What Makes It Worth it

It's been awhile since my last post. The holiday season kept me super busy this year and I've been somewhat lacking inspiration. It's hard to top Amaury's creations!

But after surviving this past week with all the Valentine's Day orders and then getting everyone's feedback and reviews the next day, I was overwhelmed and wanted to share with you my thoughts. I was overwhelmed by so many positive and kind comments coming my way via texts, social media messages, and even personal phone calls from all my clients the next day after they shared my creations with their loved ones. I was smiling like a lunatic after reading each message that I'd get.

When almost two years ago, I sold my first cake (to an acquaintance, of course, but still!) it was surreal. I was thinking, "somebody wants to buy something that I made with my own hands! How crazy is that? It can't be real." But it was. I couldn't believe that just under a year after I officially launched my company, I'd be even close to where I am right now.

I started From V With Love with zero savings in my pocket. I was struggling to find a full-time job in the field I wasn't even that interested in to begin with and I thought maybe it's a sign. If I get a full time job, I would never risk and quit everything or have time for much outside of the nine-to-five.

So, I decided - screw it! That's what credit cards are for, right? Right? (not really, credit card debt is a real thing XD) Even though I did understand majority of the risks, there's still so much paperwork and challenges that you come across when starting your own business that it all adds up to the stress, time, and financial burden.

There would be times when I'd make a mistake and have to redo everything, face slow months, and that accumulating credit card debt when it would get to me and I would think, "Should I just drop everything and quit? It's not working, I don't know how to do this, etc., etc.,?" Just get a job in whatever comes along first, work my set 40-hours a week, come home and netflix-and-chill without anything weighing my mind down.

And then, the next day I would get a review in my personal messages, yelp, or Facebook, and all these doubts would melt away. I must be doing something right when customers come back time and time again and enjoy the pastries that I make, refer me to their friends, take their time to leave me a review, and support me along the way. It just melts my heart.

So far it's been a bumpy right that's been very much worth it. There's a lot I want to reach with From V With Love and you help me have the courage to continue moving forward. It's all about working toward your dream and look beyond the horizon to reach it.

I truly appreciate every single one of my clients as they have let me be part of their celebration and that's the biggest compliment of all. Thank you all!

PS. Please remember, that right now, it is just me - I'm the pastry chef, the marketing manager, the sales person, the delivery gal, dishwasher, etc. Once I say that your order is confirmed and you haven't seen an invoice the same day or next, please don't be alarmed. Most of the time during the day I'm actually making those orders and you wouldn't want me to be distracted all the time answering messages. I will get back to everyone and most of the time, you can pay upon pick up, if I didn't send the invoice in time.

Thank you for understanding!

From V With Love

Val