Inspirational Corner featuring Joanna Sanchez, Exquisite Baking

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by Joanna Sanchez of Exquisite Baking

Last month I started this inspirational corner featuring Inspirers (yes I made that word up) 🙂 and it was a huge hit.  Who doesn’t love a good inspirational story that gives you insight into how others are following their passion? This month’s inspirer is Joanna Sanchez, a creative artsy baker, who runs Exquisite Baking, as her side boo (side job) 🙂 She loves it so and is super talented at it.  I asked Joanna to share with us how she followed her heart into this totally unexpected business that she is enjoying and succeeding in. If you are in New Jersey or Tri State Area, I highly recommend you check her out for your next baking needs.  From Cupcakes to Fondant Cakes, the possibilities are endless in her imagination and bringing  your cake wish to reality.  Read below and make sure to check out her Facebook Page for more pics and info.

1.  You are following a passion of yours, that is separate from your career.  Tell us what your passion is and why? 

My passion is baking cupcakes/cakes. I feel it relaxes me. I am at my calmest place and I can go on forever decorating. It’s an edible art that is just on going. You can go on and on with your imagination. I can do it at my own pace, which is why I love it so much. No one tells me when to start or stresses me out on how to do it. I ultimately can create and imagine what I want for these delicious sweets. And the satisfaction of seeing people’s faces when they receive it is all worth the hard work. Hearing them rave about how wonderful it looks and how exquisite it tastes makes me smile inside and out. Brings joy to me when I know I am the reason for all those comments. It’s a very fulfilling feeling.

As time goes on I feel I learn something different every time which I love because I am easily bored with repetitive things. Baking is not as repetitive as you may think it is. While a recipe may have its main ingredients such as flour, baking powder/baking soda, eggs sometimes milk or oil there’s also always a pinch of this or a dash of that. What I find so interesting is that it is nothing like cooking. I would rather bake then cook ha ha. Why? Because it’s a bigger challenge. You see with cooking, if you mess up with extra salt or an additional ingredient you can always cover it with some other ingredient or other food. But with baking if you add more than what you are supposed to, such as adding a tablespoon instead of a teaspoon, well there goes your first batch of ingredients all in the trash because you have to start all over again. Baking is about precision. And although it may sound like I’m crazy that’s what I love about it. I am a perfectionist when it comes to most things. I need everything to be a certain way and that is kind of how baking works. So I met my match.  I never knew I could have this feeling. I found it when I was older but its better late than never.

2. How did you start the journey on the path to your passion? 

 It all started when my son, Jayden, started going to school, which was 3 years ago. I used to have a passion for dancing and teaching but it took up a lot of my time and dedication. So I had to give it up for something I knew would be just as fulfilling. Baking was something I could do at home. At first, I said I wanted to just bring cupcakes to his school when they had different events. I wanted to be that mom that made them and not buy them from a bakery. Not that there is anything wrong with that but I wanted it to be more personal. That is just how I am. I like to create things and share them. As time went on I decided to share with family and friends. People would ask me to bring cupcakes to gatherings and events. And suddenly people wanted to order for their friends and family. The first two years, I was all about cupcakes then I decided to move on to cakes. This is where I brought more to the table because I had more space to work with. My imagination and creativity just grew even more.

 3. What advice do you have for our readers on going after a goal of theirs?  

Just go for it. It’s better to try then to not try at all. You don’t want to live with what if’s or should haves. It may be scary at first and people will probably say negative things but don’t let that stop you.  I have learned that negative people are just unhappy so why should you let them ruin something you want to do. You may fail and think I’m done but that is when you push yourself even harder. Things that come easy are not worth as much as those that you struggle for. You appreciate those things even more. Every goal has its path to make you a better person inside and out. It will teach you things that you never thought you could do.

4.  What is your favorite quote or piece of advice and why? 

My favorite quote is, “If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done before.” ―Thomas Jefferson

To me, this quote means, if you don’t try, how will you know what you can do. It may seem hard at first and you may mess up but that’s what you have to do in order to improve. Like the saying goes, practice makes better. I have done so many things thinking I knew what I was doing and came out doing something totally different but I was able to correct it and it came out even better than expected. You will surprise yourself, so why not try. Not only does your self-esteem go up but you will amaze others and most of all yourself. Sometimes you have to push yourself and most importantly do not compare yourself to others. Remember not everyone will be the same. Everyone has their own technique and creativity. If we all thought the same I don’t think there would be much to look at in the world. It’s the imagination that people have that draws our attention. The people you may admire may look at you and admire your work.

5.  Where does your inspiration come from and when you need a big dose of it, what do you do? 

As a young girl I always loved art. Drawing was my therapy. When I would get upset/angry I would simply draw and let my frustration out on paper. Those were the best drawings ever. Then in high school I started writing poetry. Another form of art, expressing your feelings on paper. After that I learned how to dance Salsa which not only was a way of expressing your emotion through dancing but it was a stress reliever. And finally there is baking, an edible art. Not only can it look good but you can also eat it. The two things I love, food and art. Putting two in one was just a bonus. But the true inspiration was my son. When he started school that’s when I started baking, thinking it would only be a hobby and once in a blue occasion. But I found it to be my new passion. I ask my son for input because kids tend to look at things differently than adults. He even teaches me some things without knowing. His perspective motivates me to improve. So my big dose of inspiration would be him. Seeing his face knowing that his mom made those cupcakes/cakes makes my day. He is proud to say his mom knows how to bake and makes them look pretty and tasty.

 

Thanks to Joanna for sharing her story with us.  Remember to follow her and get more information on services at her Facebook page: 

Exquisite Baking by Jo