Meet Trailblazer Donna Smith

Today we’d like to introduce you to Donna Smith.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Donna. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’ve always loved to bake, ever since I was a kid. I think I made my first chocolate chip cookie before I could talk. Not really, but I was very young! Anyway, I was a content stay at home mom for 17 years when life took a turn and I found myself a single unemployed mom. I took on three part-time jobs and myself through college earning both a Bachelor’s and Masters’ degree. I landed a fantastic job in the corporate world where I met my husband. I spent another 17 years working for the same company. One evening my husband and I were sitting around a campfire and he asked me what I would do if I could do anything I wanted. I said, bake. From there, our conversations revolved around what we could do to make this love of mine happen. In 2014, I quit my job and became a licensed home baker. For the next three years, I worked very hard at building a solid customer base. Between my husband’s unwavering confidence in me and his endless support (personal and financial), we opened our very first storefront in December 2017.

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?
Starting my own business is the hardest thing I have ever done. I knew it was going to be hard work and long hours, but I had no idea how utterly exhausting it all would be. My advice: If you want it bad enough, stick with it. It will be hard and it will be exhausting, but you will wake up one day and realize you made it through the struggle and it was ALL worth it. My second piece of advice: Don’t be afraid to be scared. If you’re not scared, you’re not doing it right. If you look at the big picture, the whole idea of starting your own business is daunting and overwhelming. It is very easy to talk yourself out of hard things. It’s also very easy to justify not doing the hard and scary things. But, those of us who stick with it are the ones who succeed!

We’d love to hear more about Red Apron Bakeshop.
Red Apron Bakeshop is a dessert bakery specializing in desserts for all occasions. We have several corporate customers who order from us on a monthly basis. We cater to weddings, baby showers, birthday parties, etc. Everything is baked fresh right here in our kitchen. What sets us apart from other local bakeries? Our prices!

We’re interested to hear your thoughts on female leadership – in particular, what do you feel are the biggest barriers or obstacles?
I don’t know if I feel any real barriers as a woman that is any different than any other “person” trying to start a business. I did find that when working with the red tape of starting up (city permits, licensing, etc.), I had a bit more success in getting things done when my general contractor fought my battles. Seems folks tend to listen more intently when a more experienced guy is asking the questions than when just some random person trying to start a business is inquiring.

Contact Info:

• Address: 1730 East Warner Road #8
  Tempe, AZ 85284
• Website: www.redapronbakeshop.com
• Phone: 480-512-9002
• Email: donna@redapronbakeshop.com
• Instagram: @red_apron_bakeshop
• Facebook: Red Apron Bakeshop

 

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