Entrepreneurship can open up a world of possibilities, and that is what we can see from Maya Galpern, a sophomore at UW-Madison with a sweet tooth.
While Maya didn’t always envision herself as an entrepreneur, she states: “I knew that I wanted to sell my cakes and I wanted to go into marketing, most likely in the food industry. But until I realized that ‘oh actually I like this a lot’ that maybe I could translate this into a job.” Pursuing a double major in marketing and entrepreneurship has allowed Maya to explore the idea of starting her own business.
Maya’s startup, Bakes with Maya, based in Denver, Colorado, has an emphasis on flavors for an array of treats for every occasion. Her love for baking dates back to middle school, prompting her to gain more professional experience with sweet threats through working on a dessert food truck and their promissory kitchen. As the Covid-19 pandemic shut down schools and businesses, Maya saw it as an opportunity to start her venture, crafting a diverse menu of flavors, including her personal favorite, Cookies and Cream. The initial marketing efforts began on Facebook and expanded beyond her immediate circle, reaching a wider audience.
While running the business has been primarily out of her home, Maya is incredibly grateful that her operations have run smoothly to now. Currently, Maya is taking her first entrepreneurship course, MHR 322- Entrepreneurial Management, and notes, “I am excited to see what it entails and what it teaches me about the business I manage”. Maya knows that she has a lot to learn, particularly from her business classes taken in the Wisconsin School of Business. Maya acknowledges her parent’s support in her business, saying: “I was very fortunate that my parents were willing to pay for my ingredients and I would just give a portion of my proceeds back to them. Being at school and taking accounting classes last semester and then going home and running my business, I started to realize that I should be keeping track of inventory and expenses.” Maya hopes that her degree will help with learning the ins and outs of running a business.
Another important note to make is that Maya is not only passionate about baking but also making a difference to important causes. When she started her business, she donated 10% to the Black Lives Matter 5280 Mission. Now, through her sorority Bi Beta Phi on campus, she has been donating 10% to Logan’s Heart and Smiles, which helps improve accessibility in homes for children with disabilities. Maya emphasizes how fulfilling it is to be able to tie all her passions, her sorority and love for baking, to make an impact.
Of course, operating a cake business can be tricky, especially as a college student. Maya recounts the many trial runs with cakes to please her customers. Acknowledging this balancing act, Maya has faced tradeoffs between her love for baking and managing a business. She says, “In the beginning, I said yes to too many people. I was overwhelmed with orders, and I just didn’t have enough time to bake which led to being stressed. I know that getting orders seems to be a good problem to have but at one point I couldn’t fulfill what I accepted.”
With this, Maya is hesitant to go into the food industry, saying: “I’m still trying to decide if I want to go into the food industry. As much as I love it, I don’t want to burn myself out or stop loving it. I can definitely see it being a side business depending on where I live and if I have the right customer base.” And while the future may not be known or certain, it is Maya’s commitment, hard work, and dedication to her craft that is something that her seventeen-year-old entrepreneurial self would be most proud of.
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