Meet Carrie Rodreguiz | Professional Cake Decorator

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

Hi Carrie, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
This question deeply resins with me because I’ve found myself in this situation more times than not. I’ve started so many businesses that didn’t work out it was crazy but I know in my body and in my soul I’m here for a greater purpose I just had to keep looking. From drawing tattoos, painting shoes, designing swimwear, baking any and everything for anyone who’d give me the time of day, to now successfully building my Cake business I don’t think knowing when to give up or keep going is the way I’d personally look at it I think it was more of a knowing when you keep going or when to Pivot. Honestly like I’ve previously stated I know in my heart I’m here for a greater purpose, giving up is never an option and even when the thought starts to creep in my mind the strong women in my family young and older remind me that sometimes the only way out is through.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am an artist with many mediums my favorite at the moment would be cake designing and decorating of course. I’m not sure what sets me apart from other cake decorators because I don’t like to compare myself to anyone but who I was yesterday but what I will say is that I love to come from a point of service and giving rather than “I just wanna take your money”. I love to bring peoples vision to life when it comes to cakes whether I have to draw it out for them so they can see it or they give me full creative freedom to draw something up for them and then go forward and create that. I got here in kind of in a weird way I almost stumbled on it because caking wasn’t some thing that I just set my sights on doing, right after Nate passed away I left my job and took a month off and just completely fell off the face of the earth. Eventually I ended up finding Tom thumb and they were looking for a cake decorator I already kind of did that at home I was selling sweets and things like that, I told then that I had a little bit of experience but not a whole lot and I was a homebase decorator and they kind of just took a chance on me from there. I ended up fitting there pretty well and it was almost like getting paid to grow my talents and then from there I was actually pushed by one of my coworkers really one of my friends Kristin she actually did cakes outside of work too as a business and she’s like you definitely should do this and she kind of walk me through how to go about getting started in the beginning stages. This process was not easy by any means because I made 1 million mistakes dealing with losing my brother and having to make cakes and even on the days where I didn’t wanna get out of bed I already had a deposit and I already had this person depending on me on what could be one of the best days of their life but in the back of my mind still battling the demons of yesterday in my mind. No matter what I made sure I pushed through because even if I found it hard to show up for myself I was never going to not show up for someone else That believed in me enough to put their cake dreams in my little hot hands. Lessons that I’ve learned so far is that when it comes to not knowing if you’re good enough whatever you believe in that statement is true whatever YOU believe. You don’t have to be perfect you don’t have to be ready you don’t have to be unafraid you just have to start you don’t even have to believe in yourself to start you just have to start and from there you’ll build up momentum and confidence and you’ll still probably be your own worst critic and that’s OK too but just don’t forget to be kind to yourself and love yourself and understand that no matter how big the mistake is as long as your heart is in the right place and you’re willing to fix it that it’s OK nothing is the end of the world especially if your heart is in the right place. One thing I want people to understand about my brand in my story is that my story is not about me it’s about spreading awareness just love yourself love your family love those who love on you and don’t be afraid to let your light shine because dimming your light won’t help anybody shine brighter always be the best YOU you can be because you can’t be the best anybody else you have to be the best you every single day one percent better is better than no percent better.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
This is kind of a funny question for me because I’m not really the going out type I really love my own space and to be home but when I do go out I love to be in places that stimulate my mind I love going to the modern art museum or to the botanical gardens I love that little park I’m not sure what the park is called but it’s like right across the street from the botanical gardens and it’s just like this Humongous park with a really long trail there’s a lot of like graffiti art down there too which is insanely beautiful definitely check it out if you haven’t

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to dedicate my shout out to my family. Without my family I’m nothing they mean everything to me they push me when I’m scared they root for me when I’m being my harshest critic. A small part of my family consists of Jose, My mom Cassandra, my sisters Destiny and Akirra, and my brother Nate. Unfortunately we lost Nate January 19, 2022 to gun violence, Up until that point my sisters and I had never experienced death especially not with someone so extremely close to us, it’s always been the four of us against the world, Nate was our built-in protector. Even with that tragic traumatic experience I can say the Lord, God, the universe really gained an amazing soul back home and he is one of the biggest reasons why I am relentless in everything that I do because you never know when your time in up here on earth. Everyday we’re all running on borrowed time and that just put it into perspective in an extremely real way. Also shout out to my beautiful nieces and nephews Addy, Millie, Adrian, and Tre and my California family Tee and Leka love you all so much

Instagram: Cakes.bycarrie

Facebook: Carrie Rodriguez