Today we’d like to introduce you to Karen Carnival-Wasilewski.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Karen. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My baking journey started when I decided to care for my parents. In 2017, my dad had emergency brain surgery and a big part of his recovery was getting physical and speech therapy which kept me very busy. After his brain surgery, he then got a pacemaker and after that he had a total knee replacement which meant more therapy and a lot of doctor appointments. In the midst of all this, my dad has Alzheimer’s. I was still working full time and trying to juggle my career and caring for both my parents. I had then made the decision to leave my career and care for my parents full time. Having worked my whole life and even though caring for your elderly parents is a full-time job, I felt I was being challenged or fulfilled. I had always loved baking and being home gave me more of an opportunity to do so. I began thinking that maybe I could start a small baking business from home. So, I put the gears in motion by doing a lot of research online on home to become a licensed home baker. I started watch YouTube and all the baking shows and really feeling excited and motivated to become a baker. I had learned so much and still am learning so much from some of the best bakers in the business.
I remember it was Christmas time and watching the Christmas cookie challenges and watching the bakers decorate the cookies like I have never seen before and thinking I have got to try this. I started making sugar cookies and it took me a few recipes until I felt I had found the best recipe. Then I was on the hunt to find the best royal icing recipe. It is so much fun making and decorating cookies, always learning new icing techniques, watching and learning from the pros. The pros make it look so easy but let me tell you it is not and finding the right royal icing consistency is not easy but so much fun. In 2019, I received my ServSafe certificate and got my LLC. For me, my baking and cookie decorating journey is just beginning and I hope just maybe one day I will be up there with some of the best.
Has it been a smooth road?
It was a pretty smooth road for me as I was very determined and focused in starting my business. I think the hardest part for me was choosing the business name. I had a lot of encouragement along the way as family and friends already knew that I was a good baker and can become even better. I will say right now I am a better baker than decorator but again very determined to increase my decorating skills. I love decorating and it is something I am constantly working on and very hard on myself with.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Swirling Whisk Baker story. Tell us more about the business.
Swirling Whisk Baker is a home baking business. I do everything from cakes, cookies, pastries to all kinds of treats. Right now, I am more known for my chocolate desserts and my Italian cookies. I am working on becoming known form my decorated sugar cookies. I recently got on The Knot/Wedding Wire and I am specializing in doing the dessert table and small wedding/groom’s cakes. What I am most proud of is that I took something that was life-changing for me and starting my business on my own. I am proud of right where my business is today, even though I am not yet well known. I think what sets me apart from others is that in every cake or cookie or pastry, I make it with such excitement and put my very best into and I don’t let anything go out my front door unless I am 100% happy with the outcome. I put a lot of stress (good stress) on myself to make sure no customer walks away unhappy.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I want to become more of a “Cookier” as they say. I’m hoping in five years that I have a big customer base and Swirling Whisk Baker’s name is out there. I don’t think I want to have a brick and mortar bakery but I would like to have a food truck and go all over Ga to events and fairs feed everyone my delicious desserts.
Contact Info:
- Website: Swirlingwhiskbaker.com
- Phone: 727-247-9915
- Email: karen@swirlingwhiskbaker.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/swirlingwhiskbaker
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/swirlingwhiskbaker
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