Today we’d like to introduce you to Shenda Goenha-Taylor.
Hi Shenda, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
When I was attending college and you take those freshmen orientation classes, one of the first things they asked us to do was to create a presentation with what we would like to do when we “grew up”.
For me, it was a toss-up between becoming a pastry chef or a nurse. I decided to go with the latter since I knew it was a stable field and I would make decent money. But once I was doing clinical I knew that my heart was not in it. Eventually, I ended up going to culinary school in Colorado and because working at cake shops and bakeries.
Then once I moved to San Antonio, and the pandemic hit, it was time to invest in myself and with the help of family and friends Della Doce Bakery was born and I haven’t looked back.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
With any business, there are hiccups and struggles along the way, but while I go through the ups and downs I have continued support and that is what has helped me along the way.
It is a small business, generating lots of income can be hard, eventually, I would like to dedicate all my time to it, but for now, all I am able to do is be at the markets on Saturdays and occasionally take on orders mid-week.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I own a baking business that I would like to eventually grow into something bigger. I bake cookies, quick bread, pies, cheesecakes, and anything you can think of I can probably make. One of my specialties is cinnamon rolls. The cinnamon rolls take me 3 days to make and they are topped with cream cheese frosting.
I also offer brownies, Whoopie pies and so much more. One of the things that I am proud of is that I have goods that people keep coming back for, and keeping consistent with my products is what at times sets me apart from others.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
My whole family has always pushed me to open something like this if not bigger, oftentimes they believe in me and my abilities than I do in myself! From my parents, in-laws, siblings, and friends I could not have asked for a better support system. Since day one of opening my business my father-in-law who I call Papa Tim goes out there and sets up my tent and tables at the market and comes back to break it down.
Sometimes my mother-in-law would come and sit with me all day for 7 hours to help me sell my product. My parents live out of the country but every Saturday my mom video calls me to give me a pep talk and prayers for how the rest of the day will go. She was able to come and visit this past summer and helped with packaging, setting up, and selling my product.
My aunt is often times the quality control person who gets to try items and lets me know if it’s great or okay. Post-market I often talk to my sister who acts as a marketing manager/social media director and offers up marketing advice and how best to maximize followed and fan base. I could not ask for a better and bigger support system.
Pricing:
- Brownies $4-6
- Cinnamon rolls $5-$24
- Scones $2-$10
- Banana bread $10-$15
- Cookies $6-$24
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/delladoce/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/delladocebakery/
