Note from Rachel - I've known Lauren and Emira via email/the internet since way back in the days of their site Soapboxgirls, and was thrilled to see they'd written The Boss of You. I've read about half of it so far (not because it's not good, I'm just busy!) and have found it applicable to my life in various ways. I wanted to interview them because of course this blog is about the joy of cupcakes, but it's also about cupcake bakeries and businesses. We often get emails asking us for advice on starting a bakery, which is something we can't advise people about (sorry!).
I also think it's relevant that, by my estimate, at least 75% of the bakeries we list on this blog, which number over 100, are owned and operated by women. That's not to say women-run bakeries are in some way better than male-run ones, just an observation that the cupcake world, from cupcake blogging to baking to selling to cupcake meetups, is largely a female one. Hence, I thought Lauren and Emira would have some good advice for those looking to go into the cupcake baking business, and/or those who are already in it. Read on...
Name: Lauren Bacon & Emira Mears
Age: 36 and 32, respectively
Location: Vancouver, BC
Occupation: Co-owners of Raised Eyebrow Web Studio, Inc. and co-authors of
The Boss of You: Everything a Woman Needs to Know to Start, Run, and Maintain Her Own Business
URL: http://laurenandemira.com
How did you come to write
The Boss of You? You'd already been in business for a long time when you wrote the book; what are the biggest things you learned in the process?
Emira: We actually first began the process of writing the book quite early in the life of our business, but as is typical for entrepreneurs, we quickly became way too busy to actually write the book. It wasn't until we hired our first employee that we were able to carve out the time to sit down and write it. The motivation behind writing The Boss of You was pretty simple: we hadn't found a book that spoke to the kind of business we wanted to start up when we were in the early stages of our business and felt pretty strongly that we weren't the only ones interested in starting and maintaining a smaller business. What we really found was missing in books we came across was a sense of defining success on your own terms -- most business books assume you're aiming for rapid and massive growth, which really wasn't our bag.
What is the main thesis of The Boss of You?
Lauren: It's a soup-to-nuts how-to guide for aspiring and established entrepreneurs on how to create a small, sustainable business that reflects your personal definition of success. We walk you through everything from the initial creative brainstorming -- What are you selling? Who are you selling it to? What does "wildly successful" really look like for you? -- to the nitty-gritty of budgeting, marketing, networking, and so on. But I think what really sets it apart from the other books on the store shelves is that we have a lot of fun along the way; readers tell us it feels a lot like having cocktails with a couple of friends who have been there and want to share their hard-won lessons.
Why did you target your book toward women? Are there major mistakes women business owners make that men don't tend to?
Emira: We targeted the business toward women for two reasons: first off, we're women and feminists who are very passionate about women exploring and succeeding in the business world; second, while most of the business books out there aren't openly gendered, we have found that most of them assume a model that many of the women we know aren't particularly comfortable with. While there aren't mistakes in business that only women make -- mistakes are pretty equal-opportunity -- women do tend to be more risk-averse, and more interested in incremental and sustainable growth. And, if we can be totally crass, have you visited the business book section lately? While it's certainly not exclusively a boys' club, it's pretty staggering just how many business books feature middle-aged white guys in suits on the cover, and we're pretty keen to help bring some balance to that landscape.
Lauren: Yep, all of the above, and also because we wanted to celebrate the truly cool and progressive business models we see women creating everywhere we look. We believe women are building some of the most creative businesses around, and we wanted to showcase some of them because they aren't being talked about in the high-finance news. We made a point of including eighteen other women-owned businesses in the book so it wasn't just coming from our own personal experiences and perspectives.
For our readers who are looking to start a bakery, or have already done so, are there special factors they should consider? What are the first steps they should take in researching their idea?
Emira: There are three big business considerations that jump out when thinking about opening up a bakery (or any food-related business). First off, it's important to understand the rules and costs of health permits and food safety rules in your city/state/district. Second, take the time to figure out food costs, including spoilage/waste costs. We have a sample budget in our book for a product-based business (the example is a bag-making business) that could work as a starting point, but you need to take into account wasted food that doesn't sell, or for some reason doesn't make it from the mixing bowl into perfect cupcakes; you'll also want to investigate economies of scale where you can get price breaks for ordering in larger quantities, and balance that with how much capital you can invest in basic ingredients. Our budget also accounts for labor and overhead costs that go into producing a product, which must be taken into account if you want to be able to pay all your bills and earn a living wage. Finally, when running something like a bakery you're likely going to need some help/staff pretty early on if you don't want to burn out. Between the basics of baking and running the till, you'll be run off your feet pretty quickly, not to mention all the paper work and administration of running a business. So planning in your budget for some staff costs early on would be very important.
