To Market, To Market

This past Saturday I debuted my cakeball business at the Downtown Farmers Market.  It was amazing, exhausting, exciting, fun, and did I mention exhausting?!   I loved every second of it, but I'll go over the highlights. 
I felt so blessed to have such amazing friends show up to support me in this endeavour; Jana helped me all day and then Jessica, Amy, Stacy, Matt, Dan F and so many of his friends, Gabalicious and Indi.  This string of people kept me going.  I loved talking with people, at one point I mentioned I had a day job, he asked me what I do for a living.  So I told him about my day job and then said " and "I Hustle my cakeballs on the side."  That is exactly what I did. I totally Hustled.  Every person that walked by I smiled and attempted to engage them in conversation about my cakeballs.  I was amazed at how that is really all it took.  By the end of the day I was beat, but I had a really cute guy start talking with me.  I mentioned that my Cap'n Crunch cakeball was my original ccreation, which is hard to do these days.  He looked me square in the eyes, smiled, and said " I seriously doubt you have a hard time being original."  For whatever reason, his comment completely made my day.    I'm hoping he comes back for another cakeball.  I will be back at the market Next Saturday July 23rd.  Stop by my booth and say hi. 

The Fear of Failure and the Joy of Success

I have thought so much about the book, the Alchemist this past two weeks.  Its about a boy who sets off on a journey to find a treasure he had a dream about.
A couple months back, while doing recipe research for my cousin's 400 wedding cupcakes, I stumbled upon the Cakeball.  I had never had cakeball or even heard about one at that point, but it looked amazing, so I stashed the idea away for a future use.
At my first opportunity I took my favorite pink grapefruit cupcake recipe and converted it into a cakeball.  They were so delicious.  I started making them for any and every event and then the idea hit me cakeballs are to die for good, it's a new thing, and I have a far more unique twist than any cakeballs I have seen.  All of the other cakeballs I have found are boring. i.e. Chocolate, white cake, red velvet.  I could make a successful business with these little balls of heaven and doing it being creative.
Goodness Gracious Cakeballs was born.  I am loving making cakeballs for birthday parties, baby showers, and the occasional bake sale, but I "had to step it up if I wanted to make it to nationals!"  So I applied for a booth at the Park City Farmers Market.  Im not going to lie, I was almost relieved that they didnt respond to my application for over a week.  I was off the hook, I could say I tried and that it was out of my hands.
But then I got the call that I was accepted and could register for the last 4 Sundays of the season.  Panic struck me with a furry!  I wasn't ready for this.  I couldn't do this.  There was too much to do, too little time.  
This is where the Alchemist comes in.

"There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure." The Alchemist

It helped me to remember that its ok to have fear, its not ok to not go for what I want because of that fear.

So I dove in head first, getting my food handlers permit, tax id #, finding and renting a commercial kitchen, purchasing everything I needed.
But when it comes to making over 500 cakeballs, I really couldnt do it all.
My other favorite quote from the Alchemist is:

"When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it." The Alchemist

I felt the truth of this in my very soul.
My mom, aunt, cousins, and friends spent countless hours helping me in the kitchen from sun up until the wee hours of the morning.  They did more than I ever could have asked of them or ever expected.  Long after exhaustion had kicked in, they were still there.  Bagging and bowing gorgeous little cakeballs.  Then three hours later showed back up at my house to head up to Park City and spend 11 hours on our feet. 
The universe did conspire to help me sell 400 cakeballs, it did conspire to help me move forward in achieving my dreams.  It also helped me to recognize the AMAZING people I have on my side, who believe in me, and love me.
There is nothing better in life than chasing my dreams.
Check our my website :  www.ggcakeballs.com or www.ggcakeballs.blogspot.com

 

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