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Meet Ysela Mena Buzby of Something Sweet in Scottsdale

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Ysela Mena Buzby.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Ysela. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
It all started on a couch with a passion and a community…

Something Sweet came about in 2015, towards the end of my senior year of high school. After attending two years of baking and pastry arts school, I knew I wanted my love for baking to be more than just a hobby.

Not having much work to post pictures of… or much business experience for that matter I took the chance and created my first Something Sweet “business page.” I turned to my community, Ahwatukee, at the time for support. Being able to promote my business on the local community Facebook page Ahwatukee 411, I think truly made all the difference in where my business is today. Four years later and all I can say is THANK YOU to everyone who has supported me along this journey, it wouldn’t have been possible without you.

To say, starting my own business has been an easy journey for me would be a lie, but I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way! I tried to avoid what my heart was telling me to do and wound up in college for two years, job hopping from 9-5’s, and almost wanting to give up on my baking business altogether. However, despite it, all baking is what has kept me grounded when nothing else in life has. Throughout this journey, I have learned so much about owning and operating a small business, but also about who I am. My advice to anyone follows your heart, and you’re bound to end up in the right direction. I still have so much more to learn and grow from, but something tells me the future is sweet.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No, it has not, but I don’t think I would want it any other way. Attending high school, my plan was never to go to college, I never even took the SAT or ACT. My plan was to attend the pastry and arts program at Scottsdale Community College to better my baking skills. However, towards the end of my senior year of high school, I started second guessing myself and the plans I had originally made. I started to convince myself that I needed to get a four-year degree to make a living like all my friends were doing. In addition, growing up with two parents who never had the opportunity to attend college made me want to get a degree even more, and to prove to myself that I could do it.

That being said, I wound up starting my degree in Psychology. I knew I wanted to do something that helped people or made a change in people lives. I am a big people pleaser, some would say it’s a weakness and at times it has been, but I have learned it is part of what makes me – me. It’s not that I feel the need to please people, but making and seeing people happy makes me happier. College was a struggle, to say the least, everything about college was so new to me, and just as new for my parents so they didn’t have much help to offer. I don’t blame, but seeing my friends parents help them sometimes made me wish I had the same support. I ended up changing my major to Social Work because well, if I’m being honest the math got extremely hard and it was close enough in the same field that pretty much all of the credits transferred. All throughout this time I had still been doing my “business” on the side, not much of legit business as I look back on it now, as it was more so a serious hobby. Around the end of my second year, my boyfriend at the time had broken up with me. It wasn’t the first time but it also didn’t make it any easier. I decided with that happening, and other personal things I was working through I was going to take a semester off. I was contemplating taking a semester off prior to the breakup to focus on building this serious hobby of mine that was growing into a small home-based business.

Another struggle I have had is figuring out how to give my business the attention it needs to grow while still being able to make an income with another part-time job. Not all jobs have respected the wishes of my business is my main priority, eventually causing me to quit. The one thing I still struggle/am yet to find someone to relate on this level with is having some type of career prior to where I made all this money to fund my business. I run on a tight budget, but I don’t allow it to make me settle in my quality of products. Despite all these challenges though it has been my hard work and dedication that has gotten me where I am today (and the support of customers and family).

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Something Sweet – what should we know?
I am a licensed home-based baking business currently in Scottsdale, Arizona. I specialize in custom confections, primarily cakes, cupcakes, and cookies. I also bake for locally owned coffee shops around the valley including The Buzzed Goat in Phoenix and Regroup Coffee + Bicycles in Scottsdale. I am most proud of my service, and the quality I provide. Me having a tight budget means I do it ALL, I take all orders, bake, deliver, market you name it. I think what also sets me apart is that I offer vegan items to coffee shops as well, something not many other vendors do. I also stay very active in the Ahwatukee community, where my baking business all started. Like I mentioned before, without that Facebook page and community, I don’t think I would have nearly as many customers.

What I love most about what I do is seeing everyone’s reactions, and knowing I made their day/event more special with what I love doing most. I hope to be able to participate in Icing Smiles a “non-profit organization that provides custom celebration cakes and other treats to families impacted by the critical illness of a child. We understand that the simple things, like a birthday cake, are luxuries to a family battling illness. Our goal is to create a custom cake for the ill child, or their sibling, that provides a temporary escape from worry and creates a positive memory during a difficult time.” I have donated to the Ahwatukee community and others multiple times for families that are struggling or who have lost a loved one, but to be able to donate on a more regular basis is a goal of mine.

What have been some of the most important lessons you’ve learned over the course of your career?
LISTEN TO MY HEART, and NOT what everyone else thinks, or is doing. I know that most of what I was running from was fear of failure, but I know now that I was failing by never giving it a shot to being with. Following other bakers on social media who started and still are working out of their home has helped me see that it is possible you just need to give it time and effort.

Pricing:

  • Base price for non-custom cakes start at $25-$75 depending on the size
  • Custom cakes depend on a variety of factors. Sending a picture of a cake you want, or that you see on my site helps, but only so much! The cake must meet your needs such as serving size, flavor(s), filling(s), custom decor, and your time frame. That being said your price is just as custom as your cake. Of course, I can give you a ballpark estimate, but that is subject to change once we determine details.
  • Cupcakes! We offer cupcakes for any event or occasion! Pricing depends on design and flavor, so there is no one price fits all. Cupcake orders are a minimum of 2 dozen without a cake purchase. Signature flavors are $50 for 2 dozen, this does not include custom design. Specialty flavors are $55 for 2 dozen this does not include custom design.
  • Custom cupcakes start at $35 a dozen. Signature flavors are included in custom cupcake quotes. For custom specialty flavor cupcakes an additional $5 will be added for every 2 dozen. I also offer cupcake-cakes, a more budget-friendly option compared to most cakes!
  • Custom sugar cookies depend on the design(s) involved, colors, and shapes. They start at $2.50 per cookie and can go up to $5 each depending on the complexity of the design.
  • Coffee Shop pastries are offered at a wholesale price for shops to resell at their own price. If you want to buy other pastries from me the prices will vary depending on the product and quantity.

Contact Info:

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.

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