Are there any specific personality types that are best suited to running their own business? Would you recommend partnering with someone so your strengths complement each other, as you have done?
Emira: As business partners whose lives are about as enmeshed as they can be without actually being in a relationship together (after all, we run a business, wrote a book together and are best friends), we're big fan of business partners. That said, they certainly aren't a do-or-die proposition when it comes to running your own business, and sometimes you can get the extra help that a business partner might bring you through staff, contractors, and/or professional advisers.
Say for example you're really not the numbers type (you're more of an ideas gal), then you can look at finding a business partner who is, or simply budget for lots of extra help and advice from a bookkeeper/accountant. Having interviewed a lot of different women about running businesses, we wouldn't say that they all share some magic quality, but you certainly need to have a healthy dose of self-confidence when it comes to your abilities and promoting yourself; you need to be very self-motivated and self-disciplined; and while it may sound cheesy, it really does help if you love what you do. In the early years of running your own show you're likely to spend an awful lot of time at work or thinking about work (and it's entirely possible this will continue throughout the life of your business), so it really helps if you're passionate about your business.
Lauren: I think to some extent the common thread among entrepreneurs is a deep-seated desire to do things our own way. That's not to say that we're all bossy and super-assertive, but even the quiet ones have a definite vision of how things ought to be that drives them forward and keeps them motivated. So if you're going to partner up with someone else, be absolutely sure that you share the same vision -- if you're on the same page as to where you're going, you'll do just fine, and differences in personality and aptitudes are to be expected -- but if you've got really different priorities and values, or if you don't communicate really well, you can run into serious trouble.
One issue that's come up on this blog numerous time is trademark and copyright issues around bakery names and designs. How does one go about making sure their idea isn't already trademarked?
Lauren: The short answer is, visit the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) website -- click on "Trademarks" and then "Search TM database". Type in your prospective business name, and/or any distinguishing features of your logo or packaging, and you'll get a good idea of what's out there that's already been trademarked. From there you can file your own trademarks online.
If you want to ensure your trademark is bulletproof, though, you'll want a lawyer with expertise in intellectual property. Although we're diehard do-it-yourself-ers, there's really no substitute for a good lawyer in this particular instance.
And lest we neglect our countrywomen: Canadians can go to the Canadian Intellectual Property Office at www.cipo.gc.ca.
There are numerous custom bakeries popping up around the country, with many of these bakers working out of their home kitchen. How can people keep up to date on the laws in their state regarding running a home kitchen?
Lauren: Most states (and Canadian provinces) have state-funded programs aimed specifically at small business owners, and that's where I would recommend you start your research. They should be able to provide you with up-to-date regulations, as well as information on any mailing lists you should get yourself on in order to stay apprised of changes. The other thing every small-scale entrepreneur needs is to make some friends with similar (but non-competing) businesses. You'll get far by pooling your resources with the vendors at your local farmer's market!
Are there any cupcake or other bakery owners you'd hold up as a "Boss Lady We Love" and why?
Emira: While we don't know any personally, we became instant fans of Babycakes in New York when we were there. As women with some food, well, let's just call them "issues" (Emira is a vegetarian and Lauren is allergic to eggs and dairy), we loved being in a place where we could pick and choose from absolutely everything on offer -- but we also really loved the feeling of the space. (It really felt like a work of love, and not just a carefully crafted formula for success.) We were also particularly smitten with the retro sign on the wall that reads, "We can't please everyone, but we try." For a bakery that goes so over the top to make delicious, healthy and allergy/food-sensitivity-aware products, it's pretty awesome that they'll also admit to still not being able to be all things to all people. Too often small businesses -- especially when their owners are passionate about what they do -- fall into the trap of trying to please everyone, and it isn't always the smartest approach; that's a good lesson for business owners to remember.
What's the one key takeaway piece of advice our readers should know about running their own business?
Lauren: When you're the one running the show, it's entirely up to you how you want to define success. It might be going home at 5:00 every night after years of working overtime in a demanding career; it might be doing something that makes you happy, with customers you really like; it might be giving keynote speeches at major conferences, or you might be content being part of a thriving local economy and giving back to your community. The business you build should reflect your own vision, not someone else's, and if you do that it won't be a chore to go to work. (At least not most days...)
