Women Who Love to Bake

A former architect, Karen Tripp opened her Mill Valley bakery just as the country was sliding into the Great Recession. Now the store is thriving. How did she grow a new business during lean times? Read more

“In November 2007, I found myself out of work and out of love with corporate America,” writes Shelly Mortensen. “I was not looking forward to starting off on the bottom rung of the ladder again considering I was now 38 years old. Then I found Dove Chocolate Discoveries and realized I could become an independent chocolatier.” Read more

At 48, Suzi Renehan quit her corporate job and took a big leap of faith to follow her passion. “I have always loved to cook and I found it a great way to relieve the stress of my daytime job as a corporate executive in the financial industry,” she writes. “In 2007, a coffee shop in my building asked if they could try selling my biscotti.” Read more

“I used to sell designer clothing,” writes Gail Dosik. “In the Spring of 2003: the fairly well-known Seventh Avenue company I worked for downsized and I was out of a job. After a lot of consideration, I enrolled in The French Culinary Institute’s pastry program…..Now I’m the owner of One Tough Cookie.” Read more

In January 2006, Heather Sue Mercer, the youngest of three sisters, heard that their favorite Manhattan bake shop was up for sale. She immediately called her sisters Jenji (a lawyer) and Bekah (about to have her first child). “We had always thought it would be a great idea for the three of us to go into business,” she writes, “because we had such different strengths and talents – and seriously – how hard could it really be??” So, together, they bought Ruby et Violette. Read more