Hidden Gems: Meet Jenna Poole of The Cake Studio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenna Poole.

Hi Jenna, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory
My love for baking and all things food started as a little girl, cooking in the kitchen with my mother. I decorated my first cake at age five and I was so proud. (You can find that image on my Instagram page) Throughout my younger years, being in the kitchen was more about learning and becoming independent around food and recipes. In high school, my best friend and I started making cakes for fun and sold our first wedding cake at age 18. My friend moved away and it quickly became a solo business venture. I started small, baking only for friends and family and business stayed small and steady for many years. Skip forward to October 2019- I made several life decisions that would open my time and ability to take more orders. At this time I also got serious about marketing and making connections in my community. Social media is a wonderful thing! My orders and following tripled as I added more cake trend designs, invested in proper tools and techniques and added charcuterie items to my menu. I was the first small business to offer grazing boxes in Columbus and I’m proud of that! I am a full-time teacher, mother and wife, along with being a small business owner and the best is yet to come!

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?
The road is as smooth as I make it. When you are your own boss, you get to decide how busy you want to be. I used to feel obligated to say yes to every order but I have learned to keep my orders sacred and dedicate proper attention to each cake for the best result. Money used to be my driving factor and now, it’s about doing beautiful work for others.

We’ve been impressed with The Cake Studio, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from
I make custom cakes and grazing boxes. My clients often give me free creative will when designing their cake and I think that’s what separates me from other bakers. That, and of course, taste! I’m a bit of a cake snob and I’m a firm believer in a cake tasting as good as it looks. I’m always up for a challenge but I’m also very honest with my customers. If I can’t make something, I’m going to tell them but offer an alternative option that I can master. I also don’t leave any cake to waste! Cake jars are created with my trimmings and extra frosting and I am the only baker in town to offer that item.

Can you talk about how you think about risk?
I am definitely a risk-taker. That’s how artists grow! If you never take a risk, you’ll never know the outcome and if you fail, you learn from it. I am an optimist when it comes to trying new things like flavor combinations or new techniques. I’m not afraid to mess up because I trust myself enough to push through obstacles and make the best of situations.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @thecakestudio.jenna