Meet Kaelin Durrah | Baker

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

Hi Kaelin, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
Starting my own business at such a young age has made a huge impact on life. Therefore it has made it a little more difficult to balance everything else in my life. The older I become, the more challenging it is to balance everything. There has been times when I just wanted to give up, disappear and forget about everything. But to reflect on how far I’ve come and the support system I have, has encouraged me to keep going. Starting my own business I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, in spite of the fact that I may not have understood that when I first started as much as I do at this present time. In my point of view starting my own business has added more maturity to my life. I’m only 16, therefore I have sports I have to give my time and energy to, I also still want to have my share of fun and be with my friends. I’m learning that I have to come to an understanding that I cannot say yes every time. No one will make me feel ashamed of my “no” when it comes to my business and making the right decisions. When it comes to thinking about the balance especially when some weeks are busier than others, I plan and write down everything I need to complete each day for that week. I focus on completing what needs to be done on that day and not stressing over the fact I have to have everything done by the end of that week, while balancing everything else in my life. In the end, I don’t regret any decisions I’ve made, those decisions are the reasons I am where I am today as I’m still learning and growing everyday.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I like to add my own style in everything I create. That’s what sets me apart from others. I’m most proud of how far I’ve come from when I first started my business. When I look back on past photos and the work I’m doing now, I see lots of improvement. This makes me most excited to see what my future self brings to my business. Through trials and errors, prayers and patience, I got where I am today. I’ve had my moments where I’ve struggled and had hard times, but at the end of the day, I really love what I do! I understand that I will make mistakes, so I see what I can do differently the next time so I won’t make those same mistakes. Along the way I’ve learned how to be more patient and practice makes improvement not perfect.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Downtown is definitely one of m y favorite spots and is a place I’d take someone that’s visiting. There’s so much to do and they’re always building something new. There is electric scooters all around downtown that is so fun to ride around on. Another famous spot downtown is the riverfront. Its a nice place to relax and chill while enjoying the view of the water. Little Caesars arena is another hot spot. Lots of concerts happen here and the Detroit Pistons play there too. I really enjoy eating sushi, there are lots of sushi restaurants that have great sushi. We’re also known for our National Coney Island which is a fast food place that stays open for 24 hours. They are known for their Coney dogs and fries. In my view these are some of the most interesting places here in Detroit, though there are many more that you most likely wouldn’t be able to visit within a week.

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?
I’d like to give a big shoutout to family. They are my biggest supporters, I don’t know where I’d be without their support. My parents, grandparents, Uncle John, Auntie Nor, Auntie Toni, Uncle Will the list can really go on and on. But my biggest shoutout goes to my mom. She more than my mom, she’s my bestfriend too. She gives me the best advice. I can go to her for anything and she never brings me down or make me feel ashamed. I’m so blessed to have the mother I have. If it wasn’t for her I don’t know where I’d be. I love you mom!

Website: https://www.bakeologymix.com/

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Image Credits
Perelli Vision Marco Antonio Photography