Today we’d like to introduce you to Moe Baltimore
Moe, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Ever since I was a kid, I have enjoyed my time in the kitchen. It’s always brought me joy bringing other people joy by way of satisfying their appetites. I love cooking and baking for family and friends. I would often fantasize about having a restaurant, but I would always talk myself out of it. A couple of years ago, I decided to no longer let the fear of failure rule me. So, I started the process of turning my dream of having a cafe or bistro into a reality! While my fulltime job does keep me VERY busy, I do find the time to pursue my passion when I’m off the clock. I am currently a cottage food baker, meaning I operate out of my home kitchen in Houston. The Texas cottage food law is very specific about what food is allowed to be sold out of a home kitchen. One day, I plan on operating out of a commercial kitchen so I can offer savory dishes and not be limited. I know it won’t be easy going from home baker to commercial kitchen to restaurant, but it will be worth it.
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?
It has NOT been a smooth road thus far, but I’m up for the challenges. One of my main struggles is being a vegan vendor at outdoor/farmers markets. While several market coordinators are excited to have a vegan vendor, I’m somewhat pigeonholed while also competing with other vendors in the sweets categories. People in general have this idea that ONLY vegans can eat vegan food or they think vegan food will be a disappointment. I’ve had a handful of people tell me directly that they would’ve avoided me if they had seen my product was vegan before purchasing. I’ve ALSO had people tell me flat out that “they don’t do vegan”. Even though I’m out here with the intention of selling sweets and eats, I guess I’m also out here changing minds with my vegan food! Another obstacle would be the fluctuation of the markets, especially outdoor markets when weather impacts foot traffic or market cancelation. It can be a hard hit when I’m baking for the weekend but one of the markets was canceled because a storm is brewing. But my BIGGEST struggle is my work schedule. I travel often for work. So, I am unable to be consistently present for customers and markets/events. It isn’t anything I cannot overcome though.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Currently, I am a consultant/inspector, but the contacts I visit at work sites call me an auditor. I have been in the field for 12 years now with a VAST domestic territory. Before I got into compliance, I was an A.S.E. certified automotive technician for 9 years. I was proud to be a mechanic, but that field had its challenges as well since I was a woman working in a male dominated field that was also physically demanding. When I was a mechanic, I did take pride in being able to keep up with the guys. They never knew, but I never wanted to fall behind in productivity. I always had a bit of a competition within. Work history aside, I am proud of being vegan for 10 years and counting. But what I am MOST proud of is my 4 year sobriety as of January 2025. Before going sober, I was a functioning alcoholic for years. My veganism, my sobriety, and my weight loss are my biggest accomplishments.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Risk v reward is always tough, but necessary for growth. Overall, I do like to play it safe. BUT I do take an occasional risk. I took a chance and went to trade school when I was 22. I took a chance and relocated to Chicago back in 2004. That was a failure, and I hightailed it back to Houston! I took a chance and got a breast reduction even though I was terrified of that procedure for years! I took a chance and let go of the bottle. That forced me to face my feelings and not have an escape. I took a chance and sought therapy. I took a chance and started my own business! Starting my own business DEFINITELY has had some challenges and losses, but I’ve gained SO much up to this point. How will we grow if we don’t take chances? As cliche as it may sound, you miss 100% of the shots that you don’t take.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.moesveganbites.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/moesveganbites
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089902923973
- Yelp: https://yelp.to/fAwrvCv86l
