Today we’d like to introduce you to Sara Johnson.
Hi Sara, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I lost my hearing in 2003. Literally lost it in 4 days. When that happened I had to quit college and my full time job. When my husband and I married, we started our family and have 4 beautiful children. When they started attending school I decided to volunteer on our school’s PTC committee, as treasurer. As we planned our events I offered to bake cupcakes to offset our costs. And, they loved the cupcakes. They LOVED them! The teachers started asking me to make them for their own personal celebrations. I was baking for their child’s birthdays, bridal showers, and even my first wedding. That all started in 2017. As the year went on, I decided to formally begin the process of becoming Miss Sara’s Northern Treats Cupcakery. By 2018 I had my cottage foods license and began to sell cupcakes out of my home. In 2021 my little cupcakery had grown so much that I just wasn’t able to continue doing so much volume in my kitchen. We started construction on my new cupcakery which was previously the garage. We transformed it into an amazing space where I am able to bake in a separate kitchen and then also have a space for my consultations with brides and where customer orders are picked up. This new space allowed me to continue to work from home so I could still be with our children. It’s an amazing space and has been such a blessing to us!
That is where I have been, and still am today. It’s been incredible and the sweet teachers of our Grand Rapids Elementary schools are who I get to thank for getting me started. I love them all so, so much!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s been a mostly smooth road for me. The biggest obstacle was of course my hearing loss. Trying to find ways to take orders when I can’t use the phone was probably my biggest obstacle. My website has a messaging system for placing orders so that was extremely helpful and has been the perfect solution for me. My customers are able to text me as well. Our technological advances have made things so much easier for the deaf/hard of hearing. I love that!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
When I started the cupcakery I was only offering gourmet cupcakes. Cakes were not a part of my menu. They weren’t even something I wanted to do. But, I had a friend that was getting married and begged me to do her wedding cake. I was extremely nervous but agreed. Once I made that cake, that’s when something inside me clicked.
I was now a full blown cake decorator and wanted more. My first summer of decorating cakes I did 35 weddings in 7 months. It was crazy! It was amazing! And, I was creating beautiful cakes and had no idea that I could even do that! I was on cloud 9!
There’s something incredible that happens when a customer asks me to create something for them. My mind starts racing, I get all of these fun ideas, and then my hands just start working. I get to make these beautiful cakes for them that taste good, too! Its thrilling and such a joy!
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
The city of Grand Rapids is such an amazing place. I wouldn’t be Miss Sara without it. Our community is encouraging and it’s incredibly supportive to small businesses. There isn’t anything that I dont like about living here. We truly have so much to be thankful for in our beautiful city.
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