Conversations with Deviny Herrera

Today we’d like to introduce you to Deviny Herrera. 

Hi Deviny, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I got fired from my lab job because of my attitude, I didn’t want to go back to working in a boring lab so my boyfriend suggested I start selling baked goods. I landed on macarons ‘cause we had them in Vegas from Bouchon bakery and I fell in love! I did the typical selling to friends and family, then friends of a friend & so on. I made social media pages, started taking photos of what I was making, and then would get messages about ordering. I got threatened by a local business and she called Tri County on me for baking at home so I got licensed and naturally took all her clientele. Strangers should be careful of who they threaten because that can turn them into direct competition. If she hadn’t done that, I’d have enough respect to only market in my own area. I still don’t know what the hell I’m doing, I wing everything and constantly make mistakes but that’s just who I am so that’s how my business is. I never planned on doing this full time but I make 4 times as much as I did working in a lab so I don’t plan on going back unless I need to. 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Hellll no it’s been a long miserable road to get here but now that I’m here it’s amazing because I actually worked for it myself. The struggles for me were being left out of all the cliques and not knowing anyone in the industry. Lots of businesses have friends in the industry that help them with a place to sell or do pickups, get their name out and get to the top of the lists at markets. I didn’t have that, I got denied from markets, shops didn’t let me do pop-ups but let other bakers do them, people wouldn’t buy from me ‘cause they said “I didn’t look legit” or was a “scam” so I had to give out thousands of dollars of stuff when I started so people would meet me and post my stuff, then their followers would see I’m not a joke and would start buying from me. I got made fun of from people when I started about selling cookies like “a girlscout” or “being posted up in my car selling cookies”. I cried all the time and felt a bit bullied but I knew my product was superior to everyone’s so I had to operate differently. I started to form connections with other businesses who went through what I did, did collabs with them, and then would refer people to each other. Would make connections with my customers and find things in common so people would remember me and refer me. The small business scene is much different now and accepting than when I started which I’m kinda salty about. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My entire branding sets me apart from any other baker here. I’m not fake nice, always smiling, everything pink and floral. I’m outspoken, loud yet introverted, live in all-black clothes, have a weird dry sense of humor, laugh at all things offensive & inappropriate, obsessed with anything creepy, weird & Halloween. But also have a soft spot for dogs, I’m the person who stops in the middle of a busy intersection to help an animal but will scream cuss words at someone for cutting me off on the street. My personality shows in my branding and that alone sets me apart from the typical Denver baker. I’m not for everyone and that’s okay! 

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
My personal life brings me so much happiness. My dogs and my boyfriend, my outspoken friends and family as well. I find joy in meeting certain people I can connect with, the kind that don’t get offended by everything so I don’t need to walk on eggshells. 

Pricing:

• Monthly preset variety box dozen: $40
• Classic one flavor dozen: $35
• Specialty one flavor dozen: $40
• Delivery: $5 to $20
• Airbrushing: $10 to $20 additional per dozen

Contact Info:

• Email: BlackKnifeBakery@gmail.com
• Website: BlackKnifeBakery.com
• Instagram: @blackknifebakery
• Facebook: Black Knife Bakery, LLC