Bellingham Cake Artist | Saltadena
This was the first cake Instagram I followed purely for the aesthetic, but the more I got to know Nancy the more I needed to meet her! Her sense of humor and adorable baby girl from her Insta stories are exactly the same in real life. This Boss lady is kicking booty in the wedding industry all the while being as real as anyone I know. There is no facade here! We're so happy to share Nancy's wisdom with you today, the only sugarcoating happening is on that delicious cake. She get's right down to buisness!
Saltadena
Saltadena is focused around creating custom, specialty cakes as well as a small collection of desserts for any occasion. Everything is created from scratch (minus the occasional Oreo or Fruity Pebble from time to time), as well as made in small batches, all by me. It’s the perfect marriage of two things I care for deeply---dessert and aesthetics.
Growing up in Metro Detroit, I always loved flexing my creative muscles and I always loved food. I spent a lot of time drawing and creating art, yet I would constantly find myself puttering around in the kitchen as well. Around the age of six or so I even made up a restaurant called “Tendy’s” and I’d sit and wait for the garage door to open---an indicator that my mother was home from work---and eagerly run to the door to meet her, menu in hand. So you put those things together and yes, I guess it makes sense that I ended up going down this particular path.
I opened Saltadena in December 2016, when my daughter Margot was just eight months old in a city that was still quite new to me. It’s made for an interesting challenge to say the least, but one that I’ve been completely game for and enjoyed immensely thus far. Even on a rough day I’m still making cakes for a living, and that’ll never stop being incredible to me.
What are some big trends you are seeing right now and how can we incorporate them into our everyday lives?
I see all sorts of different trends within the cake world, some I dig while others not so much. I only really follow the ones that still feel very true to me and my style (drip cakes, taller tiers, etc.), which is how I think a person should approach trends in general. Just do what feels right by you.
How do you balance being a #bosslady with having a family/life?
The short answer is that I don’t, or at least not as well as I wish I could. Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart, which is why I feel that it’s so important to pursue your passion. It makes all those little bumps in the road far more manageable.
What is a hardship or challenge you have had to overcome and how did you handle that?
Working from home can be quite challenging at times. Most nights after I put my daughter to bed I try to immediately get into work mode, but making that mental shift is difficult, especially after a long day of toddler-wrangling. I would say I overcome that by slamming a coffee when I need to and hoping for the best.
What is one moment you were really proud of in this #bosslady journey?
The feature I had in the latest issue of Seattle Met Bride & Groom was a very proud moment for me. And honestly, every time I get positive feedback from a client or fellow vendor, I’m smiling ear to ear and feeling my best. You can’t beat knowing that you’ve helped to make someone’s day. It truly is just the most incredible feeling, and such a big part of why I do what I do.
If you could give someone starting their own business any advice what would it be?
In my opinion it’s extremely invaluable to get on-the-job experience before starting your own thing (at least for what I do, I can’t speak to all fields of work). I may not have loved every single moment of my past jobs, but I learned a lot and wouldn’t trade the time for anything. You don’t need to rush it.
If you could grab coffee with ANY #BossLady, alive or dead, who would it be?
Mindy Kaling. Incredibly funny with an amazing work ethic, my kind of lady.
Thank you to Caylie of Caylie Mash Photography for volunteering your talents to capture Nancy doing her thing! Caylie has done a pretty good chunk of the photography on this blog as well as starred in her very own Boss Lady Feature! We love her dearly and are always so thankful to have her on our team!
