You know what I really love? The excited look on a five-year old's face when they see the image of their favorite character on their birthday cake. I get a kick out of hearing from people who say they were never really into chocolate, or thought they didn't like brownies—until they tasted one of mine. One of the greatest compliments I have ever received was given to me without a single word being uttered. I was at a party I provided desserts for and I watched a man sitting not too far from me—devouring one of my red velvet cupcakes. When he had finished it off, he took his fork, scraped it across the bottom of the paper wrapper and put whatever residue there was left, in his mouth. I beamed from ear to ear.
The Brownie Pan started off as a side gig. I began by baking cakes and desserts for the office where I worked. Supplying the office with sweets eventually branched out into taking personal orders from several of my colleagues. From those orders, word began to spread. As my business grew, so did my desire to commit to operating The Brownie Pan full time. I began to take a good hard look at what was stopping me from pursuing my dream; it panned out to one thing—fear. What if I failed? What if I lost everything? As I prayed over the decisions I began to face, a few things became crystal clear to me. First of all fear is never a good reason to stay where you are. It also became evident that baking is one of my God-given gifts. It is my passion. I don't just want to do it—I have to do it. It is one of the ways I love on people, which probably explains why I find myself hugging many of my customers.
Finally, in the summer of 2008, I took the plunge into full time self employment despite the hurdles of a declining economy and lean cash flow. I have never been happier with my work since I stepped out on faith. Many would argue that I am far from successful when looking at the numbers, but in my estimation success is achieved the moment you step out and do you. Sure, I want to make more money, and I will, but the sense of fulfillment I have gained by pursuing my passion is a sugar high that I am hopelessly addicted to.
