Meet Trailblazer Bryonna Williams

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bryonna Williams.

Bryonna, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I have been cooking & baking since I was young, constantly watching my mom in the kitchen and then learning step by step what goes into making great tasting food and even greater tasting desserts. At the constant request of my dad, I started with a simple recipe, Chocolate Chip Cookies. That evolved into helping my mom make her famous pound cake, learning the recipe for my grandma’s amazing butter cookies (which still don’t come close to tasting like hers), and surprising my whole family on Thanksgiving of 2018 by making my first professional looking cake, a caramel apple naked cake. In March 2019, Flick of the Whisk Cakes was born after finally deciding to take a leap of faith and create something I could call my own that I was passionate about.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has definitely not been a smooth road, but I didn’t expect it to be. I am a self-taught baker, so I knew it would be difficult and I would have to be patient with my progress. I didn’t take any classes to learn about baking and decorating. I read a lot of baking books & articles, spend hours every day looking at different cakes and the techniques used, and follow bakers who have mastered their craft so I can learn from the best.

Two months into starting my business, I decided to sign up for 2 of the longest-running farmers markets in Denver: the Cherry Creek & Stapleton Farmers Market. At the time, I only had a little bit of money saved up to dedicate to my business, & had no idea at the time how I was going to get the rest to pay for the market throughout the season. It was stressful & I had moments when I questioned what I was doing. But every month my sales continued to increase, and I was paying my monthly fee for the farmers market with no problem.

The best advice I can give is to put yourself out there and not be scared about whether you are going to fail. Be picky about who you discuss your business and plans with. Not everybody is rooting for you. Starting and growing a business requires taking a lot of risks, and that scares a lot of people. So, some people will try to tell you to start small and “see how things go.” Don’t listen to them. Go big. If the drive and work ethic is there, you won’t fail.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Flick of the Whisk Cakes – what should we know?
I operate a home-bakery and specialize in custom cakes and cupcakes. I am proud of the fact that all of my cakes and cupcakes are scratch-made, meaning I don’t use any box mixes or store-bought frostings. I like to know what is going into the desserts I’m presenting to my customers, and want them to be just as delicious as they are beautiful.

What my business has become known for is my catchy name (which came to me during a random moment in the car with my boyfriend) and my jar cupcakes and homemade Oreos. I had no plan of incorporating these into my business, but in a panic, one night right before the first market and after everything I was trying to create was either burning or failing in some way, I decided to put the cupcakes in these jars I had previously bought for another project. They were a HUGE hit and sold out within the first 3 hours of me being at the market. My homemade Oreos sold out within the first hour and continue to be a “fan favorite”.

After that market, I have received orders for my jar cupcakes for work meetings & events, weddings, and all types of parties. Customers love the look and convenience of them and the fact that I can customize the sticker on top to fit whatever event they are planning. I also offer a discount for those that return the jars to me, which has encouraged my customers to recycle. They have played a huge role in the success of my business. The best ideas really are born when you’re not expecting it.

Do you recommend any apps, books or podcasts that have been helpful to you?
Instagram & Pinterest have been great in showing me all the creative ways people are decorating cakes and creating masterpieces. It’s amazing the ideas that people come up with & I strive every day to be on the level some of these bakers are at. I probably spend way to much time on Pinterest looking up different piping techniques and what tools a certain baker used to create a cake and how to create a cake with perfectly straight sides. It keeps me motivated and determined to be the best baker in Colorado one day.

Pricing:

• Round Cakes (6″, 8″, 10″)-Start at $65 (tiered cakes available as well)
• Sheet Cakes (1/4 sheet, 1/2 sheet, full sheet)-Start at $100
• Mini Cupcakes-$15/dozen
• Jar Cupcakes-$5/each
• Boozy Cupcakes-$48/dozen
• Standard Size Cupcakes-$39/dozen
• Pull-Apart Cake (aka Cupcake Cake)-Start at $80

Contact Info:

• Website: www.flickofthewhiskcakes.com
• Phone: 7202794318
• Email: flickofthewhiskcakes@gmail.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/flickofthewhiskcakes
• Facebook: Flick of the Whisk-Custom Cakes

Image Credit:
Armando Geneyro

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