Welcome to 411 in the 510’s segment: Meet the Bay Area Small Business Owner. In this area, we interview small business owners doing what they love. Whether it’s their complete 9-5 or a side hustle, we love to see it!
Hear from Tina Le, a San Jose baker, and owner of The Little Baker. Spoiler alert: she has great tips for aspiring small business owners!
OK – time to brag about The Little Baker. What do you do?!
I make bento cakes and other cute treats! Bento cakes are tiny, 4-inch cakes in a lunchbox. I’m from an Asian background, so I love incorporating those kinds of flavors into my bakes. I’m most well known for my 3D animal, anime, and cute character designs!
What’s the best thing about being a small business owner?
Being able to connect with so many amazing people and being my own boss!
What’s a typical day like for you?
Wake up, go to my kitchen space to do cake designs, give out orders, prep cakes for tomorrow, go home, gym, hang out with my boyfriend, and do it all over again the next day!
What advice do you have for aspiring small business owners?
- Take the leap! Stop waiting to open your business just because you don’t have everything together yet. Stop focusing on the little details and focus on your bigger picture. Opening a business is a learning process, and the sooner you start, the more time you have to perfect your craft!
- You’re gonna need to put yourself out there if you really want to succeed. I definitely felt cringey/weird doing this in the beginning, but looking back now, I realize that it made me so much more confident in myself today.
- Put yourself first, always. You don’t live for your business, and if you continually take on more than you can handle, you’re definitely gonna burn out.
CONTACT THE LITTLE BAKER
- Website: thelittlebakersj.com
- Instagram: @thelittlebaker_sj
- Facebook: The Little Baker
- TikTok: @thelittlebaker_sj
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