It’s crazy to think that just a few short years ago, I owned a bakery, a second licensed location, and was starting the process to franchise my gluten free, allergen free bakery across the U.S. And now my life is drastically different.

How did this all begin?

I jokingly tell people I had two EZ Bake Ovens as a kid, and that’s how I started my baking. That’s actually true. My parents divorced when I was a toddler, and my dad and stepmom got me an EZ Bake Oven for Christmas one year. However, I got the one from my mother as a bribe. She wanted me to be the flower girl in her friend’s wedding when I was four. During rehearsal, I refused to walk down the aisle. Why? No idea, I barely remember it. But let’s just say, I don’t like people telling me what to do. Haha. Anyway, she promised me an EZ Bake Oven if I walked down the aisle, and so I did. And thus, I fell in love with creating tiny cakes for people to eat, mostly my dad. He still says that was his favorite toy I had because he got to eat baked goods whenever I played with it.

Like lots of children in the early eighties, I grew up traveling between two households until finally moving to Louisville to live with my dad in 1990. I went to the performing arts high school for dance, which was mostly ballet and modern at the time. I loved ballet with all my heart and I still do, but it was never going to be a career for me. I played soccer in high school as well, and had a great time, although, I wasn’t exactly a great player. I think I got most improved my first year because I had actually never played soccer before sophomore year of high school. Still, I highly recommend being part of a team, it’s a great feeling and teaches you a lot of life skills.

I went off to study special education at the University of Kentucky, and taught kids with special needs for 10 years. I received a master’s degree in Assistive Technology, which is technology for people with disabilities. I immediately began a Ph.D. program to further my studies, with hopes of one day being a college professor.

Towards the end of my studies, my younger brother, Tommy, tragically died in a car accident at the age of twenty. The accident was in broad daylight on a highway and was due to a car part malfunction. It gutted me and the entire family. Part of my joy was gone forever. We grieved and still grieve all these years later.

After Tommy's death, I had a lot of survivor guilt, despite never being in the vehicle during the accident. And as I went through all the stages of grief, I started thinking about my life path and realized that I wasn't actually happy getting a Ph.D. Not only was I not happy, I was frustrated, bored, and starting to absolutely hate it.

So what did I want to do with my life? I wanted to bake. I spent my college years (all 11 years, post grad studies included) baking to relieve stress. So, why not go back to my childhood dream of opening a bakery?

Because that's lunatic behavior. Who goes to school, even college, and post grad for YEARS and then throws it all out the window for a totally different career? Honestly, someone who should have chosen that career from the beginning. Teaching was my second choice and it wasn't my first love.

So, I gave up my career path and chose a different one. And it's had its own ups and downs, as life does. But, it's been a crazy ride so far…

How Did I Get Here? Part 1

How Did I Get Here? Part 2