Today we’d like to introduce you to Patricia Bedford.
Hi Patricia, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Every time our family gathered, there would be a delicious southern style cake placed in a glass dome on the chase. My grandma Suga baked all the family cakes and her house was a hub for the family. I started baking as a way to bring my family together after Suga passed. The cake decorating classes I began taking at the local craft store helped me to cope with various mental and physical struggles I was facing at the time. I also wanted to make sure that my cakes looked as good as they tasted! Two years after taking those classes and being encouraged to formally launch my business, Suga’s Cakery was born.
Years after working so hard to earn my engineering degree, I never thought I would own a bakery business or name it after my late grandma Suga. I’m an Electrical and Computer Engineer who found a passion for baking after working ten years in the tech industry. I found that I loved baking and was more comfortable being an entrepreneur than an employee.
I love the simplicity of a cupcake and what it stands for: happiness and fulfillment, both of what I get out of owning Suga’s Cakery. I started with Suga’s Cakery making custom cakes just as a side hustle/hobby while working as a full-time engineer and now it’s grown into a full-time operation that’s touched hundreds of lives and palettes through custom cakes and cupcakes.
Suga’s claim to fame is that we do cupcakes in classic flavors and we do them well. We’ve done dozens of events and baked 1000s of cupcakes. I have made these recipes hundreds of times for family, friends and sweet lovers alike, so they are tried and true.
I began Suga’s Cakery as a Texas Cottage Law Home Baker and now Suga’s Cakery is a bakery on wheels located at 310 E. Pecan St. in downtown Pflugerville, TX. We serve our seven classic flavors of cupcakes along with other classic desserts such as banana pudding and peach cobbler Wednesday through Sunday 11am – 8pm each week.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Transitioning from being a full-time, degreed Engineer to a full-time Entrepreneur definitely presented its challenges. Getting my family on board with the idea that I could make this work full-time and make a living was a struggle. I knew they believed in me but coming from a family who is used to working 9 to 5 jobs and corporate careers, striking out on my own was a tough sell.
Another big challenge was being able to gain the capital to expand my business from a home business to a mobile business. Unable to get funding from outside sources such as a traditional bank loan, I solely relied on the profits from my business and a successful Kickstarter campaign I ran last summer. With that campaign, I was able to raise $17,000 from an initial goal of $10,000 with 250+ backers donating $50 or more each to purchase the dessert trailer I needed to scale. Being able to scale in that way is one of my greatest accomplishments for the business thus far. It is a testament to my tenacity and willingness of my customers, colleague, friends to stand behind and believe in me and the business.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Suga’s Cakery is a mobile Dessert Trailer specializing in cupcakes in classic flavors, desserts and allergy-friendly offerings. It began in October 2014 as a home-based custom cake shop and has now expanded into a bakery on wheels. Suga’s does classic flavors and does them well. Flavors such as Southern Red Velvet, Heavenly Italian Cream, Spiced Carrot and Zesty Citron to name a few are the classic flavors Suga’s customers crave and return for. Suga’s also offers various flavors in gluten-friendly, vegan, and keto varieties.
Suga’s continues to grow through its following and online presence on Google and social media. As a testament to its customer service and quality of product, Suga’s boasts over 220 five-star reviews on Google, more than any other bakery/specialty cake shop in the area.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love how the city of Pflugerville has embraced me and Suga’s. I believe if you put in effort to be a part of something larger than yourself through really getting to get to know people, you will see a many opportunities come your way.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@sugascakery.com
- Website: www.sugascakery.com
- Instagram: @sugacakery
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/sugascakery
- Twitter: @sugascakery
Image Credits
Suga’s Cakery
