By, Alyssa Sofat

The following is a conversation between Alyssa Sofat, The Fem Word intern and contributor, and Melissa Ben-Ishay, founder of Baked by Melissa.

PHOTO: Melissa Ben-Ishay, Founder, Baked by Melissa

Since I was a little girl, baking has always been my passion. I would eagerly help my older sister in the kitchen, but was given boring tasks like taking out ingredients or washing dishes. One day I decided to try baking something without my sister. That failed miserably…and I gave up and lost interest in baking. But lucky for me, a couple of months later I went to New York City on my 10th birthday and tried Baked by Melissa for the first time. I had heard about it and seen advertisements, but had never been to her store. I could not believe how amazing and unique these small-bite size cupcakes were. So good!

As I got older, I decided to give baking another shot - and it’s a good thing I didn’t give up because my desserts turned out much better! In 2017, Melissa Ben-Ishay, founder of Baked by Melissa, wrote a cookbook called Cakes by Melissa. I preordered the book and waited months for it to arrive. When it did, I tried almost every recipe - and each one was a success. My passion for baking was back and that was because of Melissa. I was so inspired by her that I decided to start FlourPower, my own baking business during COVID.

At 16, I continue to be inspired by Melissa, and remind myself that the ups and downs of starting a business is part of the journey to success. I had the great pleasure to speak with Melissa about her story for The Fem Word.

Alyssa Sofat: You’ve had an incredible journey creating Baked by Melissa...but it hasn’t always been easy. In 2008, you were fired from your job. You turned that around and used it to your advantage to start your own company. Along the way your brother and father were by your side, supporting and motivating you each and every day. What is it that your dad would say to you that inspired you to pave your own path?

Melissa: Both of my parents always empowered my brother and me to accomplish anything we set our minds to. My dad would literally tell me every morning on the way to school "you can do anything you set your mind to." At the time, I kind of just shrugged it off - but it, without question, instilled a sense of inner confidence I wouldn't have had otherwise.

Alyssa: There has been a wonderful increase of women-owned businesses - a trend which continues to grow. For example, Bumble, Canva, ClassPass, and Rent the Runway are all owned by women, just like Baked by Melissa. What does this power mean to you and what would you say to girls who want to start or are in the process of starting their own business?

Melissa: Women can do anything men can do. This isn't just something I say, this is something I believe through my core that I learned through my own experiences in business and in life. There will be people who don't encourage you or [don’t] believe you can accomplish your goals, and that's ok. Surround yourself with people who lift you up and believe in you. When it comes time to build out your team, engage people who have skills that you don't have. You can do anything.

Alyssa: What is the hardest thing for you to bake and why?

Melissa: Cupcakes that are fruit flavored usually take the longest to develop/pose the biggest challenge because we always use real fruit. Depending on the fruit, it's usually a challenge to pack in the flavor without having a negative impact on overall consistency and/or texture.

Alyssa: This past year has been challenging for so many of us during COVID. It certainly has been a tough time for me. So, I channeled my energy into what I loved most, baking, and turned it into a business called FlourPower. People may not realize how hard baking can be - like measuring everything perfectly and coming up with new and creative ideas - it’s not easy and takes time. I love the challenge, but I’m a perfectionist and it can be hard when it doesn’t come out like I planned. But I know you’ll agree: the result is beautiful. I get to see people smile because of my creation, and that motivates me to keep going. What is it about baking that keeps you motivated to keep going?

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Melissa: The act of creating things and then giving them to people I love has always been my greatest passion. And food, I love food. I also love arts and crafts. To me, baking encompasses all of my greatest passions and allows me to express myself in a way that makes people happy.

Alyssa: Being a business owner during the pandemic, what did you have to do to change your strategy within your company?

Melissa: There were so many things that needed to change throughout the pandemic. The world and information we were receiving about COVID was changing every single day, and of course we did just the same. Trusting my gut and taking it day by day while prioritizing safety, and our customers needs got us through 2020.

Alyssa: You have fourteen locations, which is so amazing. Tell me a little bit about the process of opening each store and the struggles you may have faced? Do you have a favorite location and why?

Melissa: Building out stores is not easy. It starts with choosing your location and negotiating the lease, which takes time. Build out is also expensive, timely, and never goes as planned. Of course, the end result is worth the challenge, as with most things. I love all of our stores and have fond memories of building out each one with my incredible team.

Alyssa: Was there ever a time when you felt you may not be able to sustain the business?

Melissa: When COVID started. We did everything we could to keep our doors open. It took sacrifice, difficult decisions, and prioritizing our company - also great determination, a mindset that welcomed each challenge that came our way, and an incredible team that worked their butts off late nights, early mornings, and through the weekends.

Alyssa: As a woman, entrepreneur, mom, and wife, you’ve been able to create and sustain a very successful business. Is there one thing you would say that you did which made it all possible? What is it that people may not know about your journey?

Melissa: There are many things that make it all possible. First off, it is not easy. What you see is all of the good stuff. Everything great takes incredibly hard work and comes with challenges every single day, which is why it is so important to see every challenge as an opportunity to learn and grow. My team makes it all possible. I know I don't know everything. I ask questions, I listen, and I empower my team. I believe that the greatest leaders are self aware, able to recognize what they are not good at, and have great communication skills.

Alyssa: What does the future hold for Baked by Melissa?

Melissa: The future is what I am most excited for. Follow @bakedbymelissa and @melissabenishay on Instagram and sign up for the Baked by Melissa newsletter to be the first to know about all of the incredible things we are working on.

Alyssa: Describe a moment when you felt powerful.

Melissa: I don't focus on feeling powerful. I focus on feeling proud of my team. Today, March 26, 2021, we have made it to the other side of 2020 and we have just started comping COVID. There was a time I didn't know if we would make it here -although failure was never an option! Baked by Melissa is a different company than it was last year at this time, and I could not be more proud to be a part of the team that got us here.

Melissa Ben-Ishay, Founder, Baked by Melissa | New York City