And now for some personal questions…
How often do you eat cupcakes?
Emira: Not as often as we'd like to! With Lauren's aforementioned food allergies, cupcakes often have to be made with love and not store bought in our town. We're both pretty fond of the Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World book, though, and Emira has a very gorgeous red KitchenAid stand mixer that makes making cupcakes almost a bit too easy.
What's the best thing about eating cupcakes?
Emira: Is there anything bad about eating cupcakes? My favourite part of eating cupcakes is playing with awesome flavour combining. Lauren made me these simply gorgeous lemon blueberry cupcakes (from the Vegan Cupcakes Take Over... book) for my birthday last year and they were positively amazing. On a purely mechanical level the best thing about making cupcakes is definitely the icing, for me anyway.
Lauren: Yep, agreed re: the icing. I bought proper frosting supplies to make those birthday cupcakes for Emira and have never looked back! I love all the little piping attachments.
What's your favorite type of cupcake?
Emira: I'm going to vote for those Lemon Blueberry ones, or failing that a nice vanilla with buttercream is pretty darn delicious.
Lauren: I need some bitter in with my sweet, so I love lemon/lime-infused cupcakes and dark chocolate ones. I also have a soft spot for anything peanut-butter flavoured (although Emira's sweetie is deathly allergic to peanuts, so I don't tend to bake with them very often). And those rhubarb cupcakes on your blog right now look divine. Loooove rhubarb.
How do cupcakes compare/contrast to other baked goods for you?
Emira: I'm a pretty big fan of all baked goods. Honestly, my absolute favourite is pie, but cupcakes are probably right behind that. They also seem way more like party food, whereas pie is a "snuggle on the couch" kind of a dessert.
Lauren: My mom bakes a killer pie, so yeah, I'm with Emira on the pie front; it's the truest form of comfort food to me. I love baking pies, too. But cake was actually the first recipe I ever learned to make -- it's so simple, and I'm still amazed when I bake cake or cupcakes from scratch and someone acts like it's a huge deal.
To me, the best thing about cupcakes is their self-sufficiency. No need for plates, forks, or the whole "Just a teeeeensy slice for me, thanks" dance -- just pass the cupcakes around and everyone feels like they got something special.
Is there any innovation you'd like to see made to the cupcake that would improve it for you?
Emira: More vegan cupcakes available in our town (Vancouver) would definitely up our cupcake quota.
Lauren: Hmmm, I don't think so. But I'm only just beginning to explore the filled-cupcake genre, and it seems very promising (and still feels like an innovation to me). So I'll vote for more filled cupcakes.
Do you bake your own cupcakes? Or (even better) have someone who bakes them for you?
Lauren: Oh yes, we both bake 'em. (See above.)
What's your first cupcake-related memory?
Emira: Actually, this is pretty awesome. At my (now divorced) Aunt and Uncle's wedding when I was about 6 years old, I was the flower girl and my cousin was the ring bearer. We were generally fairly bored for most of the night until the dessert came out. My grandma, who is a master baker, had made these chocolate cupcakes as one of the desserts for the evening. They were a standard chocolate cupcake with chocolate buttercream icing piped on, but the kicker was that they were upside down with the entire sides and top covered in buttercream rosettes. There was something about turning the cupcake on its head and then adding extra icing that knocked the socks off my cousin and I and we could not get enough of them. Most of what I remember from that night (aside from getting to wear my brand new Smurfette Underoos for the first time) is going back to the buffet table over and over to sneak more cupcakes.
What's the most fun you've ever had with a cupcake?
Emira: I'm going to have to vote for that night at the wedding. Though we also had a pretty awesome night in New York recently taking taxis from Chelsea to the Lower East Side to collect different types of cupcakes to bring back for our staff in these super awesome cupcake carriers we got at Babycakes.
