Today we’d like to introduce you to Leslie Soto.
Hi Leslie, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My love for all things creative started as a child growing up in Mexico. My parents made sure that I was involved in as many activities as possible. I did everything from, painting, to dance, and even ballet for a short period of time. The arts were a part of me from the very beginning. Originally, I began baking treats for my 4 wonderful children. I realized that I was pretty good at it, although I never had any formal training. I actually decided to venture into entrepreneurship in February 2020. I chose to sell chocolate strawberries on that Valentine’s Day. I didn’t expect much, but I sold out faster than I could have ever imagined. That motivated me to keep moving forward with the idea, and I eventually began to get more creative and varied with my chocolate strawberry offerings. I now make all kinds of fun, unique, and tasty treats for all types of occasions. I am also now a brand ambassador and have done work for some pretty great companies. I have to say that I am very proud of what I have accomplished with hard work and dedication in such a short time.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely has not been an easy road. I think any business owner would agree that there are many challenges that we face while chasing our dreams. One of my first challenges was the fear of failure. I was always afraid of not making it, and I was a bit insecure because I did not have a culinary background or any formal training. My husband and I would have conversations about my fears, but he just kept encouraging me to go for it. I am really happy that I did, because the more work I did, the more I learned, and that just naturally led to me being quite confident in my craft.
Another major challenge was managing the household and my business. I have 1 teen and 3 young kids, so things are always busy at home. At first, I would get very little sleep as I would work overnight making cakes and treats so that I could keep my commitments and provide fresh treats for my clients. Eventually, I figured out how to make small changes in my daily activities to reduce stress, better manage my time and increase my efficiency. I figured out how to manage my time so I can do the things I love the most.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My business specializes in making different kinds of treats with or without a chocolate component. I make chocolate strawberries, cake pops, breakable chocolate shapes, cakes, candy apples, and pretty much anything my imagination inspires me to create. I use all kinds of bright beautiful colors, wonderful sprinkles, and other edible decorations to create delicious, out-of-the-ordinary treats.
I feel that it is my focus on bringing joy to my clients that sets me apart from others. Whenever I make treats, I focus on the happiness that I know they will bring to someone. The idea of making someone smile through my work motivates me to give my everything in every piece.
One of the things that I am most proud of is the growth of my brand. I am a small business that is gradually becoming more recognized. I have had the pleasure of working with great companies, and amazing talented people from around the world. It’s amazing to think of the wonderful experiences that starting a business has blessed me with.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
The Covid crisis has taught me a lot. I think that I became a bit more resilient as a result of this crisis. I was actually laid off from work due to Covid. I was the pastry chef at a local favorite here in North Dallas when the pandemic started. I was pretty devastated as I really enjoyed my job. For a while, I couldn’t find myself, but I had to learn how to adapt to the situation and keep things moving. I think that if it weren’t for getting laid off, I would have probably delayed my venture into owning a small business. This crisis reminded me that we have to make the best of the worst, and look at what is most important to us for inspiration. For me, that inspiration was my family and my passion for baking and making treats.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @downtothekrumb
- Facebook: downtothecrumb
- Other: TikTok: @downtothekrumb
