Side Moxie: Sweet Success as a Side Hustle

This mom of three turned to her kitchen to cure boredom and make extra dough. Find out about her side hustle in “Side Moxie!”

Name: Cosette Strong
9 to 5 Job: Intervention Specialist
Side Hustle: The Cake Chick

What is your side hustle?
I specialize in creating gourmet sweet treats for every occasion. Everything I make is from scratch using all-natural ingredients and I locally source as much as possible. I have even expanded my menu to include gluten-free and vegan gourmet sweet treats!

Her Moxie Mix: Who is your business mentor?

My business and culinary mentor is Jeni Britton Bauer, of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams. I affectionately refer to her as my ‘culinary crush’. Much to my surprise, as I was deciding whether to embark on this journey, I ran into Jeni…at the opening of her newest scoop shop in German Village. She shared some really valuable wisdom and advice with me. I really admire her commitment to our community and to making the best products possible.

Why did you start The Cake Chick?
About 6 years ago, my twin boys were born. Being able to stay home and see my sons thrive and grow was a great experience, but I found myself bored and wanting something more. For their first birthday, I decided to experiment with making a fondant cake for them. At the time, I was part of a personal training group of women and I was lamenting about the difficulties that come with creating fondant cakes. Word of mouth spread from there.

Her Moxie Mix: What tech/gadget could you not live without?

I couldn’t live without my KitchenAid Professional mixer. It was one of the first pieces of equipment I bought.

How much time do you dedicate to the hustle?
I dedicate 5-10 hours every week doing this. If I am making a gourmet fondant or buttercream cake, depending on the complexity of the creation, I have been known to pull all-nighters working until I get it just right. It’s become a passion for me, so the sleepless nights don’t bother me.

Her Moxie Mix: What is your favorite motivational quote?

“Sweet genius isn’t a whisper, it’s a roar.” – Ron Ben-Israel. While The Cake Chick started out as a whisper in my life, it’s now a full-on lioness roar. I dream about cakes.

What is your biggest biz challenge?

My biggest business challenge is balancing The Cake Chick with the rest of the things going on in my world. I have family and want to take care of them in the best possible way. Sometimes, though, I have to sacrifice time with them in order to accomplish things for the business. Thankfully, they are supportive of my endeavors and understand when I can’t always do every single thing for them. In the long run, this is partly for them, and I think they understand that.

Share your story. Do you have an interesting side hustle that is making dough? Tell us about it and you may be featured in our next “Side Moxie” column.

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