Exploring Life & Business with Stephanie Murillo of Chena’s Cakes

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Murillo.

Hi Stephanie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
Chena’s Cakes started out as a way for my, stay-at-home mom, to save money. She would make cakes for our birthdays and people really liked the handmade recipes she’d use. Over time people began to ask her to make these cakes for other people’s events and from there Chena’s Cakes was born. My mom has never been the most creative or so great with arts and crafts, that’s where I came in.

We took all sorts of micro-entrepreneur courses, cake masterclasses, and more. I not only began to decorate the cakes, but due to the language barrier my mom had, I also took care of finances, social media, orders, promotion, events, and everything else that goes into the roller coaster of being an entrepreneur. The name Chena actually was inspired by my mom’s nickname for Azucena. Which also happens to be my middle name. It fits perfectly for this mother-and-daughter home business.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s been a roller coaster, to say the least. There have been times when we had to learn how to change our value, and even today we remain fairly affordable. Of course, we have learned to service different types of customers. One of the lessons we’ve learned over the years is that our emotional state has a huge role in our performance. If we are not emotionally stable or with good mental health standing, the cake will just not work. Same recipe, same ingredients, same procedures.

But if one of us is going through something, like the death of my grandmother (my mother’s mom), the cake literally fell apart. I definitely believe that our cakes come out as delicious and beautiful as they do because we make them with love, that is our secret ingredient.

As you know, we’re big fans of Chena’s Cakes. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
In one way or another, I can see myself under all the categories. We have our Chena’s Cakes business offering a way to rediscover happiness in every bite of our homemade cakes. I do also work a 9-5 job in customer service while working as a creative as well. When I’m not making cakes or working, I am at events promoting my cake business, modeling, wardrobe styling, or hosting events.

I believe, as diverse as these different fields may seem, that everything I do is connected and provides me with a unique perspective that others with insight into only one of these areas could offer. I’m proud that in all areas of my work, I’m among those that are outstanding in the field. I like developing myself whenever I have the opportunity, I network everywhere I go, but most importantly if I see an opportunity for someone else to succeed I’ll help them make the connection with that contact. I advocate for an environment where we are not competition, but instead a force that helps each other succeed together.

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Stay consistent! Results come once you are consistently putting yourself out there. Don’t worry as much about having all the pieces perfect. You are allowed to make mistakes and learn as you go. If you decide to rebrand and change your name or logo, do it!

Social media is scary for a lot of people, however, I don’t believe our business or even my own personal brand would have had as many opportunities as we did without it. Find a mentor. Look for someone that’s doing what you want to do and ask for advice.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @chenas_cakes

Image Credits
Uriel Iturralde @tugo_photos, @outlasting_memories, HMUA @makeup_karloluna, @alberto.makeup, and @rodrigowholesalesharks