“The desire to have a bakery of my own is something I dreamed of since I was a
child. Bakeries as a space of comfort and community is an idea I was constantly exposed
to in my youth throughout both the media and in my real life. It felt like a magical place
where no one left unhappy and everyone could bond over their shared love of food. At
twelve years old when I started to learn how to cook and bake, I finally began to truly
understand that blissful self-satisfaction you would see on a baker’s face in a movie when
they triumphantly displayed their culinary creation to the eager masses pressed up
against the glass window. Though my first baking success with chocolate chip cookies
was not so dramatic, it felt every bit as magical. Perceiving its heavenly aroma and
freshness was otherworldly to me — especially knowing that I made it all by myself and
was the sole proprietor of its success when I shared it with my family.

This passion and genuine love of baking has stayed with me since then and
remains a strong motivator in seeing through my business till the end. After making my
way through several jobs, I have always come back to the idea of this: doing something I
love and being able to make a living off of it. To me, that is the true actualization of the
American Dream. Furthermore, what motivates me to keep baking, after all these years,
is the art of the craft. Baking is both an art and a science, as you work to both perfect the
recipes and express yourself artistically. By choosing the ingredients and the way you
present your baking creations, you get to impart a little bit of yourself into the food.

Though having my own bakery is a dream come true, I have to temper my
excitement with a realistic assessment of the opportunities and challenges in my way.
With this bakery, I have the opportunity to create my own little touchstone in the
community in the same way that others across the country have. I have the opportunity
to share my baking creations and passion for organic, trustworthy treats with others in
the Bay Area. As they indulge in my sweet and savory treats, I also hope to have the
opportunity to get to know my local community better. Though the U.S. is often touted
as an individualistic nation, where one can pull oneself up by their bootstraps, and
though this is most certainly true, I also hope to emphasize the importance of
collectivism with something as small as my bakery. Having a sense of community is
important and no bakery would be as alive and inviting without it.

A bakery is only as good as the people it can
serve, after all, and so it is important that I try my best to stand out and offer people the
chance to judge my work for themselves.”