Lauren: Oh yeah, that was fun! You see, we had someone on staff with a gluten allergy at the time, and she rarely gets to enjoy treats that she doesn't make for herself. (Gluten's a tough thing to avoid.) So when we visited Babycakes and saw that they sold "cupcake carriers" -- little hard-plastic cases that hold a cupcake upright and safe for travel -- we knew we had to bring her back a delicious gluten-free cupcake in its own carrier. We also picked up spare carriers for our other two employees, and packed up some "regular" cupcakes we picked up elsewhere (can't remember the name of the place, but it was on 9th Avenue across the street from Blossom Cafe) for them. We were trying to make sure they'd be as fresh as possible, so we were racing around Manhattan the night before our flight back to Vancouver...Kind of a miniature Amazing Race, but with cupcakes. :)
I also think it's relevant that, by my estimate, at least 75% of the bakeries we list on this blog, which number over 100, are owned and operated by women. That's not to say women-run bakeries are in some way better than male-run ones, just an observation that the cupcake world, from cupcake blogging to baking to selling to cupcake meetups, is largely a female one. Hence, I thought Lauren and Emira would have some good advice for those looking to go into the cupcake baking business, and/or those who are already in it. Read on...
Name: Lauren Bacon & Emira Mears
Age: 36 and 32, respectively
Location: Vancouver, BC
Occupation: Co-owners of Raised Eyebrow Web Studio, Inc. and co-authors of
The Boss of You: Everything a Woman Needs to Know to Start, Run, and Maintain Her Own Business
URL: http://laurenandemira.com
How did you come to write
The Boss of You? You'd already been in business for a long time when you wrote the book; what are the biggest things you learned in the process?
Emira: We actually first began the process of writing the book quite early in the life of our business, but as is typical for entrepreneurs, we quickly became way too busy to actually write the book. It wasn't until we hired our first employee that we were able to carve out the time to sit down and write it. The motivation behind writing The Boss of You was pretty simple: we hadn't found a book that spoke to the kind of business we wanted to start up when we were in the early stages of our business and felt pretty strongly that we weren't the only ones interested in starting and maintaining a smaller business. What we really found was missing in books we came across was a sense of defining success on your own terms -- most business books assume you're aiming for rapid and massive growth, which really wasn't our bag.
What is the main thesis of The Boss of You?
Lauren: It's a soup-to-nuts how-to guide for aspiring and established entrepreneurs on how to create a small, sustainable business that reflects your personal definition of success. We walk you through everything from the initial creative brainstorming -- What are you selling? Who are you selling it to? What does "wildly successful" really look like for you? -- to the nitty-gritty of budgeting, marketing, networking, and so on. But I think what really sets it apart from the other books on the store shelves is that we have a lot of fun along the way; readers tell us it feels a lot like having cocktails with a couple of friends who have been there and want to share their hard-won lessons.
Why did you target your book toward women? Are there major mistakes women business owners make that men don't tend to?
Emira: We targeted the business toward women for two reasons: first off, we're women and feminists who are very passionate about women exploring and succeeding in the business world; second, while most of the business books out there aren't openly gendered, we have found that most of them assume a model that many of the women we know aren't particularly comfortable with. While there aren't mistakes in business that only women make -- mistakes are pretty equal-opportunity -- women do tend to be more risk-averse, and more interested in incremental and sustainable growth. And, if we can be totally crass, have you visited the business book section lately? While it's certainly not exclusively a boys' club, it's pretty staggering just how many business books feature middle-aged white guys in suits on the cover, and we're pretty keen to help bring some balance to that landscape.
Lauren: Yep, all of the above, and also because we wanted to celebrate the truly cool and progressive business models we see women creating everywhere we look. We believe women are building some of the most creative businesses around, and we wanted to showcase some of them because they aren't being talked about in the high-finance news. We made a point of including eighteen other women-owned businesses in the book so it wasn't just coming from our own personal experiences and perspectives.
For our readers who are looking to start a bakery, or have already done so, are there special factors they should consider? What are the first steps they should take in researching their idea?
Emira: There are three big business considerations that jump out when thinking about opening up a bakery (or any food-related business). First off, it's important to understand the rules and costs of health permits and food safety rules in your city/state/district. Second, take the time to figure out food costs, including spoilage/waste costs. We have a sample budget in our book for a product-based business (the example is a bag-making business) that could work as a starting point, but you need to take into account wasted food that doesn't sell, or for some reason doesn't make it from the mixing bowl into perfect cupcakes; you'll also want to investigate economies of scale where you can get price breaks for ordering in larger quantities, and balance that with how much capital you can invest in basic ingredients. Our budget also accounts for labor and overhead costs that go into producing a product, which must be taken into account if you want to be able to pay all your bills and earn a living wage. Finally, when running something like a bakery you're likely going to need some help/staff pretty early on if you don't want to burn out. Between the basics of baking and running the till, you'll be run off your feet pretty quickly, not to mention all the paper work and administration of running a business. So planning in your budget for some staff costs early on would be very important.
