Meet Erica Harris | Baker

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

Hi Erica, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I never envisioned being a baker. It was something I did for fun. God really just sat this in my lap and I’ve had a really good experience in these two years of being in business. It started when I decided to make cupcakes for my daughter’s 3rd birthday and got quite a few requests to bake cupcakes afterwards. A few months later my siblings and I threw my parents a surprise birthday party. I made two cakes and everyone kept asking where we bought them from. Things just took off from there. I started getting so many requests, my husband and family encouraged me to start turning a profit.

What should our readers know about your business?
Pat-E-Cake Bakery provides sweet treats for any type of event. Custom cakes, cupcakes, and other sweet treats are our specialty. Outside of being a baker, I am a wife, mother of 5, and a 2nd grade teacher. My plate is super full. What I am most proud of, is that I have something that God gave to me. It’s mine. I got to this point in business simply because of the support of friends and family. Through word of mouth I’ve been able to build a good customer base. It has not been easy at all. The challenge for me has been being able to juggle all of my responsibilities and continue on this journey. Along the way, I’ve learned that I CAN. We put so many limits on ourselves based on how we feel and what we think we can do or what we are comfortable with. Using my faith and taking this step has shown me that the only limit is me. What I want the world to know about my story is that anything is possible. Before I started this business, I had 3 children and one more on the way. I didn’t think I would have the time or energy to ever do anything like this. But I’m doing it. Yes, it’s a sacrifice. It’s a lot of late nights and early mornings but I’m doing it and I love it.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
With 5 children, my social life has taken a hit, so I’m not very well versed in the best places to be in the city. Atlanta has changed a whole since I became a mom but I love going places with good live music and good food. I would also make plans to go places with things to do like The Interlock or Skyline Park at Ponce City Market. The Battery is also a great place to go.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
All glory belongs to God for giving me this gift and giving me a vision for a business I didn’t even know I wanted. The joy and fulfillment I get from this business is indescribable. I want to give a HUGE shoutout to my husband. A lot of the late nights and early mornings he’s there encouraging me, reminding me that I can succeed at anything I out my hands on. He’s always supported me in any dream and I appreciate him more than I can explain. My family has also played a huge part in supporting me, especially my sister. She is also an entrepreneur and she keeps me on my toes. She is my BIGGEST critic but one of my biggest supporters. Lastly, I want to shout out anyone who has supported my business. Without them, there is no Pat-E-Cake.

Website: Www.patecake.com

Instagram: @patecakebakery

Image Credits
Kevin Davidson