Today we’d like to introduce you to Jake Margis.
Hi Jake, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My mom taught me how to bake when I was around 3 years old, and I grew up in a household where there were always homemade desserts around. Baking was something tied to family, creativity, and bringing people together from a very early age. Over time, it naturally became one of the ways I expressed creativity myself.
Years later, after moving to Austin, I started making custom cookie cakes for friends’ birthdays, gatherings, gym events, and parties simply because I wanted to bring something more memorable than just showing up with a generic dessert from the store like most people do.
What I noticed was that the cookie cakes became conversation pieces. People would gather around them, take photos, post them on social media, and ask who made them. Over time, more and more people started requesting custom cakes for their own events, and that slowly evolved into JakesCakes ATX.
Before fully leaning into entrepreneurship, I had a pretty diverse professional background. I was involved in politics back in Wisconsin, where I’m originally from, before transitioning into banking and later spending years working in supply chain, procurement, manufacturing, and process improvement roles. A lot of those experiences unexpectedly helped shape how I approach building a business — from operations and logistics to branding, customer experience, and long-term growth strategy.
At the same time, I’ve always had a strong creative side through art, branding, design, and product creation. JakesCakes ATX became the place where I could combine creativity, business, community, and hospitality into one brand.
As someone heavily involved in fitness and wellness communities, I also wanted to create desserts that balanced indulgence with better ingredients and functionality. I’ve always had a sweet tooth and loved desserts, but I also cared about fitness, health, and performance. That eventually led me to start experimenting with cleaner organic ingredients, higher-protein recipes, and performance-inspired desserts that still tasted indulgent and fun instead of feeling overly restrictive.
What makes JakesCakes ATX different is that I never wanted it to feel like “just dessert.” I wanted it to feel like part of the experience. Whether it’s a birthday, a gym activation, a brand event, or just friends getting together, the goal is to create something that stands out, gets remembered, and brings energy to the room.
Since then, the brand has expanded into custom cookie cakes, cookies, cookie dough pops, protein desserts, and collaborations throughout Austin’s fitness, wellness, and entrepreneur communities. What started as something fun I did for friends has now grown into a business and creative brand that continues to evolve every year.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, and honestly, I think that’s part of entrepreneurship that people don’t always see from the outside looking in.
One of the biggest challenges has been balancing creativity with the realities of building and scaling a business. When you first start, you’re doing everything yourself — recipe development, baking, decorating, deliveries, social media, customer service, sourcing ingredients, finances, and events — often all in the same day.
Another challenge was entering a market where a lot of people initially viewed cookie cakes as just a basic grocery store dessert. Part of the journey has been educating people that what we create is much more customized, premium, artistic, and experience-driven than what they may traditionally associate with cookie cakes.
There’s also been the challenge of staying true to my vision while continuing to evolve the business. Since I’m involved in fitness and wellness communities myself, I wanted to create desserts using cleaner organic ingredients and higher-protein options that still tasted indulgent and exciting. Finding the right balance between health-conscious products and desserts people genuinely crave took a lot of experimentation and refinement.
Beyond the operational side, I think one of the hardest parts of entrepreneurship is the mental side of it. Some days you have huge wins that make you feel unstoppable, and other days you face setbacks, slow periods, financial pressure, self-doubt, or uncertainty about the future. A lot of entrepreneurship becomes a constant battle of mindset — learning how to manage stress, stay confident during difficult periods, and continue showing up consistently even when things don’t go according to plan.
Like many entrepreneurs, there have been long hours, uncertainty, and moments where I had to figure things out in real time. My background in politics, banking, supply chain, and process improvement actually helped me stay adaptable and solution-oriented during those moments.
