Stacey Lorraine is the owner, cake artist, office manager, and dishwasher — yes, she does it all — at The Cake Shop Central New York, located in Skaneateles. Born and raised near Washington D.C., Lorraine got her start working at a local bakery when she was 16. From that point on, she fell in love […]
Stacey Lorraine is the owner, cake artist, office manager, and dishwasher — yes, she does it all — at The Cake Shop Central New York, located in Skaneateles.
Born and raised near Washington D.C., Lorraine got her start working at a local bakery when she was 16. From that point on, she fell in love with everything baking, going on to become a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. While she spent a short stint working in restaurants, Lorraine found her true passion in making custom cakes.
Like many well-versed entrepreneurs, Stacey’s education extended well beyond the classroom. She has had the opportunity to travel to, work for, and learn from some of the best cake shop owners and managers in the country. Following an internship at Mark Joseph Cakes in New York City, she spent four years decorating cakes at Betty Bakery and Cheryl Kleinman Cakes in Brooklyn.
Stacey has also competed professionally, constructing her custom cakes on multiple Food Network shows. In 2011, she was awarded 2nd place on “Food Network Challenge” for a Renaissance-themed cake. Six years later, she returned to win the 1st place prize on “Cake Wars,” alongside Kristina Serfass, her former boss, and owner of “Baked. Custom Cakes” in Seattle.
After many cake-based adventures, Stacey got married and settled down in Central New York. It was then, that she decided to pursue her entrepreneurial dreams. She had more than a plateful of knowledge and experience in baking, but she found that she was lost when it came to the business side of her dream.
Lorraine decided to reach out to the Onondaga Small Business Development Center (SBDC) for assistance on how to get started with her startup in 2017. “I really didn’t have an idea where to begin when starting a business” she recalls. “As a new business with tight capital, having free resources that could help guide me in the right direction was an amazing opportunity.”
I worked with Stacey to develop her business concept and put it into action. That included helping to connect her to a banker, accountant, insurance agent, lawyer and other professionals that could help her get started as a small business. We also discussed the dos and don’ts of business, including the intricacies of the food industry.
From not knowing where to begin in 2017, to her success now in early 2019, Stacey’s experience and enthusiasm has led her business to grow rapidly. The Cake Shop now has a brick and mortar location at 35 Fennel St. in Skaneateles.
The Cake Shop is a studio that offers custom orders by appointment only. Stacey Lorraine creates wedding cakes, custom cakes, and a small variety of bite-sized treats for all occasions to the Central New York area. Everything is made from scratch in-house and with locally sourced ingredients when possible.
Stacey is a talented small-business owner who took the time and patience to learn the business side of her venture, to make her dreams come true. She takes that same time and patience to give every one of her client’s orders the care and attention it deserves, making every client’s dessert dreams come true, too.
For more information on The Cake Shop, visit https://www.thecakeshopcny.com/wedding-cake.
Advisor’s business tip: Make sure to build your professional network and educate yourself on all aspects of your business. These things will create a solid foundation for growing your business.
Keyona Kelly is a certified business advisor at the SBDC, located at Onondaga Community College. Contact her at k.r.kelly@sunyocc.edu