in the midst of all of this, I lost the one person that was my shoulder, my guidance, my support, the voice in my life, as a woman, my grandmother. This has left me feeling alone and without way more times than not. All of these variables have had a direct effect on my professional life, and if I’m honest, it almost caused me to just walk away from my dreams.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
My business, It’s Sugarcoated Bakery and I am the Chef/Owner. I specialize in everything sugarcoated! I do custom wedding and event cakes and also other sweets and dipped treats. I am known for my desserts not only being beautiful, but the flavors being great as well. I am most proud of the rough patches that my company has stood up to and conquered. What sets me apart from others is not only my flavors and that everything is from scratch, but mainly me. I am what sets my business apart from others. I have a big heart and I am committed to not just making desserts for people, but lifting spirits through my desserts and helping to make some of the most important life events that much more memorable and enjoyable.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
The proudest moment of my career is the day that I finally realized that this is my purpose and what God has for me to do. There is a difference between just doing something like a job, and even being good at it. I have done that for years, but to know that I am walking in my purpose and trusting that and finally overcoming my fear of failure is something that I am beyond proud of. Because fear controlled me for a very long time.
Pricing:
- Custom Cakes $3-$5/Serving
- Basic Dozen Cupcakes $35-$40
- Custom Dozen Cupcakes (Fondant Decor) $45-$55
- Dipped Treats/ Custom Cookies $2-$4/serving
- Angel Cakes (8oz Cake Jars) $7
Contact Info:
- Website: www.itssugarcoatedbakery.com
- Email: itssugarcoatedorders@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/itssugarcoatedbakery
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/itssugarcoatedbakery
Image Credit:
Claudia Jordan
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