Connect
To Top

Meet Madison Power of Lisa’s Rum Cake in Gilbert

Avatar photo

Today we’d like to introduce you to Madison Power.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My bakery days started as a kid. I grew up in my grandmother’s bakery, the highly acclaimed Cathy’s Rum Cake. Every day after school, my mom would take my two sisters and I to the bakery with her, so she could finish her work for the day. It was great! We got to see Mimi and run around the bakery, eat cake scraps, and learn the family trade. When I was five, they officially let me help out. I had the monumental task of separating paper doilies, which were placed around the bottom of each cake. No really, that was not a fun job.

My big promotion was at seven years old when I got to start selling! My first sale was unforgettable… I was working at the Scottsdale location with Mimi on a Saturday, and a gentleman came into pick-up a cake he had ordered. I told him it was $38, so he handed me a $50 bill. I accepted the cash and said, “Thank you sir, have a nice day!” Mimi replied, “Madison you need to get him his change!” To which I said, “I only take money. I don’t give it back.” Well, in all honesty, I had been taught how to accept the cash, not count change back. Long story short, the man thought I was so cute he let me keep the change. From that moment on, I was extremely passionate about the family business.

In 2009, my parents opened our bakery, Lisa’s Rum Cake, to expand the family business even further, after purchasing the rights from my grandmother back in 2001. It was fascinating to be a 19-year-old college kid watching the family trade expand to our new, high-tech cake factory. From design to construction, I learned so much more about the business side of the bakery. After opening, my mom (Lisa) taught me how to assemble and decorate cakes, which is a lot of what I do today. In addition to production, I handle the marketing and advertising, and innovation. I feel very fortunate and blessed to have learned the ropes of being an entrepreneur from early on.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Business certainly isn’t a cake walk. When we opened Lisa’s Rum Cake in 2009, the economy was at it’s lowest. Our intention of expanding my grandmother’s legendary cakes was through shipping nationwide. We quickly found that with high fuel costs and expensive shipping materials, it wasn’t a cost-effective business model for our customers, or us. To date, we have shipped whole cakes and our single-serve cake CUTS® to all 50 states, with 100% success.

However, with the Amazon Prime boom, so many people think small businesses like our’s can offer free 2-day shipping. I wish! So currently, we have suspended our shipping until we can lower the packaging costs, thereby lowering the cost of shipping. We did face another challenge when we wanted to ship our perishable products across the country. To do commerce in other states, you have to comply with their food laws. State-by-state, trans-fat free laws were being passed.

From day one, we were forced to “clean-up” my grandmother’s original recipe. Though the changes are slight, it is not the identical recipe because legally it cannot be. Through focus groups and panels of longtime (20+ year) Cathy’s Rum Cake customers, we did a side by side comparisons and taste testings with Cathy’s original recipe and Lisa’s modified recipe. After two years of testing and 100% approval, we made the necessary modifications and Lisa’s Rum Cake was open for business.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Lisa’s Rum Cake story. Tell us more about the business.
Lisa’s Rum Cake is one-of-kind. Carrying on the 43-year-old valley tradition, we produce Italian custard-filled cakes for all occasions, using the highest quality ingredients, fresh fruits, and Italian whipped cream frosting. Typical bakeries use fondant and buttercream, but not us. People love our products because they are moist and not ridiculously sweet. Our specialty is our on-demand business model.

Our company has an e-commerce website, where customers can order customized/personalized cakes 24/7. They can pre-order for a party in advance, or the same day. Other bakeries require usually a one to two-week minimum. Not at Lisa’s! We have customers every day that call or come in to get a cake, and within minutes we can make whatever size and flavor they want, totally fresh and customized to their specifications.

And yes, we have even made three-tiered wedding cakes within hours! That’s why we call my mom “The Cake Dr.” because she is always on call. Our ability to make all our cakes fresh, the same day customers need them, no matter how far in advance they order, is what truly sets us apart. Thankfully my dad’s background as a mechanical engineer came in handy when designing our factory and selecting our high-tech equipment.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
It might sound crazy, but I don’t believe in luck… only fate. I believe everything happens for a reason. No matter what life throws at me, good or bad, I know there is a lesson to learn from it. It’s helped me mature as an entrepreneur because I don’t waste time worrying and questioning why things happen the way they do. I leave everything in God’s hands.

Pricing:

  • Whole Cakes start at $28 including tax and personalization.
  • Cake CUTS® (individual slices) are $4.99 – $6.99 each including tax or Buy 4 Get 1 Free daily in-store.
  • Sicilan Cannoli $5.99 – $6.99 each including tax (made with a scratch baked Pizzelle cookie shell)
  • Cake Pies from $25 including tax.

Contact Info:


Image Credit:
Joanie Simon, Jonnie + Garrett

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

Related Items

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More in