At the same time, many of those obstacles helped shape the brand into what it is today. Building relationships within Austin’s fitness, entrepreneur, and creative communities has played a huge role in helping JakesCakes ATX grow organically through word-of-mouth and collaboration. Looking back, I think every challenge pushed me to become more creative, resilient, and intentional about where I want to take the business moving forward.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
JakesCakes ATX is a custom dessert and experiential dessert brand based in Austin, Texas that specializes in handcrafted cookie cakes, cookies, cookie dough pops, and performance-inspired desserts made with high-quality ingredients. At its core, the brand is about creating desserts that feel memorable, creative, and personal rather than generic.
What really sets us apart is the combination of artistry, customization, and functionality. We create everything from highly customized celebration cookie cakes and branded corporate desserts to higher-protein and health-conscious options made with cleaner organic ingredients. Since I’m heavily involved in Austin’s fitness and wellness communities myself, I wanted to prove that desserts could still feel indulgent and exciting while also aligning with a more health-conscious lifestyle.
A lot of people know us for our oversized custom cookie cakes and bold designs, but also for the energy and experience surrounding the brand. I’ve always viewed desserts as more than just food — they become centerpieces at events, conversation starters, and part of the memory people take away from gatherings.
Another thing that makes JakesCakes ATX unique is how connected the brand is to Austin’s community culture. We’ve collaborated with gyms, fitness studios, creators, entrepreneurs, wellness events, and local businesses throughout the city. A huge part of the business has grown organically through community relationships, word-of-mouth, pop-ups, and event activations.
Brand-wise, I’m probably most proud that something which originally started as me baking for friends has evolved into a recognizable local brand with its own identity and loyal following. I’m also proud that we’ve been able to carve out our own lane by blending creativity, hospitality, fitness culture, and premium desserts into something that feels different from traditional bakeries.
Looking ahead, the vision is much bigger than just custom cakes. I want JakesCakes ATX to continue expanding into retail products, protein and performance-inspired desserts, larger brand collaborations, and unique food experiences while continuing to keep creativity, community, and quality at the center of everything we do.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up in Wisconsin, I was always extremely creative, curious, and driven. My mom taught me how to bake when I was around 3 years old, and I grew up in a household full of homemade desserts, so food, creativity, and family were always closely connected for me. My dad also worked for Nabisco managing one of their regional warehouses, so desserts and treats were just naturally part of my environment growing up.
Art was a huge part of my childhood as well. When I was around 7 years old, I drew a picture of Knuckles from Sonic the Hedgehog that ended up getting published in Sonic Comics Issue #21. After seeing that, my elementary school principal actually sent me to college-level art classes for a couple of months because they recognized my artistic ability early on. I also took Disney animation classes growing up, and later in middle school I painted a dinosaur mural at the hospital where my mom worked.
Looking back, creativity and wanting to build or improve things was always naturally part of my personality. Even before entrepreneurship, I always questioned why things were done a certain way and looked for ways to improve them rather than just accepting the status quo. I had a very curious mindset and constantly wanted to improve both the world around me and myself.
Fitness also became a major part of my life early on because both of my parents were Olympic lifters in college. I learned how to weight train in middle school, and health and fitness have stayed part of my lifestyle ever since. Over time, that eventually influenced the healthier and higher-protein side of JakesCakes ATX because I wanted to create desserts that could still feel indulgent and exciting while incorporating cleaner ingredients and more functional nutrition.
I was also fortunate to grow up in a very wholesome and supportive family environment where we focused heavily on creating memorable experiences together, especially through family vacations and shared moments. Looking back now, I think a lot of those early experiences shaped the way I approach business today — creating things that feel memorable, bring people together, and leave a lasting impression.
Pricing:
- Protein Cookies: Starting at $5 each or 4-packs available
- Cookie Dough Pops: Starting around $4 each
- Custom 16” Cookie Cakes: Starting around $60+ depending on design complexity and customization
- Custom Corporate & Event Orders: Pricing varies based on quantity, branding, and activation needs
- Specialty Options Available: Higher-protein, organic ingredient, gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, and keto-friendly options
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jakescakesatx.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jakescakesatx/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jakescakesatx/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/jakescakes-atx-austin-2
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@jakescakesatx
