Meet Kevie White | Cottage Bakery Owner

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

Hi Kevie, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
My thought process was a bit skewed. I have been baking since I was very young and everyone kept saying you should open your own shop. I love your cakes…cookies…. candies… Through most of my life I have been a full time mom with a houseful of ours and the neighborhood kids. It was wonderful! I baked for our family and every event at school and other events. As the kids got older and I started working outside our home, I baked for every occasion at work and supplied many goodies to charitable benefits. When California finally offered Home Bakers a venue through Cottage Based Industry, I immediately checked into it and started the necessary procedures. I was at the time, and for the next 4 years, working a 40 hour job and doing all of my baking and decorating after work and into the early mornings. Weekends became my bakery workdays.
My thoughts were that if I could just get myself in a good place, I could ease back on regular work hours or quit work altogether. I was under the impression that I should be able try to start my own businesses since it is something that I was basically already doing without pay. I was under the mistaken concept that there were only a few more things to add to make it a business. That is true to a point, but There are things required by the city/county/state that I knew nothing about.
I set up calendars and spreadsheets with what I needed to do and how to accomplish. I read and kept notes on everything. I am organized, but I get behind and then start over playing catch up. I love what I do, so I am enjoying it tremendously. I do wish that I would have spoken to more small business owners and/or taken more business classes. The more information going in would have made my trial and errors less confusing and time consuming. You also need to be able to say no. Something that I personally am not very good at… But it is a learned behavior. I know my good points and my weaknesses. I am able now to ask for help. barter or hire to get the quality work that I need.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I love being creative and crafty. That being said, I do not have an original creative bone in my body. I love art and surround myself with it, but when it comes to creating I need a visual . I can “copy” a picture and even embellish or enhance, but I still struggle with something that comes from me only. I really enjoy being given a picture and running with it. It is fun to make “my own” out of someone else idea or original thought. In a world as old as ours, originals to me are a concept of colors and position. Most ideas have been shared at some point in time, we just modify. And that is what I am good at. I can take a picture and make it a cake or share a cookie to convey a character or happening. I can do “Your” colors or change the shapes to fit your ideas…I enjoy this way of working. I do tend to overthink most projects as I am unfortunately not a natural talent. I have found that when working with customers, I like to know what they are envisioning. I love to see their pictures for their cakes or the colors for their cookies. Everyone has a picture in their head and I really want to be able to give that to them. Sometimes it is not too practical and we work our way through to a happy medium, but my greatest satisfaction is in the first reaction of “Oh wow…”

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Wow! I live in one of the most diversified cities there is!! San Diego has a bit of everything. One of my favorite spots is Seaport Village and the Embarcadero. It is on the Bay leading on to the Pacific Ocean…it is beautiful and very relaxing. You can walk what seems forever. There are a variety of shops, food stands and restaurants to meander through. You can sip a drink at an outside bar and people watch or just take in the ocean and just visit or relax. On another day, we could take a short cruise on the ocean and enjoy the sites and a few drinks on deck. The USS Midway is open for tours and is an option for a day on the ocean. On another day we would wake and head out to Julian…a nice drive through Ramona, stopping to check out the antique shops as we head through town. In Julian there are many shops and art galleries to meander through. Stopping for lunch and of course Apple Pie we make our way back down the hill. We have to pass through Santa Ysabel and Dudleys is a hometown favorite. Fresh breads and pastries to take home and add to a nice dinner. Backyard BBQs are a staple…so a few steaks a nice salad, fresh bread and a nice bottle of wine make a wining evening.
Balboa Park is a full day of walking and eating. Each venue is a day in itself. The San Diego Zoo and the museums are worth a day of adventure on their own. It is so hard to pick and choose, You have animals, planes, art, trains, dinosaurs, pottery, theater, space and so much more… So always make arrangements to come back and pick a different walkway…lol The Prada makes for a good resting spot they serve a great lunch or dinner with relaxing views.
You cannot visit San Diego without a day at the beach. My favorite is La Jolla Shores. The beaches are clean and fill up quickly. I love to go early and head toward home for lunch and a relaxing afternoon by the pool. Snacks and ice tea are great to while away an afternoon.
An early rise and a trip to La Jolla to the Wayfarer Bread and Pastry to pick up goodies – lots of goodies! – and then head on down the street to Bird Rock and sit at the top and watch the surfers and water and enjoy our coffee and pastries. Then just a nice cruise around La Jolla, stopping if we see anything we like and then head on up old hwy 101 -Coast Hwy – and enjoy the beach view. Again stopping if something catches our eye.
A day of backyard pool, coffee, sangria, pictures and catch up gossip to end our week and plan for the next…order in or bbq later in the day and maybe have a few friends stop by to enjoy the time with us…

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I really need to thank my family! They are all fantastic taste testers, cheerleaders and mental support. My husband totes and keeps my car going. My oldest Kirsten helps with support and paperwork questions. My son Allen is a great taste tester and just a great cushion of support and my youngest Dani is the one who gets roped into craft fairs, pop ups, taking pictures and doing my website. I couldn’t do it without them!

Website: www.kevieskitchen.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/kevieskitchen

Facebook: facebook.com/kevieskitchen

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/kevieskitchen-san-diego

Image Credits
Danielle White took most pictures