Meet Jessie Feldman | Cake and Cookie Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jessie Feldman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessie, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
During Covid of 2020, I was home a lot like most of us, and just trying to pass time. I always loved to cook but started baking more, just experimenting with some breads and pound cakes and sharing to my instagram stories. A friend of mine had asked if I could make her son a birthday cake, and I was like, I mean Ive never decorated a cake like that but how hard can it be? So I ended up making and decorating the cake, and it just came very naturally to me. I was always that girl to come to work with cookies, muffins or pound cakes. After completing that cake, this little spark came over me, like I think I can do this. So I started doing some research, and just did it. Ever since, ive never looked back.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Today, my business focuses on custom cookies and cakes with occasional workshop or class; but in the beginning, I was honestly doing anything that gave me business, whether it was a pound cake, pie or decorated cake. It was really just a hobby that paid for itself. Later I started focusing on decorated cakes and cookies, what was worth my time and energy, but also gave me the most creativity. Within the last year, I have directed most of my business towards weddings or higher end clientele. Wedding cakes, grooms cakes, iced sugar cookies, with a more artistic flare. With baking and decorating, comes a lot of time and heavy labor. So after I built a decent bit of clients and became very confident in my recipes, I started to raise my pricing to where everything I make is worth my time, after all my skillset is something I worked extremely hard for. Before my baking career, I was in school to be an art teacher. I was always in the art room or doodling; core curriculum classes were never something I enjoyed. This business just fell into my lap, in all honesty. I had no clue I had a gift with decorating cakes or cookies. After starting my business in the beginning, I did a lot of research on recipes and my competitors. My recipes are 100% home made, completely from scratch. I use the freshest ingredients, some being organic, and no shortening or premixed crap. I never knew the going rate for cakes at a small business rate, and to be honest the old me, would’ve never spent the kind of money I charge for cakes or cookies. But after putting in the time into the skills ive learned, that don’t come natural to most, my time and skill set deserves more, I am an artist and I refuse to make less than I deserve.
Since I could work. ive always worked in restaurants as a server or bartender, so being in the food and customer service industry has always come natural to me. Ive never had the luxury to not work, and have been on my own since I was 18 years old with no help from anyone. I don’t have a partner to help financially, or family to rely on, its always been just me. Even before I was at the legal age, I always did everything for myself and was left alone most days, my family was always struggling and a hot mess and still are to this day. That being said, survival as a woman has always been a struggle, and ive always had to work full time if not more to provide for myself. Either work two jobs or work and go to school.
Being a business owner, is a great feeling, but it definitely comes with struggles, but nothing I can’t handle. There are so many expenses and responsibilities, and at the end of the day you can’t rely on anyone else. You can’t call out sick or take the day off because youre tired, you just keep going. Most don’t have what it takes. There are days youre completely exhausted and pray to god to get you through, and you might cry it out but you keep going. There are weeks I pull 80 hours, or pull all nighters but by the grace of god I get through. Everyone praises me, but I wish they could see what I actually do on the day to day basis to keep my business or self going. If anything ive learned from this business, anything worth having, isn’t easy but the journey is worth it all. My business is a way to show everyone that im able, that im worth more than the family or life I was brought into. This business has given me the confidence ive never had, and knowing where ive come from shows me I can do anything, anything I set my mind to. If there’s anything I want you all to know, is no one wants this more than me. No one puts as much love or work behind what I do, its not just money to pay the bills… its a dream, ive been fighting for my whole life.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Im in the Gainesville/North GA area, so anytime I have someone visit, I alway take them through the north Ga mountains. I am a mountain gal through and through so hitting the lake, hiking trails, little downtown squares, or breweries/ wineries. Im not much of a city gal but I do go to the city for concerts or sporting events on occasion. If my bestie came into town. we’d definitely spend the day on the lake kayaking or SUPing, and then hit NoFo Brew Co for some refreshing drinks with their daily food truck. Theres nothing better than spending the day on Lake Lanier with your friends and some sunshine. Id definitely hit up my favorite hiking trail, panther creek falls, its about 7 miles long, and has a little river along the whole trail which is great for my two dogs who I always bring along. Yonah Mountain, Ravin Cliffs or Dukes Creek Falls are excellent hikes as well. Horseback riding, is another thing I do regularly in North GA, the views are spectacular, and never disappoints. I feel like its a great experience overall for any visiter. Blue Ridge, Dahlonega, Gainesville, Clayton, Cleveland: the views are spectacular and the restaurants around are amazing. You really can’t go wrong with any of them, just depends on what your craving. As long as we hit Kilwins for ice cream afterwards, im a happy gal. With my business catering to a lot of weddings on North GA area, ive gotten to know the area really well, with many wineries, Limoges Cellars, Kaya Vineyards, Cavendar Creek, Wolf Mountain and so may more with excellent wine selections. Depending if they’re a little adventurous, we would definitely have to go ziplining, there are a few good spots in North GA, which is always to exciting. There are a lot of great parks in the area to, that are always nice to visit and trail around. Im also the type to eat Mexican on the regular, and enjoy a few margaritas so we’d definitely hit La Parrilla or Senior Fiesta.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are a lot of people who have played a role in my life to get me where I am, but I truly believe everything in life has taken me where I need to be, put me through what I needed to go through to get to where I am today. Every job, friendship, relationship, and experience has played a role somehow, someway. When I was 21 years old, I was a restaurant manager for a while and my boss Albert told me I was going to do great things. This man always felt like a father figure to me, and I knew id always be able to count on him, and to this day still go to him for advice. Several years later, I started working at a steakhouse in Buford, GA and that became my home, they feel like family, especially the owners. I still work there part time, but that was what groomed me, prepared me for where I am now. I have wore many hats there, but after a couple of years of serving and bartending, a night where the kitchen staff was slim they asked if I could go back to the kitchen and expo for the night, which turned into a year and a half, also subbing in for the pastry chef for a vacation. I learned how to use commercial equipment and bake in mass, and that truly showed me the ropes. During that time I had already started my business, but it was just a side hustle. After my time in the kitchen I decided to go back to serving and focus more on my business. After several months of that, I came across an instagram account that knew someone who had a massive kitchen and wanted help renting, so I met with the company and here I am. Im truly thankful this opportunity fell into my lap, this company has helped me greatly with equipment needed, and what standards to have. Ultimately, God had been the one to provide for me. Every time I need something, I pray for it, and he follows through. It has made me rely on him for everything and trust that ill make it through the hardest of times. I also wanted to dedicate myself, with where I come from, the family I was born into put me through hell and because of them I refuse to give up on what I deserve.

Website: www.bakedandcakedllc.net

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Image Credits
Fenton Photo Morgan Hayes Photo Tiffany Holmes Photo Rivet Events Photo