Chelles Bakery

Good Morning Readers!

Today’s article is about Chelles Bakery, LLC a home based start up out of Winter Garden, FL.

This is run by business owner Darimar M. Velazquez, a self-taught baker and cake decorator.  She specializes in Gluten-Free French Macarons and much more.

I found out about this business through the Chelles Bakery Instagram page. She has such a variety of different macarons that all look incredible.

When asked what made her chose this product Darimar responded, “The first time I tried a macaron was at the Bouchon Bakery in Rockefeller Plaza, NY. I became obsessed. I was fascinated by the range of colors and flavors that I instantly knew I had to make this treat. I researched a lot, read a lot, tasted a lot, and even threw a lot of macarons in the bin just to get them right. I chose this product because it has taught me one very important and valuable lesson: to not give up.”

The decorating component of the business came about after Darimar’s sister-in-law used fondant for a cake for her daughter’s birthday. This experience propelled Darimar on her quest to learn everything she could about cake decorating through Google and YouTube. She became obsessed to learn how to create.

She then gained experience through small time bakeries and just trial and error. After some time, she knew it was time to take the risk and start her own journey. Originally selling her creations through word of mouth orders though her friends and family, she said that she would carry her phone everywhere and show pictures to anyone who was interested pictures of things she had created. Eventually, she made a Facebook and Instagram pages to market her delectable works of art.

She says, “I knew I had to find a niche to be able to stand out from the crowd. That’s when I remembered how much joy I got from eating my very first macaron. I wanted to bring that same joy to others. I soon got to work on these delicate, little pastries that are notorious for enticing the hearts of people and drawing tears to those who want to perfect them. I started selling my macarons on December 2017 at the Winter Garden Farmer’s Market. It’s only been six months into the business but being at the market has brought me so much exposure. Since opening I have been commissioned to three weddings, Sweet 16th parties, and much more.”

“Becoming an entrepreneur has enhanced my life completely. It has provided me with a new perspective. You begin to think as a business owner (which makes you feel pretty special, by the way).”

When asked if there have been any challenges she replied, “I wear many hats. From being a stay-home mom of two young girls to running all aspects of the business by myself it’s easy to see that time-management might be one of the biggest challenges I face. What I have learned is to delegate. I consistently ask myself, ‘Is what I’m doing right now the absolute best use of my time?'”

Her tips for others to start their own business are to work hard and find your niche “Do work you care about and truly believe in. This type of business is very saturated and competitive, but it can also be very fun and rewarding.”

Thank you so much Darimar for taking the time to share your story!

If you would like to learn more about Chelles Bakery, please visit the links below.

Instagram

Facebook Page

Pinterest Page

Due to the extreme heat in Central Florida she will be returning to the Winter Garden Farmer’s Market by the end of September or beginning of October. Follow her social media links to learn more about this and when she will be starting to sell her amazing treats online. While these will not be able to be mailed, she will be able to provide either pick up or delivery within Central Florida.

Thank you all for reading! Have an amazing day and remember to be uniquely you!

All pictures are graciously sent by Darimar M Velazquez and Chelles Bakery and are not my own.

Sugar Rush Marshmallows!

Hi friends!

Thank you for reading! Today’s article is about local business owners Julie and Jean of Sugar Rush Marshmallows. They are incredibly articulate so much of today’s article is straight from them.

Sugar Rush Marshmallows is an Orlando-based marshmallow and s’more business. They make everything from scratch, including syrup, extracts, and graham crackers. To quote them directly, “A marshmallow is always going to be sugary, but we take the extra time to make sure that there is nothing that doesn’t need to be in there.” By using in-season, simple, and natural ingredients, they differentiate themselves by creating high quality, carefully crafted sweets.

A Sweet Beginning

Julie and Jean, the owners, started this business initially to provide a part time income stream. They met in South Korea where they were teaching English. When they came back they had a challenging time finding jobs where they felt fulfilled and could spend time together. Julie, who had been making marshmallows for a long time, started making the sweets again for her family and friends. After getting positive reactions, they started thinking about how to turn this talent into a business.

They quickly realized that if they stuck with just marshmallows that they could be limited in their growth. This is when they started testing recipes for graham crackers and working on innovative ideas. They then started testing their creations out on friends to make sure they got everything right, including texture and sweetness. With their s’mores and marshmallows perfected, they quickly went all in. “Once we started, we couldn’t stop, and soon it was taking up everything and we took the plunge and went full time.” Now they appear at farmer’s markets around Central Florida and have an online presence.

Because, “nothing takes you on a journey to nostalgia faster than a s’more” this is a product that brings joy to people’s lives through fond memories of the past and new memories created by spending time together. Their ultimate goal is to make the customers happy and to spend as much time together as possible. “We love being a part of the community and hope to be a part of it for years to come.”

Personal Growth Through Clever Creations

                                                                   

When asked how this business has improved their lives, they responded, “We have had an amazing life, but this business has opened so much to us. We love working, and working together has been amazing. It has given us so much time to create and grow together and we can share our creations with the community we love. In the meantime, we have learned so much more about the small business and food community here in Orlando. We have met some incredible people, learned amazing things, and been able to build something that people really enjoy!”

The daily grind of constantly working can be a challenge. Luckily for Julie and Jean, they get to face it together. “There are weeks we spend half in the kitchen and half in the market and we know it’s going to happen all over again the next week and the next, but it’s important to us, and we aren’t afraid of working hard. Otherwise, we would have been crazy to start!”

Tips for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

                                                                     

“Even If you know it’s going to be so hard, and even if you know you are willing to do all the work, juggle all the things, and push every single day, remember it’s not as easy as you may still think. But, if you want it, then make it happen. There are communities that need you. Do your research, fight hard, and never stop fighting.”

When asked if there was anything they knew before they started Sugar Rush, they responded, “We did so much research on so much but nothing really prepared us for things like the intricacies of taxes or all the really scary legal stuff. I know we both really would have liked to know exactly what we needed to get before we could move to this step or that step, but eventually we got there. A lot of time is spent, I think, by a lot of new businesses going to some government office thinking they have what they need only to learn that they have to go back a step and get something else and so on and so on. Having a little more clarity on those issues would have been nice. But otherwise, everything had to be learned on the fly-I think that’s the way it’s supposed to happen. You think you’re ready until you find out you aren’t. And then other business owners can share their journey and help get you there, and in turn maybe you can help someone else. We are all in it together, after all”

Thank you so much Julie and Jean for your amazing story and agreeing to be featured!

If you would like to find out more about Sugar Rush Marshmallows links to their social media are listed below:

Website: https:/www.sugarrushmarshmallows.com
Instagram: @sugarrushmarshmallow
Facebook: Sugar Rush Marshmallow

In October, they will be featuring rainbow marshmallows available just twice a year in June and October for Pride. They also just released cookie dough stuffed marshmallows that feature another small local cookie dough business called Cookie Dough To Go.

At this time you can find them at the following locations:
Winter Garden Farmers Market, every Saturday from 9am-2pm
Orlando Farmers Market at Lake Eola, every Sunday from 10am-4pm
Audubon Community Market Monday nights from 5pm-9pm

Thank you so much for reading! Join me next week when I will be featuring Collective Kindness.

If you have a small business in the Central Florida area and would like to be featured on this site please visit the contact page.

Remember to stay sweet, support small businesses, and have an amazing day!
-Amy