Meet the Owners

Where It All Began

This journey all started in 2011 when I found myself at a crossroad after graduating from college. I got a degree in graphic design but soon realized I had no desire to pursue a job in that field. I took a year off after college to do some soul searching, and figure out what I wanted to do next in life, during that time I got really obsessed with watching cake decorating shows and it’s as if a light bulb went off saying “that’s what I should be doing!” I loved that it was something creative, messy, and fast paced. After toying with the idea for a few weeks I was blessed with an opportunity to work for a small home based bakery in California. With hardly any knowledge of cake decorating, or baking, I packed up my life and hit the road to learn as much as I could as fast as I could. My time down there was truly life changing and is a huge part of my success today. During an evening Skype date with Jordan I told him I felt like this was the path I was meant for and that I wanted to start a cake business when I got home. Without hesitation he loaned me $500 to buy my start up equipment. To this day he still brags that it’s the best investment he ever made. Upon my return in September 2011, my parents graciously let me turn the lower level of their home into a commercial kitchen, and Sugar Cubed Cakes was born.

2011

In those early days I was doing all I could to learn the craft and ingulf myself in it as much of it as possible. How to properly bake, frost, stack, decorate, and transport cakes. Then I had to figure out how to make money at it, because lets face it, unless your making money at it it’s just a hobby not a business. I think any home baker will tell you the one of the hardest parts is figuring out what your time is worth, and how to be confident in charging for it. It took me a long time to build that confidence and if I am being honest I still struggle with it even today, but I guess I am doing something right!

2017

When I started my business my loftiest goal was to open a storefront after 5 years. I sacrificed summers, family trips, and basically my entire 20’s to pursue this dream. When the time came I had an opportunity to move my bakery into a small retail space in a rural county. I was so excited and dove in head first, without doing the proper due diligence. About half way through the buildout we ran into some major issues with the building occupancy and code issues, I was devastated and thought I had royally screwed myself. Thankfully God has a funny way of working things out, and that door being slammed shut was the best thing that ever happened to me. Two months later I was connected with the owner of Bella cupcake, she was ready to retire and sell her business to someone young and eager to grow. We had an instant connection and I fell head over heals in love with her and her location. It was in the heart of the town I love, and all the major work was already done to the building, not to mention I got an amazing mentor and friend out of the deal. It was obvious this was where I was meant to be so we worked out a deal and Sugar Cubed acquired Bella Cupcake in January 2017.

2021

It’s obvious that the COVID-19 pandemic has effected everything and everyone and our business was no exception. After the year that was 2020, and I sit down to write a reflection on what the last two years have unearthed about myself and my business I can’t help but be grateful for the challenges that have come our way and the fact that we are standing stronger and more successful on the other side. I know not all businesses (especially in the food industry) have had that same outcome. We did our best to pivot after the entire wedding season was cancelled, and shifted our focus to DIY kits and smaller celebration cakes. We also took a hard look at the amount of product we were wasting everyday and made an intentional push toward encouraging preorders. We also came to the realization that our business is not only sustainable, but more successful without indoor dining, and multiple deliveries every weekend. The biggest and most important takeaway from all this though is the realization that work isn’t everything. Time with the ones you love and your mental health is. We all became so mentally exhausted from everything being thrown at us, the constant uncertainty, and the ugly side of the customer service industry. We took a week long sabbatical in July of 2020 and embraced many 3 day weekend closures. It was the smartest business decision I made all year and vowed we would continue this tradition in years to come. You can always earn more money but you can’t get back the time lost with your family, and I never want my staff (or myself) to feel so burnt out that we lose sight of the joy that this job can bring.

2026

It’s hard to believe nine years has passed since we moved into Downtown Gresham. Time moves fast, and this season has me reflecting on the many challenges small businesses like ours have faced — from Covid to rising costs, labor shortages, and the constant need to adapt. I’ve always tried to keep Sugar Cubed a place of joy and positivity, not burden customers with behind-the-scenes struggles. But transparency feels important right now, because these next steps matter for our future.

Like many small businesses, our sales are down and expenses are at an all-time high. Instead of ignoring reality, we’re taking a hard look at what’s working, what’s not, and how we can pivot to stay strong for another decade. I’ve learned that survival requires creativity, problem-solving, and the courage to evolve — even when it’s uncomfortable.

I’ll be honest: there have been moments over the past few years when I’ve cried and wondered if it was all still worth it. Running a small business is exhausting, especially when you face the same hurdles again and again. It’s easy to wonder if people would even notice if we closed our doors. But every time those doubts creep in, God sends reminders — customers sharing how our treats made their celebrations special, or staff who found growth and purpose while working here. Those stories refuel me and remind me that Sugar Cubed matters — not just as a bakery, but as part of this community.

One of the hardest truths we’ve had to face is that our custom cakes, though beautiful and beloved, simply aren’t sustainable in their current form. Despite all our efficiency systems and price adjustments, the time investment far outweighs the profit. Most people understandably can’t afford to pay what it truly costs to make those dream cakes. For years, I justified them as our best marketing tool — a way to show what we can do and bring people through the door. But as costs rise, that math no longer adds up.

We’ve experimented with signature cakes and custom limited options, which have helped, but time remains our biggest expense. So we’re making some important changes.

The good news: custom-plus cakes aren’t disappearing, but we’ll be reducing how many we take on to better balance workload and sustainability. The better news: turnaround times for signature cakes will soon drop to 24–48 hours — faster and more flexible for you. And the best news: we’re launching online ordering for the first time ever!

Yes, it’s 2026 and we’re late to the game, but for a small shop with a rotating menu, creating a reliable online system has been a real challenge. We’ve been working hard to build an online store that syncs with third-party platforms and our website so you can easily order your favorites anytime.

Another exciting update – workshops and cake classes are coming back! We are excited to share Sugar Cubed is expanding into the small space behind our bakery and converting it into a collective creative space called the Sugar Suite. This has been a dream of mine for years, to not only to share the gift of decorating but create a space for other creatives to share their talents with the community. We are still in the building phase but looking forward to seeing how this develops over the next year

As we navigate this next chapter, we ask for your patience and understanding. When we occasionally say “no” to an order or “not available” on a product, it’s simply us making sure Sugar Cubed stays alive and healthy long-term.

Your support is needed more than ever — not just through purchases, but by sharing our sweets and spreading joy. Buy a cookie for a friend who needs a pick-me-up, a cupcake for a coworker who made your day, or a treat for your family to celebrate the small wins. Every act of support keeps our team employed and our ovens warm.

Thank you for walking this journey with us through all its ups and downs. This little bakery exists because of you — our community, our crew, and the grace of God guiding us through each new season. Here’s to hope, creativity, and the sweet things still to come.

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