1. How long have you been in business?

I've been baking since I was in high school always trying new recipes and techniques but I only got good enough a couple of years ago, so when a friend of mine asked me to make her custom cupcakes in the summer of 2016 I thought I'd give it a real go and see how far I could really take it.

2. What does Baked by Chesney do?

I offer a variety of baked goods! I mainly do cookies, cupcakes, and a few additional desserts but I also offer custom cakes for any kind of occasion. I'm always excited to try new things.

3. What inspired you to start Baked by Chesney?

I've always had a passion for baking and cooking and especially loved spending hours watching The Food Network, trying to recreate some of the recipes. This passion led to my household constantly filled with new treats until there was no more space and my family could no longer keep up with me. With the support of my family and friends I decided to put myself out there and see if my baking was actually good or if my loved ones were just being nice, and so far, I've gotten so much positive feedback that it's only fueled me to want to do more!
I adore what I do every day and I want to share that with people. Besides who doesn't love a little treat?

4. What advice to you have for other entrepreneurs/new business owners?

Being very new to the business world myself I can only say that no matter what you're doing, you must love it! I wake up at crazy hours sometimes so that I have enough time to really put care into what I'm creating and to ensure that my product will be as fresh as possible and if I didn't love the process and the outcome then it wouldn't be worth it.
There are too many other stresses in life but if your work doesn't feel like work, then I think you're doing something right.
Oh and always bring baked goods to staff meetings!

5. What can customers look forward to in 2017 from you?

New recipes! I have a set menu on my website but I'm always willing to sit down with customers and see what else we can work up in terms of taste and design.
I'm here for my customers so if they have an idea for what they want, I will do everything in my power to deliver.

6. What's been the biggest challenge you've overcome with Baked by Chesney?

A few tricky obstacles have come my way with some custom orders. I had an order for a three-year old’s birthday that I needed to create a cake that looked like a stack of pancakes and I had worries that I would have to sacrifice taste for appearance but I found a way to pack the cake with flavor and keep it moist while maintaining its look. I'm sure it's not the last time that an order like that is going to come my way but I look forward to trying new things and overcoming future obstacles!

7. Where can customers connect with you?

I post weekly on my Instagram which is @bakedbychesney
My menu can be found on my website which is bakedbychesney.com
Feel free to call me at 905-399-2168 as well.