Good Neighbor Podcast: Port Saint Lucie
Bringing together local businesses and neighbors of Port Saint Lucie. Good Neighbor Podcast hosted by Benjamin John helps residents discover and connect with your local business owners in and around Port St Lucie, Florida.
Is your business serving the residents of Port Saint Lucie? Then, we need to talk! Visit gnpPSL.com to schedule your free interview.
Good Neighbor Podcast: Port Saint Lucie
EP# 253: Adriana Belknap's Transformative Journey from Banking to Baking with Adventure Cakes
What makes Adriana Belknap with Adventure Cakes a good neighbor?
What if your passion could become your career after 30 years in a different industry? Adriana Belknap, the creative force behind Adventure Cakes, shares her extraordinary journey of transitioning from a three-decade banking career to building a thriving home bakery. Join us as Andrea recounts how she started baking for friends and family and eventually turned her hobby into a successful business, especially after the pivotal year of 2020. Her story is a testament to the power of following one's dreams and the joys of making people happy through custom cakes for special occasions.
Adriana also opens up about her personal life, recounting the challenges of going through a divorce and how rediscovering her passions with the support of her current husband transformed her life. Learn about her love for travel, her favorite destinations, and how she balances her business with her personal interests. From the importance of wholesome ingredients to collaborating closely with clients, this episode offers a sweet blend of inspiration and practical insights for anyone looking to pivot their career towards something they love.
To learn more about Adventure Cakes go to:
https://www.myadventurecakes.com/
Adventure Cakes
305-431-5301
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Garfield Bowen.
Speaker 2:Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. All you need is some custom cakes. Well, one may be closer than you think. Today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbor, andrea Belknap, with Adventure Cakes. Andrea, how are you doing today?
Speaker 3:Very good and yourself.
Speaker 2:I am well, tell us all about you and your business.
Speaker 3:I am a home bakery. I do custom cakes and treats for any occasion, from weddings to birthdays to baby showers, gender reveals I do it all. I work really close with my clients and make their special one of a kind creation for their event.
Speaker 2:So, Adriana, how did you get into this business?
Speaker 3:Well, this, this isn't my first career. I was in banking for 30 years a bank manager, retired from that and I had always done cakes probably started back in 2007, just doing cakes for friends and family just because because I I loved it. I taught myself. I am a self-taught baker and I just really, really enjoyed doing it and learning the different techniques and just making people happy with my cakes was how it all got started. So after I retired from my banking career, my husband was you know well, you should do what you really love. Now you know, this is your time to have your dream job. You know, follow your passion. So I did and I actually started really getting into it right after 2020, after the whole COVID thing, and it has taken off. I'm very happy with how it's going.
Speaker 2:I could imagine. I mean, who wouldn't want to bake cakes? At least eat it, eat them.
Speaker 3:Well, thank goodness I don't eat all the cakes. I'm in trouble. But you can ask my husband about that. He's my taste tester.
Speaker 2:What are some of the myths and misconception of the whole cake and bakery thing? I mean, is there such thing as a um, a delicious and nutritious cake?
Speaker 3:Um, you know you're going to find that there are many types of cakes. Everyone has their style and you know, these days there's a lot of focus on nutrition and you know you have people who have issues with gluten and things like that. Unfortunately, I am not an expert at that. My cakes are wholesome ingredients, but they are, you know, there's wheat, there's sugar. You just have to, you know, have these things in moderation, you know, for your special occasions. But other than that, you know you're going to find a little bit of everything everywhere. You just have to be real careful and just pick what you think is best for you and your family.
Speaker 2:So just close your eyes and enjoy it. Your birthday is only once a year.
Speaker 3:Exactly moderation.
Speaker 2:So outside of work, when you're not busy with your business what do you like to do for fun?
Speaker 3:I love to travel. My husband and I do quite a bit of traveling. We have kids that are across the country in Arizona, we have a couple of them there and so we love to travel as well as traveling abroad. That's something that we do as much as our schedules allow. So travel, travel, is it right now?
Speaker 2:What's your favorite destination?
Speaker 3:Oh my gosh, we just went to Santorini in Greece and that was absolutely beautiful. But Italy, spain, it's just amazing.
Speaker 2:I'm jealous. Let's change gears a little bit. Life often throws us curveballs. Let's talk about one hardship, one life challenge, something that you went through, and you can look back today and say I'm better and stronger because of it. What comes to mind?
Speaker 3:For me in my life. I had a lot of changes in my life. My husband now. We've been together for eight years, so we went through, I went through a divorce before I met him and I, you know, forgot a little bit about what I loved because of you know, life just gets in the way with things and now that I have a supporting family and husband who really, really pushed me to get out of my comfort zone and do what I love, I was afraid to, you know, make my bakery business an actual business and with that support, you know, my dreams come true. You know I love what I do, I love my clients. I love when, you know, I can make people happy. So sometimes we have to go through, you know, trials and tribulations in order to get to where we are and fortunately I feel like I'm there.
Speaker 2:And you appreciate it more 100%. Okay, I'm going to put you on the spot a little bit here today, andrew, and, if that's okay, I know there's a lot you like to share about your business today, but I want you to narrow it down to one thing, one thing that you want our listeners to remember about Adventure Cakes.
Speaker 3:Just that, if you come to Adventure Cakes, it's going to be a one-of-a-kind experience. I am going to work really close with my client to get a special creation made for them. It's not just, you know, I'm going to order a cake, I'm going to choose the flavor and the color and that's it. It becomes a very special experience. And you know, and that's the best part of my job, and you know, if you come, if you come to me and work with me, I dedicate my time to that specific client. I only take maybe two to three cakes a week because I really dedicate, you know, one on one, to each of the cakes and to the details that I put into it. So that's what I would really want you know, my clients to know, is that you're getting 100% of me to make that special occasion and that one of a kind creation for them.
Speaker 2:I'm sure our listeners now are rubbing their tummies and thinking about when is the next birthday coming for their niece, nephew, cousins, wedding anniversaries or whatever it may be, and they have one question on their lips right now, and that's how? How do we get more information on Adventure Cakes?
Speaker 3:OK, well, I do have a website. It's myadventurecakescom, so they can go on there to get all of the information on there. To get all of the information. I have tons of information, from pricing to flavors and the types of icings that I do. Just a lot of information on there. And also, if you are on Instagram, social media I'm at my Adventure Cakes and then Facebook I am under Adventure Cakes. So, social media you can message me or come to my website and my number's on there. You can also send me a text, call me and I'll be happy to take care of them.
Speaker 2:For those who just want to push the number on the phone, is there a number you'd like to to share?
Speaker 3:Sure, it's 305-431-5301. And if I don't answer, just leave me a message or text me and I will get right back to you.
Speaker 2:Well, adriana, we really appreciate you being on the show. We're showing your business the very best, moving forward.
Speaker 3:Thank you so much and thank you for having me.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast Port St Lucie. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnpportsaintluciecom. That's gnpportsaintluciecom, or call 772-362-3840.