Meet Beyanka Saenz | Custom Cookie Artist/Baker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Beyanka Saenz and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Beyanka, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
My work life balance has changed tremendously over the past couple of years. My kids were young when I first began making custom sugar cookies so I would work on them only when they were asleep. The icing dries fairly quickly. The top layer of icing will dry within minutes and the slightest tap could cause it to crack if it isn’t completely dry. Which is also why I have to work pretty fast when applying the icing so that it all dries at the same time, creating a smooth surface. My kids required my undivided attention with them being so little and that made it hard to work quickly with the icing. So I would work while they slept. Now that they are older, they’re more understanding and patient with me when I’m in the kitchen. My oldest, Milan, is a great helper with her brother and sister. She keeps them busy for me now that I’m taking on more orders than ever before. For the most part now, I try to knock out as much of my orders as I can while the kiddos are with their dad so that when they are with me, I get to spend time with them.

Alright, what sets you apart from others?
I think what sets me apart from others is my willingness to meet requests that I have no experience with. You want gluten-free cookies? You got it. A mini 3-tier cookie cake? You got it. Cookies for your dogs 3rd birthday? You got it! I try my best to accommodate requests to the best of my abilities. I recently started receiving requests for orders of hundreds of cookies at a time and I reluctantly had to decline them because I just didn’t have enough time or the man power to make an order of that magnitude. Many of those orders were for company and event logos so I started a fundraiser to help me purchase an edible ink printer. By day 10 of the fundraiser going live, I received approximately 20% of the cost of the printer in donations from family and friends. By day 20, I was driving home with the printer. My children’s’ father had selflessly bought it without my knowledge and gave it to me as I was dropping them off. Shortly after receiving the printer and with help from “my village”, I completed my first order of more than 800 cookies and I’ve been on cloud nine ever since. That order pushed me to my limits emotionally and physically but I couldn’t be more proud to say that I completed it.
Getting to where I am today hasn’t been easy but I’ve made it here because of my persistence and and determination to keep learning.
I’ve learned so much in my three years of baking and decorating cookies. I’ve learned to allocate time for things to go wrong. I’ve learned to never bite off more than I can chew unless I want to be burnt out and resent myself. But mostly I’ve learned to give myself grace.
I want the world to know that Bee’s Flour Shop is more than just cookies. After my kids, it’s my pride and joy and I’m always striving to improve and expand my services.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’ll be honest…I’ve been kind of a homebody for the past couple of years and haven’t explored many new places but we would definitely need to visit Smoke Sessions BBQ in Royse City. Margaritas and tacos are also a must!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to the people I call “my village”. (There are too many to name them all, but they know who they are). Without them, I couldn’t do this. They motivate me and help me brainstorm. They feed me and help me with my kids when I’m up, days on end, fighting to complete an order. They offer words of encouragement and reassurance that I CAN and WILL be successful. I am forever grateful for their love and support and I wouldn’t be nearly as close to accomplishing my goals as I am now if it weren’t for them.

Instagram: @beesflourshop

Facebook: Facebook.com/beesflourshop