Meet Debbie Goard | Cake artist

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

Hi Debbie, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
I’ve always known I wanted to be in a creative field. When I was starting out, I took on art commissions , painted murals, etc… Needless to say, this wasn’t as steady an income as I needed so I took a job in a deli/ bakery.It wasn’t long after I started there that they saw my artistic potential and asked me to try my hand at cake decorating. I’d never really done anything like this, unless you count a cake with a Victorian house drawn in icing made for a school project in 5th grade haha! I watched the soon to be retired cake decorator for about a week and I then made and subsequently sold, my very first professional cake. never content to do what was done before, I started experimenting with more complex cake projects. I truly didn’t really know what I was doing but I was learning a lot along the way.
Fast forward to 2001 ,I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area and took a job in an erotic bakery. Aside from the subject matter, the work was pretty routine, but I kept experimenting with cake. It was here that I really began to focus on sculpted cakes.. My coworker took notice of this and asked if I had ever considered starting my own business. Up until that moment, I really hadn’t . I started exploring the idea and had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to offer. Since there was so much competition in the bakery field, I decided that I was going to offer sculpted cakes exclusively. My vision was to only offer cakes that looked like other things, and absolutely no conventional cakes at all A few months later I launched a website to test the waters.to my surprise, the concept took off. I quit my “day” job 5 months later .

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Starting out, I had a lot of naysayers who insisted that I needed to expand my offerings to reach a larger customer base. Fortunately, I stuck to my vision. There was definitely a period in the beginning when I had to often explain what a sculpted cake even was. As I added to my portfolio, people started getting inspired by what I was doing and began to give me very challenging and rewarding projects. It would have been easy to try to be all things to everyone, but , ultimately, focusing on my unique skill set , I think has led to my longevity. This will be my 16th year in business. I’ve been able to achieve several goals throughout the years, from having a book published internationally to working with high profile clients replicating products for product launches, promotions, etc… I cannot say that any of this has been easy. As most people in my field can attest, working with a perishable medium with looming deadlines, the hours can be very long. Nearly every day is spent either producing or delivering work. Over the years my family has become accustomed to the fact I will usually be working on the weekend. Finding a work life balance can be the biggest challenge of all so I try to take time each day to “shut off”. Working for yourself , it can be tempting to keep odd hours, but for me I vowed from the beginning to treat this as I would any other job and have structured work hours. This is not to say that sometimes I won’t have to start work very early or work late as a project demands, but staying focused helps me stay on schedule. I try hard to maintain hours that resemble a “normal” workday whenever possible to avoid burnout. I’m not always successful and I really feel the affects when I am not. I also strictly adhere to a no emails after hours rule. Having some clear boundaries between work and home help me recharge so I can come back to my projects refreshed and excited about the work.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am so fortunate to live in an area where there is so much variety. Every person who visits us will definitely be treated to breakfast several times at a place in the heart of Oakland’s produce district, Oakland Grill. Oakland Grill is a really hearty breakfast spot with open air seating and delicious food. What struck me most when I moved here was how diverse the population was. Oakland Grill always seems like a microcosm of that diversity and it makes me really proud to live here. It’s a great way to start the day .After breakfast , we’re only steps away from Jack London Square where a lively farmer’s market takes place several days a week. Jack London Square is right on the bay and offers amazing views of San Francisco. You can take a ferry there into the city. It’s a beautiful ride that beats the freeways any day! Once we’ve arrived we are within walking distance of one of the best museums in the world, SFMOMA. There’s so much to see along the way; always fun to show people the dynamic displays in the lobby of the Salesforce tower. Lunch time , I’d hop on a muni bus and head into Japantown’s Japan Center for amazing sushi and fun window shopping at some of the quirkiest shops. If Japanese isn’t your thing, a trip to the Mission district is always lively. The Mission is home to many burrito shops and no trip to the city is complete without having at least one. Taqueria El Farolito is THE best, but come with a giant appetite! After we’ve exhausted ourselves walking the hilly streets , one of my favorite spots is The Castro Theatre. Movie theater and historic landmark, the Castro has screenings of independent films along with live events like Sketchfest and Movie sing alongs. Always a fun night out!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would not be where I am professionally without the support and collaboration of my partner Chris. Chris is an industrial / product designer by trade . Over the years I have taken on increasingly complex projects, structurally speaking. Having a partner who not only offers constant encouragement, but can offer tangible expertise in creating projects that require skills far outside the usual cake milieu is absolutely invaluable. Because of his guidance I’ve been able to take on jobs that really set me apart from others in my field.

Website: http://debbiedoescakes.net

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealdebbiedoescakes/