Today we’d like to introduce you to Taneka Weldon.
Hi Taneka, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
It all started during the blizzard of 2010. My daughter’s 5th birthday. We were stuck home and she needed a cake to celebrate her 5th birthday. So, I made her a 2D skate cake. From there it started. I have always worked in customer service so I was trained to never say no. So, when others saw my pictures, they would ask if I could make them a special design. Even though I never did it before I would say yes n figure out where to start first. I have always been artistic. I taught arts ‘n craft at summer camp yearly from age 14-16. I didn’t do any baking, my grandmother baked. I was just the artist. Everyone loved my grandmother’s cake n she was commissioned to make one for every family event. So, it was a winner. However, I started to get too many orders and my grandmother quit. Yes, she quit, because she said it was too much to stand so long baking. I’d call her from work and tell her all the different-sized cakes to bake. After work, I would go home and decorate. Well, not that day. From that day forward I became the Baker. I looooovvee food so I have a great pallet. I took her recipe, which I call my base batter, and then I created multiple flavors from that one recipe. Over 75 different flavors. With my amazing customer service skills, consistency, my drive for success it grew Whimsy cakes to what it is today. I eventually quit working at State Farm my husband’s blessing and did my business full time. All while raising a 7-year-old and a 5yr old. I have provided sweets for corporate clients such as Dryers/Nestlé, Toyota, Bozzuto, John Hopkins multiple locations, Baltimore city government events and so many more. If there was an event going on in Maryland Whimsy was there. We won for best cupcakes in Baltimore twice. I have also been featured on the food network cake competion shows, Cake Hunters 2017 & Food Network Challenge 2019. My business grew out of my home in 2014. When I decided to open a brick n mortar. That was an amazing time for my business and my customers. Especially my students. I closed it right before covid forced me to close. I was doing a lot including being a mom to not only 2 children but now 4 which included a 1yr old and a 3yr old. At that time my handicap mother-in-law lived with me, my grandmother lived with me and I was going every morning for the pass 8mos to help wash, clothe, n serve my aunt who had a heart attack 8 months prior. Not to mention still try to be a wife. All while being a lead baker, cake artist, and teacher. Yes, my plate was full. I walked in the shop one day after much thought and consideration and started taking pictures off the wall and packing up. I was beyond overwhelmed. It was a great relief but also a little sadness because a part of me felt I was giving up and then another part of me felt like 10 loads of bricks were lifter off my shoulders. No one truly understands all that entrepreneurship is unless you are in it and then to have a brick and mortar on top of it is another experience, truly different. It comes with a lot of responsibility, bills, and time sacrificed. During that time there I met some amazing people who have even become friends and some like family. I touched so many children lives because I have taught over 600 kids to bake and decorate and some have even started their own businesses. My students were featured in magazines, local news, international shows from Cooking Channel, Sugar Showdown, Food network Kids Baking championship, and even won $10,000. After closing, I went to a shared commercial kitchen space in Randallstown, MD. KDW kitchen. The owner Steve was a godsend. He understood my position and welcomed me with open arms. He is such a blessing to whimsy cakes. He allowed me to rent the space to work as well as teach my students. My customers know that all cakes must be pre-ordered so my business didn’t completely stop. It slowed down some but covid affected that as well. My customers followed me from Catonsville to Randallstown. And I am so appreciative of their love and support.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
This has not been an easy journey. In the beginning, when I wanted to make this a business, I reached out to other bakers to ask for guidance and offered to pay just for their timeand guidance. No one wanted to help me. I applied to local big box companies to work in their bakery and they said I was too advanced to work there and they wouldn’t want to offer me the pay they could afford. It would be an insult. However, I just wanted the experience. So, my dad and my mom helped me open and run my location. Like many businesses we had our highs when sales were through the roof and we had our lows. Because I didn’t take out any business loans, I didn’t have anything to fall back on during our slow season. Which caused us to fall behind in some bills. Also, many time there were so many expenses that I barely had anything left for myself after paying my staff and all overhead. However, learning from previous mistakes helped us survive for 5 years. Then you have the struggles of making everyone happy which is an unrealistic obstacle. However, I can say we had a 95% rate at doing so. Another struggle was staffing. Trusting others with your recipes and to do their part was a struggle as well. Because if Jessica didn’t do her part, it would cause a terrible domino effect on every other process that needed to be done. So, I found myself doing it all to avoid having that happen.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a baker, who specializes in Custom celebration cakes including Wedding cakes, 3D, and sculpted cake design with a passion for flavors. I am known for my whimsical personality and quality product with great designs. I am also an instructor. I teach kids to bake and decorate all kinds of cakes, pastry, and desserts. I am most proud of the work I do with the kid bakers. They are my pride n joy. One thing that sets me apart from others is my personality because customers not only support your business because of the great product but they are supporting because of you. Also, my moist flavorful cakes and designs. Definitely set me apart.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
I have had so many support me and my vision. My number one supporter is my mom. She is my ride or die literally. She pushes me when I feel defeated. She has paid for things when I couldn’t, she is the sales person, marketing rep, HR, and more. My Husband also deserves credit because if he didn’t agree to me quitting my 9-5 whimsy would still be a small dream and not a big success. My Dad is my reason I have the entrepreneur mindset. His talks, his guidance. And his support both financially and mentally has helped me tremendously. My customers are my ultimate supporters. The support I have has gone through generations and I love and appreciate them soooo much. Some have become friends ‘n some close as family. My big brother Phil is another one of my biggest supporters. There are other bakers ‘n artist but he supports me. He is a caterer and a big party promoter here in Baltimore. His events sell out every time. He chooses me to vend sweets at his most popular events. He makes sure I’m doing well and sends his catering clients my way as well. He has never asked for anything in return but for me to go hard and make him proud. My Little cuzzin Tyler has supported my dream with his time. He worked at my bakery and he saw first-hand how sometimes we would be slow n sometimes we would be busy, but with entrepreneurship there comes moments when payroll is hard to meet. He offered numerous times for me to pay him at a later date. That was the ultimate sacrifice and I appreciate him so much for that till I die. I still just cash app him money just because. He was my right hand in that shop and many days I wanted to quit but he helped keep me focused on the goal. Each one of these people as well as my customers mean the world to me. Not because they have all helped or did something, but because they all did it selflessly without wanting anything in return. I have also had numerous interns who I still keep in contact with today. We are a close batch and I have learned so much from them as well as they have learned from me. Those relationships are cherished as well. I can honestly say I had thee “BEST” interns ever. They not only came to learn but they saw my vision, my tenacity, and my passion and accepted it all as their own as well. They went above and beyond for Whimsy cakes. They will forever be apart of the Whimsy family!
Contact Info:
- Email: Order@ilovewhimsycakes.com
- Website: Www.ilovewhimsycakes.com
- Instagram: Www.instagram.com/Whimsycakesbytaneka
- Facebook: Www.facebook.com/ilovewhimsycakes
