Today we’d like to introduce you to Janet Salazar.
Janet, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
In 2012, I made a birthday cake for my son’s birthday party, just to make it. Soon after, my husband, Joshua Salazar, and I found out that we were expecting our daughter. At the time, my husband was working late nights and I would wait up for him, at home. While waiting up for him, I became intrigued by the cake decorating videos on YouTube. I became interested in the way that cake decorator used different techniques for different cakes. Those videos prompted me to make a cake for my husband’s birthday in 2013.
After making a couple of family cakes, we took it to social media and it quickly became a hit. Before I knew it, I picked up my first client. The first cake I made to sell was a Mike Wazowski cake from Disney’s Monster’s Inc. It was challenging in the beginning, because what started out as a hobby, quickly turned into a business. My husband/co-founder began investing in the cake business by purchasing equipment that would allow me to be more efficient and gave the business a name, Wishful Sweets.
With that, I began taking more and more orders. In April of 2014, I booked my first wedding cake. It was challenging because I had never made a wedding cake before, but with challenges came gaining experience. After every cake, I learned something new and used those skills for the next cake. To this day, I still learn from little mistakes, but those mistakes are what helps me get better. With the support of my family and friends, I have been able to thrive and succeed in this business.
Has it been a smooth road?
It is never a smooth road. When starting the business, it was difficult for me to know what type of equipment to purchase and what was the best deal for each piece of equipment. I have done a lot of research, and to this day I still have questions. One of the many challenges that I faced when making cakes, is that not every cake is the same. Every cake has its own unique design.
To this day, I still remember the one cake that made me want to quit making cakes. It was a 3D snowman cake. This was when I was still fairly new to baking and cake decorating. The snowman cake took me a long time to finish, but when it was done and delivered, the look on my clients’ faces is what kept me going. Another challenge along the way was having a limited kitchen workspace. The kitchen I worked out of was very small, but it was all I had to work with, at the time. I also had a difficult time with managing my time.
Starting out, I did not realize that making decorations was extremely time-consuming. Being a perfectionist, I try to make decorations as exact as possible, so it would take up a lot of my time. Now that I have a bit more experience, I have learned to manage my time by starting on what I can, ahead of time. Being a cake decorator, I learned and picked up many different techniques along the way that helped me become more efficient.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Wishful Sweets – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Wishful Sweets is a home bakery specializing in wedding cakes, 15 cakes, sculpted cakes, cupcakes and other treats. I am the owner, baker and cake decorator for the company.
At the time, my husband and I are the only ones that are handling the business, from our home. Wishful Sweets is best known for creating and/or designing our customers’ cakes. I take a client’s vision, draw it out, and turn it into edible art. I am extremely proud of our customer satisfaction. I do not like to disappoint, therefore I have to LOVE every cake before it leaves our home. I believe that my vision for cakes sets me apart from other bakeries.
Since my husband is a DJ, he too has a small sound and lighting business. We are often called, “The Power Couple”. He recommends me and I do the same for him. Being a small business and a Christian family, we believe that we should give back to our community when we can. Every year, my husband and I select random customers and give a free cake, at least 3 times a year. Customers have no idea until they pick up their cake. It is always an amazing feeling of joy, seeing the look on their faces and how grateful they are.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
Dallas is very welcoming to small businesses. Being a small business owner, we are thankful for the tremendous amount of customers that we have gained in the DFW area. As the population in Dallas grows, we see our business grow. We are hopeful in opening up a baking studio, sometime in the near future, as we have gained a large amount of new clientele.
Traffic and bumpy roads. When delivering cakes, bumpy roads are not my best friend. I have had MANY mini-heart attacks when delivering wedding cakes to their venues, but somehow we always manage to get there safely.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wishfulsweets.com
- Phone: 214-664-5208
- Email: wishfulsweets@gmail.com
- Instagram: @wishfulsweets
- Facebook: @wishfulsweets1
Image Credit:
Joshua Salazar, Crissy Escalera Photography
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