Age: 23
Job: Owner of TOOT’s Cake Pops Courtesy Lanitra Turner
As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I can’t recall. Even to this day, I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up.
Describe your workday in three words.
I would say tedious, creative and fulfilling.
What tools could you not live or work without?
Cake ingredients, fondant, lollipop sticks and icing.
What steps brought you to this position?
I think I just needed an outlet, I needed a hobby. Something other than the regular 9-to-5 work schedule, something that allows me to be creative. It was at a Halloween Party for a kindergarten class and I was going to make something to take and it blossomed from there. Anybody can do them but what I think people like about mine is the creativity and the fact that they are very unique.
What’s the strangest aspect of your job?
Well I wouldn’t say strange, but the fact that I’m making cake on a stick is different. When people see them, most people think that they’re lollipops, and they’re taken back when I say it’s cake.
What’s the best thing about your job?
The best thing about what I do is the fact that I own it. I’m not working for anyone else, I do what I want to do and I’m allowed to be this creative.
What advice do you have for others who are interested in making their own baked goods and selling them?
Just do it (laughs). Practice makes perfect and, although it can be tedious and time consuming at times, it’s fun!
