Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Figueroa.
Hi Michelle, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have loved baking all my life. My mom showed me simple recipes and from there I went kinda crazy trying new things and making my own recipes. I was working as a general manager and after 12 there, I was pregnant and covid hit. I was without a job and I was encouraged by family to take the leap and start a business. I did it scared pretty much. I managed a food establishment and already knew the food regulations and guidelines. I officially launched my business in Feb 2022. I started posting in my neighborhood page and in my city’s facebook page and people started to invite me to pop ups. I tried it and I loved that it gave me independence and finally working for something that was mine. I have been very blessed with a community that is very supportive and customers that were strangers and became really good friends of mine.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It was never a smooth road by far! It took time to build a schedule to fit my normal 8-5, my child and their activities/daily life, and doing all my baking, labels, and deliveries. Then you have the daily stuff like mixers breaking on me, having totes flip and losing product, having things be sacrificed to the sun as well. All a learning curve of course and thanks to those experiences, you learn things and become wiser.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We do a little bit of everything. It started with just sweets but then we added other things like 3d prints. I think we are THAT cool little store. Has a little bit of something for every one at an affordable price.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
This upcoming year would be my 4th year up and running. I plan on having more of a physical place than just moving and doing pop ups. I’d like to be a bit more establish and be more a present parent in my child’s life as I am the primary care giver. I’d like to be able to go to all his games and support him in whatever he would like to get into.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paperpops2022
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paperpops2022
- Other: www.tiktok.com.paperpops2022