Are there any specific personality types that are best suited to running their own business? Would you recommend partnering with someone so your strengths complement each other, as you have done?
Emira: As business partners whose lives are about as enmeshed as they can be without actually being in a relationship together (after all, we run a business, wrote a book together and are best friends), we're big fan of business partners. That said, they certainly aren't a do-or-die proposition when it comes to running your own business, and sometimes you can get the extra help that a business partner might bring you through staff, contractors, and/or professional advisers.
Say for example you're really not the numbers type (you're more of an ideas gal), then you can look at finding a business partner who is, or simply budget for lots of extra help and advice from a bookkeeper/accountant. Having interviewed a lot of different women about running businesses, we wouldn't say that they all share some magic quality, but you certainly need to have a healthy dose of self-confidence when it comes to your abilities and promoting yourself; you need to be very self-motivated and self-disciplined; and while it may sound cheesy, it really does help if you love what you do. In the early years of running your own show you're likely to spend an awful lot of time at work or thinking about work (and it's entirely possible this will continue throughout the life of your business), so it really helps if you're passionate about your business.
Lauren: I think to some extent the common thread among entrepreneurs is a deep-seated desire to do things our own way. That's not to say that we're all bossy and super-assertive, but even the quiet ones have a definite vision of how things ought to be that drives them forward and keeps them motivated. So if you're going to partner up with someone else, be absolutely sure that you share the same vision -- if you're on the same page as to where you're going, you'll do just fine, and differences in personality and aptitudes are to be expected -- but if you've got really different priorities and values, or if you don't communicate really well, you can run into serious trouble.
One issue that's come up on this blog numerous time is trademark and copyright issues around bakery names and designs. How does one go about making sure their idea isn't already trademarked?
Lauren: The short answer is, visit the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) website -- click on "Trademarks" and then "Search TM database". Type in your prospective business name, and/or any distinguishing features of your logo or packaging, and you'll get a good idea of what's out there that's already been trademarked. From there you can file your own trademarks online.
If you want to ensure your trademark is bulletproof, though, you'll want a lawyer with expertise in intellectual property. Although we're diehard do-it-yourself-ers, there's really no substitute for a good lawyer in this particular instance.
And lest we neglect our countrywomen: Canadians can go to the Canadian Intellectual Property Office at www.cipo.gc.ca.
There are numerous custom bakeries popping up around the country, with many of these bakers working out of their home kitchen. How can people keep up to date on the laws in their state regarding running a home kitchen?
Lauren: Most states (and Canadian provinces) have state-funded programs aimed specifically at small business owners, and that's where I would recommend you start your research. They should be able to provide you with up-to-date regulations, as well as information on any mailing lists you should get yourself on in order to stay apprised of changes. The other thing every small-scale entrepreneur needs is to make some friends with similar (but non-competing) businesses. You'll get far by pooling your resources with the vendors at your local farmer's market!
Are there any cupcake or other bakery owners you'd hold up as a "Boss Lady We Love" and why?
Emira: While we don't know any personally, we became instant fans of Babycakes in New York when we were there. As women with some food, well, let's just call them "issues" (Emira is a vegetarian and Lauren is allergic to eggs and dairy), we loved being in a place where we could pick and choose from absolutely everything on offer -- but we also really loved the feeling of the space. (It really felt like a work of love, and not just a carefully crafted formula for success.) We were also particularly smitten with the retro sign on the wall that reads, "We can't please everyone, but we try." For a bakery that goes so over the top to make delicious, healthy and allergy/food-sensitivity-aware products, it's pretty awesome that they'll also admit to still not being able to be all things to all people. Too often small businesses -- especially when their owners are passionate about what they do -- fall into the trap of trying to please everyone, and it isn't always the smartest approach; that's a good lesson for business owners to remember.
What's the one key takeaway piece of advice our readers should know about running their own business?
Lauren: When you're the one running the show, it's entirely up to you how you want to define success. It might be going home at 5:00 every night after years of working overtime in a demanding career; it might be doing something that makes you happy, with customers you really like; it might be giving keynote speeches at major conferences, or you might be content being part of a thriving local economy and giving back to your community. The business you build should reflect your own vision, not someone else's, and if you do that it won't be a chore to go to work. (At least not most days...)
And now for some personal questions…
How often do you eat cupcakes?
