We had the good fortune of connecting with Kaitlyn Lloyd and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kaitlyn, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Artistic and creative hobbies have always been important to me, but growing up there was definitely some pressure on me to pursue a more conventional career. I originally went to college for Accounting, and worked as an Internal Auditor for a few years after graduating, but I always knew it wasn’t what I wanted to do forever. Over time it just became more and more evident that I wasn’t a 9-5 desk job type of person and that I’d never be happy in a role like that. I’ve always loved baking. I worked in a bakery in high school and it had been a hobby of mine for a long time. I started taking some pastry classes outside of work when I was at a particularly unhappy point in my career and just had this moment of clarity where I knew it was what I should be doing. So I quit my 9-5 and haven’t looked back since!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m a home baker in San Diego, where I offer custom designed cakes and pastries, along with a variety of cookies and other sweet treats. I think the most exciting part of my job is seeing the reactions of my clients when they receive their orders and when they try my baked goods. It’s always a little stressful when you send one of your cakes out into the world, but nothing feels better than seeing people enjoy them! I’ve learned so many things since becoming a professional baker, but I think the most important thing I’ve learned is to never stop learning. This is something I try to apply to my career, but also in my everyday life. There’s always room to grow in everything you do, so I try really hard to avoid becoming complacent and to keep myself open to change.

Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
I’m honestly relatively new to San Diego, so my favorite spots are probably still pretty touristy! I love taking my east coast visitors kayaking in La Jolla so they can take in the great views and hang out with some sea lions. Hiking at Torrey Pines and visiting the zoo are always solid options too. Whenever people visit from Boston, I make sure to take them to as many happy hour spots as I can, especially at some fun roof top bars overlooking the beach. Neither of those things really exist in Boston, so people seem to appreciate that while they’re here. I live in Normal Heights, so here are some local spots I’ve grown to love: Original 40 Brewing in North Park, Dark Horse Coffee Roasters, Ska Bar, Polite Provisions, Red Wing (karaoke!), Belching Beaver, Tribute Pizza, and Sycamore Den

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Danica Lockett! I got to know her when she became the Pastry Sous Chef at the restaurant I worked for back in Boston, so I worked under her for a couple years when I was still a total newbie to professional baking. We’re really close friends now, but back then I was just really impressed with her creative process and tried to soak up anything she could teach me.

Instagram: @sandiego.sweets
Other: Kaitlynlloyd@gmail.com