When I was preparing to open Crushcakes I heard a story about another local baker that shot a bit of fear into me. It made such an impression that it continues to linger in my brain from time to time. This woman had been baking here in Santa Barbara for a very long time. She had a fabulous reputation and amazing shop. After several years she gave it all up and sold her business. Got out completely. Here’s why, she started to hate it. All of it. The people, the baking, the business, but most of all, the holidays and events. I heard that she loathes it all so completely that she refuses to celebrate events in her own life, I’m talking birthdays, weddings, Christmas, everything.
So I just returned from LA where I was baking cupcakes for the biggest event I have yet encountered, and I have done some big ones. We are talking larger then SB Film Festival, Fiesta and every wedding combined. After doing the baking thing for several years now, I went into this fearing it might be the tipping point that sucks me dry. It could take every bit of passion I have for what I do and make me want to run back to the safety and sanity of life in a cubical. Could steal away my love for celebrating with those closest to me and their most special days in life. Forever hating those precious moments of watching my children rip open holiday packages or searching for candy eggs in warm grassy fields. Losing my drive for demanding more from myself and simply settling for the emptiness of the corporate world and working for The Man.
Instead I returned to Crushcakes feeling the exact opposite. A complete 180 from everything I dreaded. I am pumped! I am ready to kick ass and prove that we are the best! I am even more committed to the cupcake and all that we can do here. There are millions of possibilities in front of me and I will be bold enough to reach for them all. I will never stop dreaming of new and exciting cupcake flavors. I will never cease creating ways we can do things better then any competitor that may rear its frosted top. The cupcake tattoo on my wrist says it all, I am in this for life baby!
peace.love.food.
SN
Haters, what is your deal? I have received the most random and down right nasty comments lately. And not about my cupcakes or cafe menu items, but about me personally. One fool tells me in a blog comment that I’ll never be able to lose 5 pounds so I might as well keep eating bacon. And you are??? I’m not quite sure how you know that I like delicious smoked meat or if that last bit of unwanted weight will come off, but seriously? Maybe this genius is making a general assumption because I work in a place surrounded by tasty treats, still rude nonetheless. Another comment came in, this time remarking on a picture of me and my hair and that it might scare customers away. I’m baffled as to how long brown curly hair will scare anyone away, so I can only assume that this one is either blind or has an aversion to beauty (haha).
I much prefer the lovers of late. Those of you who have been filling my ears, my in-boxes and my heart with happiness. The other day I went to the gym (yes, still working on those last few pounds you stinker) and was dismayed to find out that my favorite spin class was completely full. On a whim, I ran into the class and shouted, “Ok girls, every bike is taken, but I am here to offer a box of cupcakes to anyone who wants to give up their seat!” I did not think this tactic would work, but it was worth a try. My time is limited and this class is that good. To my surprise, 2 girls began fighting over who could give up their seat first. After the victor left, the buzz began about what had just happened. “Wait, we didn’t realize what you were offering, these were Crushcakes you were offering??? Free Crushcakes? OMG, those are the best!!!” Comments broke out all over the room, “I didn’t know she owned Crushcakes, I love Crushcakes!” “Me too!” ”I had them at my kids birthday and they were so good!” “I had them at my friends baby shower and they made little jungle animals all over them! They were so cute!” ”My friends are having them at their wedding, I can’t wait!”
This is what I love hearing. This is what drives me, motivates me to do what we do here every day. Fills me with joy and makes me want to hand out free cupcakes to all…And the haters, well it is my thought that they must have so much negative energy in their lives that the only way they can survive is by passing some of it on to all of us. Spreading their foul, evil thoughts wherever they go. And it’s too bad for them, as they are the ones who have to continue to live with themselves. We get to move on, far away from them, only having to endure their offensive personalities for a brief time.
So I let it roll. I try to be the pusher of positive thinking. Pleasing those of you who continue to keep Crushcakes & Cafe in business. Spreading the love day after day. Thank you, I appreciate it more then you know.
peace.love.food.
SN
Thank you to those who encouraged me to lose those last 5 pounds! I did it, fit into the size 4 dress!!! Whoo hoo! But here is the big question, can I keep it off while surrounded by delicious cupcakes every single day???
