What does it take to build an internationally recognized cake artistry career from the ground up?

In this episode of The Perfect Rise, Kimberly I Houston sits down with award-winning sugar artist, educator, author, and Sweet Art Master founder Julia Fedorova.

After immigrating to the United States in 2015 without speaking English or having a background in the cake industry, Julia taught herself sugar artistry, competed her way to mastery, and became one of the industry's leading voices in botanical sugar flowers.

Together, they discuss:

• Julia's journey from newcomer to internationally recognized artist
• The discipline behind botanically correct sugar flowers
• Why competitions can accelerate growth and confidence
• Common mistakes decorators make when competing
• What judges are really looking for
• The inspiration behind her book, Sweet Botany
• The importance of community, mentorship, and continuing education

Whether you're a cake decorator, pastry professional, educator, or competitor, this conversation offers valuable insights into craftsmanship, creativity, and lifelong learning.

Learn more about Julia Fedorova and Sweet Art Master:
https://sweetartmaster.com

Learn more about the Retail Bakers of America:
https://www.retailbakersofamerica.org

Follow RBA for education, certification opportunities, and industry resources.

#ThePerfectRise #RetailBakersOfAmerica #JuliaFedorova #CakeArtist #SugarFlowers #CakeDecorating #PastryArts #BakingIndustry #SweetArtMaster

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What happens when a retail baking supply store becomes a workforce development pipeline for the future of the baking industry?

In this episode of The Perfect Rise, Kimberly Houston sits down with Cyndi Benavides, owner of Cake Craft Shoppe and founder of the Youth Baking Academy in Houston, Texas.

Together, they discuss how Cyndi transformed a teaching kitchen into a multi-year program focused on baking, cake decorating, professionalism, confidence, and career readiness for students ages 10–17.

The conversation explores workforce development, youth mentorship, industry certifications, entrepreneurship, and why investing in young bakers may be one of the most important decisions the industry can make today.

From hands-on training to real-world career pathways, this episode highlights how education can shape the future of baking.

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In this episode of The Perfect Rise, Kimberly Houston speaks with Kristen Egan about the changing realities of pastry, hospitality, and culinary education.

From working in luxury hotels and some of the country’s most respected fine dining kitchens to building a successful pastry business and eventually teaching at the CIA, Chef Egan has experienced nearly every side of the industry.

This conversation explores:
• Why pastry craftsmanship still matters
• The decline of dedicated pastry programs in restaurants
• What today’s culinary students are struggling with most
• How COVID impacted the next generation of kitchen professionals
• The realities of burnout and entrepreneurship
• Why young chefs should stop rushing into leadership roles
• What it really takes to earn the Certified Master Baker title

Chef Egan also shares thoughtful insight into mentorship, technical standards, and the future of pastry in modern hospitality.

For bakery owners, pastry chefs, educators, students, and hospitality professionals alike, this episode is both a reflection on where the industry has been—and a conversation about where it’s headed next.

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What happens when a fine dining chef challenges one of the most traditional processes in baking?

In this episode of The Perfect Rise, Kimberly Houston sits down with Craig Hutchinson, COO and co-owner of Olmo Bagels, to talk about how innovation, hospitality, and operational thinking helped transform a pandemic pivot into one of the most talked-about bagel brands in the country.

Craig shares how Olmo Bagels pioneered a New Haven-style bagel by using fresh-milled grains, steam technology instead of traditional boiling, and a production system designed for consistency at scale. The conversation dives deep into bakery operations, workplace culture, training, leadership, product quality, and why “numbers don’t lie” has become a guiding philosophy inside the business.

This episode is packed with insight for bakery owners, pastry professionals, and anyone navigating growth in the food industry without sacrificing craftsmanship or hospitality.

Connect with Olmo Bagels. Follow on Instagram

Learn more about Rational Products.

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What do you do when giving 150% to someone else’s dream gets you nowhere?

You build your own.

