Today we’d like to introduce you to Joyce Garza.
Hi Joyce, 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 backstory with our readers?
During Covid, I was interested in plant based recipes and started baking from home for Shef with a vegan dessert menu. I also was part of a farmers market on Westheimer for about a year. I was happy with my results even if they were small.
This was Baking Joyce. I attended small business workshops at WHI and made connections.
I started a second business, Sewing Joyce, specializing in private sewing lessons and alterations, starting out on Superprof and Yelp. I also did some side work teaching children sewing at art and public schools before doing more private lessons either at my home studio or traveling to students’ homes. I try to do my best in my work and provide beneficial services and experiences that they are happy with and can take with them.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has been slow and steady. I didn’t take many actual losses, but I did find it hard to pay myself for my time in certain cases. Farmer’s market involve a lot of effort and extra time, and I could not afford to hire any help. Legal and administrative tasks for opening businesses can be daunting when you’re just starting out. Sometimes a lack of motivation to “do business” can lead to inactivity.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Baking and sewing are two of my hobbies, hence Baking Joyce and Sewing Joyce, my two businesses. I am known for going beyond what is expected for my customers and making sure they are happy with my quality of work, whether it’s prepared baked goods or alterations on a garment. My crafting and sewing lessons are very specialized to each client and suited to their interests, needs, and sewing experience. There are a lot more factors to be concerned about than the amount of money I receive for each transaction. I aim to treat everyone that I encounter with kindness and respect.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Even though I haven’t been hugely “successful” in bottom line terms with my businesses so far, I feel that being able to operate my small businesses affords me that privilege of remaining flexible and creative in my work. There is freedom in the decisions I make and how I conduct my work. I must not take the privilege for granted and keep taking small steps to grow steadily.
Pricing:
- sewing lessons are $45 per hour, or $60 for 1.5 hours.
Contact Info:
- Website: bakingjoyce.com and sewingjoyce.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jtanista/, https://www.instagram.com/baking_joyce/, and https://www.instagram.com/sewing_joyce
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joyce.a.tan.14
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/joycegprofile
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sewingjoyce
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sewing-joyce-houston