Check out this pic The Saint took of me while we were in Vegas…too bad you can’t see the whole dress, not too bad looking if I do say.
SN
“Is Shannon here? I need to talk to her. Its urgent.” I hear this each and every day, sometimes 3, 4, 5 times a day. It can be exhausting.
When we first opened and this would happen, my staff member would come running, “Shannon, there is someone here up front who needs to talk to you. They say its urgent!” Or stand over me, lurking, as I try to have a conversation with a customer, phone in their hand, panicked look on their face, “There is someone on the phone, they need to talk to you nnnnooowwww!”
Who is it that always needs to talk to me and never has the patience to wait 5 minutes? Sometimes its a person who is looking for a donation for their kid’s school or a bank who wants me to change my credit card machine or some other company who thinks I am crazy for not using the service they are pedaling. But most times, it is someone selling advertising. I used to be very courteous and actually listen to their spiel, but not anymore. I have developed the supreme knack of just saying no. ” I do not do any advertising. Not right now. No thank you.” Then I hang up or simply walk away. The person will usually become flustered and try to explain all the reasons I need to be in their magazine, coupon clipper or map of Santa Barbara. But I just keep repeating the same thing, ”No thank you.”
Yesterday someone came in from a local magazine, one that I think is reputable and worth reading but I do not want to pay $1500 for an editorial. Call me crazy. He couldn’t seem to wrap his head around the idea that I was not interested. “But you could have beautiful pictures in here, look at this spread! Its gorgeous! This could be you and your business in my magazine!” Yes, for $1500. I told him that Sunset Magazine just did a whole article about us, and get this, for free! Just because they think our business is cool and interesting. Meanwhile, our cafe had a line out the door and we were selling out of cupcakes right in front of his eyes. “I really don’t think I will be needing your $1500 editorial right now. No thank you.” He left, defeated. His hopes dashed away as customers tried to rush in past him.
A week or so ago I had a woman show up here from a local marketing company. She told my employee that we actually had an appointment and I was late. Freaked her out so much she made my employee call me on my cell to have me rush back from the bank to make it back here for our appointment. I arrive, frazzled, trying to think who I had an appointment with. Was not surprised to discover that the appointment was only on her calender, not mine. But she insisted that we had spoke and I was excited about meeting with her and hearing her brilliant marketing ideas. Her fabulous and original ideas included setting up a company facebook and twitter account. All for a low fee of $75 per hour.
“Uuummm yeah, I already have both a crushcakes facebook and twitter account.”
“Maybe you have one, but I want to set one up for your business. That way your fans can talk to you and you can advertsie specials to them. And you can put pictures of your food and cupcakes up on it. Your friend base will grow so fast, you will hardly be able to keep up!” Again, speaking about all of the advertising I must need as the cafe began filling up around her. Some may have even been discussing the soup of the day that I had posted on facebook that morning.
“I have a crushcakes facebook. It has pictures of my cupcakes all over it. I post my daily specials for cupcakes and our cafe every single day. I have been doing it for months.” Maybe if you had done a little research before you came in here, you would not be wasting your time and mine.
“Who set it up for you?”
“I did.” And I am no technical genius, I assure you. So if I can do it, so can anyone, know what I’m saying?
“And it is not a personal facebook?”
“No, check it out for yourself, go to crushcakes.com, then sign up to be my friend on facebook right online.” You must think I am a complete idiot. “And we did not have an appointment today, so I will be going back to work now. Have a good day.” And don’t let the door hit you on your way out…
Yesterday this guy, very thick accent, must have called here 3 or 4 times within an hour. He insisted that he talk to me and tried to get my cell phone number from my employee. Luckily she resisted. When I returned his call, it was only to tell him to stop harassing me and my staff and to never call here again. “But I am offering free money”, he said, “don’t you want free money?” Is that like the money that grows on trees I had always hoped for as a kid???
“No thank you!” Sometimes I say it so often it is coming out of my mouth before the person even has a chance to speak. “Wait, dont you even want to hear what I am offering? It’s perfect for your business!”
No thank you!
peace.love.food.
SN