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Meet Mayen Orido of Way Beyond Cakes in Goodyear

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Mayen Orido.

Mayen, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Way Beyond Cakes started in a small kitchen in Baltimore, about 13 years ago. I had just resigned from my job as a pharmaceutical representative and wanted to focus on my little 6-month-old boy, Jared. Baking started as a hobby, and I learned a lot through trial and error and through bits and pieces I have learned through the internet and the kindness of strangers. I realized early on that I was more excited with challenging elements and I started pushing the boundaries of what ordinary cakes should look like. I started sharing my tips and learned techniques on YouTube.

Through YouTube, and back then Friendster, then Facebook, I have met and encountered people from all over the world and later, that has launched my home business – for making custom cakes, and also launched me into my other passion, teaching. Prior to my pharmaceutical job, I was a high school chemistry and biology teacher. Sharing and learning has always been a passion of mine. Doing that now with people of the same passion – cakes and sugar art – was something very exciting for me.

2013 was when we moved to Arizona and settled in Goodyear. By then I had another baby, a 2-year-old girl, Annika. I started my overseas teaching career then as I balanced it with local cake orders. I also got my business and kitchen registered in Arizona at that time.

Making cakes and teaching master classes has taken me to amazing places like Dubai, UAE, Bahrain, Australia, New Zealand, France, Spain, Indonesia, Canada, Philippines, Qatar, Scotland, London to name a few. I have been guest instructor to a few International Cake Shows like Cake International in Birmingham, The Cake and Craft Show in Auckland, New Zealand, Cake Camp UK in London. My work has also been published in Cake Magazines like Cake Masters Magazine and Cake Central and Sweet Magazine. I have also been commissioned to make cake display showpieces for the Creativation Expo in 2019 and International Baking Industry Exposition in Las Vegas Nevada in 2019.

I take my unique style and techniques and bring it to the cake world stage, taking along with me my Filipino and American heritage. What I learn, I bring back to my unique cake designs and classes and I hope to serve more people in the Phoenix area.

Once or twice a year, I hold master classes in the Phoenix or Mesa area, and this is open to beginners and intermediate level cakers. I have also recently introduced cake classes that incorporate simple projects and I can also work with children.

Apart from making you a cake for your parties, I can be contracted for private classes and private party instruction as well. This way, I can spread the love of learning with the much-needed hands on instruction for making extraordinary cakes.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Juggling a home business and having two growing children isn’t easy. I also learned through this journey that my children have special needs. We are a neurodivergent family. I have taken that decision to focus more on their development and growth and therapies, rather than seeking a stable corporate job and having a steady paycheck. That decision has made me braver and more courageous in terms of seeking opportunities and challenging my boundaries as a person, entrepreneur and artist.

Being aware, too, that my children are watching what I am doing, has made me even more intentional in my actions. I would love for them to also find their passions and pursue them. They say that the best way to teach your children how to reach for their dreams, is for them to see you reaching for yours.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Way Beyond Cakes – what should we know?
I am a custom cake maker and I specialize in Celebration, Novelty & Gravity Defying Cakes. I am also an international master class cake instructor and I bring my expertise and unique style in every cake I do for my clients. I can make cakes for family events and also for corporate events.

I am proud of being able to make cakes more than just party food– I turn the typical cake into something memorable in your events, whether it is for a small family gathering , or for a multinational company doing a trade show display.

I am also proud of being able to launch a small business from the four corners of my small kitchen, to touching lives and inspiring cakers in different parts of the world to learn more about this craft and make it a vehicle to earn for themselves or their families.

Currently, I am a brand ambassador for an amazing fondant company, Satin Ice. I am also a volunteer in Icing Smiles, and we make cakes for children who are impacted by critical illness and their siblings. Recently, I have also joined a great organization called Women’s Networking Alliance and I am surrounded by fellow female entrepreneurs who are helping each other to be better and grow our businesses.

What I do traverses two different planes and I think that separates my business from others. I do not simply make unique and amazing cakes – for the ones who want to learn, I can also make that a part of your event and teach you as you make it yourself.

During the drastic change brought about by the pandemic, adapting to the change has become vital to everybody. Although, in person events have ceased for the moment, I have continued my business with online cake class learning, and serving my local market with smaller cakes for smaller gatherings.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My cake journey would not have flourished if not for my clients and students. I was given an amazing break about 6 years ago, by the owner of an internationally recognized cake school, Paul Bradford, and along with 3 other artists, Brenda, Shawna and Rudy, we went to Spain to film amazing cake making! Since then I have been travelling and teaching all over the world. There are so many cake artists I would like to name, as contributors to my growth – we are all an amazing community.

I am so fortunate to have my mom living with me and she has been the rock and foundation for my everything. I don’t think I would have had the courage to pursue my dreams and fight for my space and happiness, had it not been for the support of my mother. My kids have also been the center and basis for a lot of my creations, so I have really leaned towards novelty cakes since all the fun colors and designs made my kids happy too.

Recently, when I have started making friends locally, I have been so fortunate to meet Margherita from Bell Fitness, and that started a health journey that helped my mind and heart and body to get better. That also opened up a crazy amazing list of new empowering friends, like Sarah Hoag, who is currently working with me in enhancing my business, Ruxandra Lemay, an exceptional Psychologist, and a great resource for everything concerning mental health.

I also have a tight group of initial business friends, who have become like sisters, Wendy Zanders, The Declutter Coach, and our Chapter President in WNA 206, Nancy Gilbert, definitely one of the best realtors in the West Valley and Heather Owen, she owns Camp Bow Wow Avondale and Magical Memories by Heather, and we are all Special Moms . We are all warrior moms and have created a bond over the deep understanding of our neurodivergent families.

Through my tight knit friends, who have helped push me and my ideas into fruition, who have held me accountable and encouraged me to do what I thought was not possible – I am indebted for life.

In the grand scheme of things, we are all in our little worlds, trying to survive and thrive a difficult world – but with the right people around you, you can do anything.

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