Today we’d like to introduce you to Courtney Long
Hi Courtney , we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My name is Courtney Long Owner of Le Petite Southern Treats ! I’m a self taught cottage baker in spring Texas. Ever since I remember I have loved food cooking and baking and just wanting to put a smile on someone’s face through my flavors and designs. As all the other girls were playing with Barbie’s and baby dolls I was in my play kitchen whipping up all the best imaginary food and of course the iconic easy bake oven was my favorite birthday present of all time! I grew up in a home where my mom rarely cooked or baked but my mema (grandma) who lived next door did and she was the best baker and cook but would never let me help , the closest I ever got to getting into my memas kitchen was she would let me peel potatoes or snap green beans , you know the not fun stuff . Since she was so close I would be there after school hanging out with her and when cable came around we started watching the food network together and it was constantly on everyday and that opened my eyes to even more and I fell in love with culinary arts even more. Through the years I have been in the hospitality customer service industry . I have worked with some amazing small buissness owners that just started and took a leap on their dream and I have seen them put hard work in and they have succeeded in amazing ways! Along the years I have worked at building others people’s dream but this past August I finally felt it was to take that leap and start building my own. I quit my demanding 24hr on call job and took my last $700 and put it into building my brand and gathering supplies for an up coming farmers market. You never know unless you try! I would rather fail and know that I tried to live my dream then to just sit back and think ,what if?? Of course I would always spoil my co workers with my baking and they would always say I should go into business but again it was leap I wasn’t ready to take quite yet. But finally I did and I have been doing farmers markets on the weekends and it’s been an awesome start to my journey and have met some of the most hardworking kind amazing people who want to help and want you to succeed ! And I can thank them enough for what they have been teaching me along this journey of mine! I have always had a love for cooking and baking but baking does something to my soul and mind and is just my therapy. So to be able to share all my edible art with people and maybe take them back to their childhood and bring back memories is an blessed opportunity to have. I specialize in custom cakes, macarons, cookies , pastries, breads and all desserts! What I think sets me apart from other bakers is I put so much care and thought and love into every homemade creation. This has always been my passion and I just want to share it with as many people as I can. I don’t come from money and don’t have a dime in savings but I have a dream and faith that this is going to take off into something bigger! And that something bigger is hopefully a store front one day and I will keep reaching until that happens! Until then you can find me at local farmers markets and events! I take all custom orders for weddings, birthdays, or any special occasions or just because it’s Tuesday ! I will be so happy to create your delicious dessert and you would be helping a small business owner live her dream!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I wouldn’t say it’s been a smooth road at all but I’m blessed with this opportunity . With my previous job I worked so much so there was no way to balance baking and working and farmers markets so I sacarficed my steady income for not knowing where my next cake order was going to come in . So things are a little tighter these days but that comes with the risk .
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Le Petite Southern Treats?
I make your “sweet” dreams come true! I create quality, beautiful, detailed homemade desserts that truly are made with love! I do custom cakes for all occasions, decorated royal icing cookies, specialty cookies, French macarons, pasties, breads and all things dessert! I have always had an infatuation with French baking and there very simple ingredients but huge flavors packed in small pastries and beautiful desserts but I’m also a southern girl from Texas that also enjoys a great pecan pie or butter cake so my branding came from those two loves and le Petite Southern Treats was created.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I’m pretty much an open book when it comes to my life but I would say that if I was to tell them I used to be very shy and fear of public speaking or just speaking in general lol I was the quiet one and feared to talk to anyone. I’m very extroverted now as an 33 yr old and don’t meet a stranger ! And that is all thanks to the customer service industry shout out to ihop for giving me a server job when I was 17 and no one else would.That is literally what broke my shell and then all the other server jobs after that each one broke down a barrier molded me into a confident woman I am today and How can talk to anyone and look them in the eye and not feel anxeity.
Contact Info:
- Facebook: Lepetitesoutherntreats
Image Credits
Took photos myself