In this episode of The Perfect Rise, Kimberly Houston sits down with Kady Miller, founder of Alchemy Bake Lab in Houston, Texas, for an honest conversation about what it really takes to build a bakery from the ground up.

After being laid off from her corporate job, Kady made the decision to go all in on herself. What followed was a journey filled with pivots, rapid growth, hard lessons, and major wins.

From building her business with unemployment income to hitting six figures during COVID with no-contact dessert delivery, Kady shares the behind-the-scenes reality of bakery ownership.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Starting a bakery after being laid off
• The mindset behind betting on yourself
• Scaling from home kitchen to storefront
• Hiring, leadership, and team culture
• Why trusting your intuition matters in business
• “Train your replacement” and other growth strategies

This conversation is packed with real insight for bakers, students, and entrepreneurs alike.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re ready to take the leap—this episode might be exactly what you need to hear.

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Most people think baking is about creativity.

Rachel Liu Martindale will tell you it’s about systems.

In this episode of The Perfect Rise, Rachel shares what it really looks like to walk away from a stable engineering career and build a bakery from the ground up—without skipping the hard parts. From scaling recipes and calculating margins to testing demand through pop-ups and navigating a business through COVID, this conversation pulls back the curtain on what it takes to create a business that actually lasts.

We talk about the gap between being a great baker and being a prepared business owner, why slow growth protected her business, and how rebranding around identity and market demand reshaped everything. Rachel also offers a candid look at leadership—what it means to manage a small team, set operational boundaries, and build a business that doesn’t require you to sacrifice your life to sustain it.

If you’ve ever thought about opening a bakery—or you’re already in it and feeling the pressure—this episode will challenge how you think about growth, success, and what it really takes to stay in the industry long-term.

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There’s a version of the baking industry that people want to believe in—one where hard work, consistency, and great products are enough to guarantee success.

But the reality? It’s more complicated than that.

In this episode of The Perfect Rise, I’m joined by Martin Barnett, Executive Director of Baking Association of Canada, who has spent nearly five decades in the industry—spanning family bakeries, hospitality, education, and now national leadership.

What was meant to be a temporary role during a moment of uncertainty turned into something much bigger. And through that experience, Martin has had a front-row seat to what’s actually working—and what’s not—across the baking industry today.

This conversation pulls back the curtain on:
• The decisions that stabilized an entire organization during crisis
• Why the industry is harder than most people are willing to admit
• The shift from hustle to sustainability in modern bakeries
• The real reason workforce challenges still exist
• What mentorship and training should look like moving forward

But more than anything, this episode challenges the way we define success.

Because it’s not just about what you produce—it’s about how you lead, how you adapt, and how you build something that can actually last.

If you’re serious about your place in this industry, this is a conversation you don’t skip.

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What does flour have to do with growth, consistency, and long-term success in the baking industry? More than most people realize.

In this episode of The Perfect Rise, Kimberly sits down with Nancy Muller, a foodservice professional with more than 30 years of industry experience and over 22 years in baking, to talk about the business side of one of the most foundational ingredients in the industry.

Nancy shares how early memories of baking with her grandmother, admiring Betty Crocker, and studying nutritional science shaped her path into foodservice. From there, the conversation moves into the real-world business lessons bakery owners and operators need to hear: why relationships matter more than transactions, how the right flour program supports consistency and profitability, what blind spots show up when bakeries begin scaling, and why “shortcuts” are often smart operational solutions.

This episode is a powerful reminder that the Business of Baking is not just about what you make. It is about the systems, trust, consistency, and decisions that help a business rise for the long haul.

In this episode, we cover:
• Nancy’s journey into foodservice and baking
• How science supports baking problem-solving
• Why relationships are everything in the baking business
• How bakery owners should think about flour beyond cost
• Common scaling blind spots in retail bakeries
• Why consistency matters more than ego
• What legacy really looks like in this industry

Connect with Nancy Online: Instagram

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