Emira: Not as often as we'd like to! With Lauren's aforementioned food allergies, cupcakes often have to be made with love and not store bought in our town. We're both pretty fond of the Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World book, though, and Emira has a very gorgeous red KitchenAid stand mixer that makes making cupcakes almost a bit too easy.
What's the best thing about eating cupcakes?
Emira: Is there anything bad about eating cupcakes? My favourite part of eating cupcakes is playing with awesome flavour combining. Lauren made me these simply gorgeous lemon blueberry cupcakes (from the Vegan Cupcakes Take Over... book) for my birthday last year and they were positively amazing. On a purely mechanical level the best thing about making cupcakes is definitely the icing, for me anyway.
Lauren: Yep, agreed re: the icing. I bought proper frosting supplies to make those birthday cupcakes for Emira and have never looked back! I love all the little piping attachments.
What's your favorite type of cupcake?
Emira: I'm going to vote for those Lemon Blueberry ones, or failing that a nice vanilla with buttercream is pretty darn delicious.
Lauren: I need some bitter in with my sweet, so I love lemon/lime-infused cupcakes and dark chocolate ones. I also have a soft spot for anything peanut-butter flavoured (although Emira's sweetie is deathly allergic to peanuts, so I don't tend to bake with them very often). And those rhubarb cupcakes on your blog right now look divine. Loooove rhubarb.
How do cupcakes compare/contrast to other baked goods for you?
Emira: I'm a pretty big fan of all baked goods. Honestly, my absolute favourite is pie, but cupcakes are probably right behind that. They also seem way more like party food, whereas pie is a "snuggle on the couch" kind of a dessert.
Lauren: My mom bakes a killer pie, so yeah, I'm with Emira on the pie front; it's the truest form of comfort food to me. I love baking pies, too. But cake was actually the first recipe I ever learned to make -- it's so simple, and I'm still amazed when I bake cake or cupcakes from scratch and someone acts like it's a huge deal.
To me, the best thing about cupcakes is their self-sufficiency. No need for plates, forks, or the whole "Just a teeeeensy slice for me, thanks" dance -- just pass the cupcakes around and everyone feels like they got something special.
Is there any innovation you'd like to see made to the cupcake that would improve it for you?
Emira: More vegan cupcakes available in our town (Vancouver) would definitely up our cupcake quota.
Lauren: Hmmm, I don't think so. But I'm only just beginning to explore the filled-cupcake genre, and it seems very promising (and still feels like an innovation to me). So I'll vote for more filled cupcakes.
Do you bake your own cupcakes? Or (even better) have someone who bakes them for you?
Lauren: Oh yes, we both bake 'em. (See above.)
What's your first cupcake-related memory?
Emira: Actually, this is pretty awesome. At my (now divorced) Aunt and Uncle's wedding when I was about 6 years old, I was the flower girl and my cousin was the ring bearer. We were generally fairly bored for most of the night until the dessert came out. My grandma, who is a master baker, had made these chocolate cupcakes as one of the desserts for the evening. They were a standard chocolate cupcake with chocolate buttercream icing piped on, but the kicker was that they were upside down with the entire sides and top covered in buttercream rosettes. There was something about turning the cupcake on its head and then adding extra icing that knocked the socks off my cousin and I and we could not get enough of them. Most of what I remember from that night (aside from getting to wear my brand new Smurfette Underoos for the first time) is going back to the buffet table over and over to sneak more cupcakes.
What's the most fun you've ever had with a cupcake?
Emira: I'm going to have to vote for that night at the wedding. Though we also had a pretty awesome night in New York recently taking taxis from Chelsea to the Lower East Side to collect different types of cupcakes to bring back for our staff in these super awesome cupcake carriers we got at Babycakes.
Lauren: Oh yeah, that was fun! You see, we had someone on staff with a gluten allergy at the time, and she rarely gets to enjoy treats that she doesn't make for herself. (Gluten's a tough thing to avoid.) So when we visited Babycakes and saw that they sold "cupcake carriers" -- little hard-plastic cases that hold a cupcake upright and safe for travel -- we knew we had to bring her back a delicious gluten-free cupcake in its own carrier. We also picked up spare carriers for our other two employees, and packed up some "regular" cupcakes we picked up elsewhere (can't remember the name of the place, but it was on 9th Avenue across the street from Blossom Cafe) for them. We were trying to make sure they'd be as fresh as possible, so we were racing around Manhattan the night before our flight back to Vancouver...Kind of a miniature Amazing Race, but with cupcakes. :)
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