If you live in Philadelphia and are a serious foodie, then you have probably seen (and if you’re lucky, tasted) some of the edible goodies made by Zoë Lukas, local baker/artist and owner of Whipped Bakeshop. In the past few months, Zoë has sweetened up Philadelphia by baking the cake for Betsy Ross and Ben Franklin’s wedding, creating a Philadelphia themed cake for the cover of City Paper, and making cookies for Pat Burrell’s birthday (what a way to display Phillies pride). Zoë Lukas is a prime example of a successful entrepreneur.
I had the opportunity to ask Zoë some questions about her entrepreneurial journey that led to the opening Whipped Bakeshop, and I’m so excited to share her answers with you. Enjoy!
When and why did you decide that you wanted to open your own business?
I think I started seriously thinking about opening my own bakery in 2003, just before my husband and I moved to Philly so he could attend grad school at Temple. Back then, I didn’t have any professional baking experience, so I offered to work for free at Petit 4 in Old City (now closed) and they took me up on it. I was hooked.
Flash forward to the summer of 2006 when I finally had the courage to quit my administrative job and accept a full-time pastry chef position at Susanna Foo Gourmet Restaurant. However, I soon grew frustrated because I wanted to create my own designs instead of repeating the same dishes over and over. I started baking from home, a friend designed me a simple logo and website, and pretty soon orders started coming in. Once some bloggers and other press started to take notice, I felt ready to open a full-scale kitchen and that’s in the works right now.
The road to Whipped Bakeshop has been a long, gradual one–but in some ways it has felt inevitable. At this point it would take a mighty big roadblock to deter me from moving forward.
What was your first pleasant surprise after opening Whipped Bakeshop?
People want to order stuff! You make a thing, put it out there and buzz starts building. Especially with desserts, you’re making people happy. It’s very satisfying.
What was your biggest challenge?
Getting the business plan done and figuring out how to structure the business was a tough process because it was outside my realm of expertise. I know my way around a spreadsheet pretty well, but this was on a whole new level. I just wanted to be in the studio and kitchen coming up with ideas and baking. Finishing the business plan felt like wrestling a grizzly bear, but in the end I was victorious.
What are your thoughts on the Philadelphia food scene?
Well, I like to eat, and Philly loves to cook. It’s a match made in heaven, really. There are so many great places to eat, and really passionate chefs and cooks making food here. The emphasis on fresh, local ingredients makes all the (delicious) difference.
How do you grow your business and attract customers?
Right now, the Internet and word of mouth are my main sources of growth. I have also received some fantastic press (Daily Candy, City Paper, Philadelphia Wedding Magazine), which certainly hasn’t hurt anything. I use Flickr (I started that account long before my official website, and it’s a fantastic tool) and Twitter often, and I try to send out a monthly newletter of what’s happening at the bakeshop.
What advice would you give to entrepreneurs in Philadelphia?
To steal Nike’s line… Just do it! If you have a dream, talk to your friends–talk to everyone! See if you can make it real. Philadelphia is full of amazing people who are ready to help.
What was your favorite cake/cookie?
The coolest order to date came from Michelle Burrell, the wife of Phillies left fielder Pat Burrell. She ordered 200 cookies (they were of a picture of him as a kid) for his birthday as a surprise during the playoff series against the Dodgers. I got to deliver the cookies to the clubouse for the team, and some were sent on the plane trip out to L.A. with them. She told me that Pat and the team loved the goodies–what more could I ask for?
Any future plans for Whipped Bakeshop?
You bet. We have a super-secret Philly location picked out for our new kitchen and it’s going to be sweet. Our financing is just about nailed down, so you can look for that next year. I’m giddy with excitement.
Alexis Siemons is a freelance writer and creative business consultant living in Philadelphia. She has a passion for language and explores it in her blog,
The Lexicon . When not using both hands to feverishly type, she balances a teacup in one while working on her
tea blog.
Dave Speers is an online marketing consultant and start-up junky that has worked with a wide variety of Philadelphia businesses. Dave spends most his time annoying really smart people at Indy Hall co-working collaborative.
Entrepreneur, Statesman, diplomat, educator, inventor, author, printer, philosopher, scientist, shopkeeper, musician, economist, public servant and American hero.
