Hello Joselene! Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business.
My name is Joselene Rodriguez. I am a latina, mother, flight attendant and entrepreneur. I am owner of United Cakes Bakery located in Massachusetts. I have created over 50 cake flavors dedicated to destinations around the world. I starting this concept in 2015, and now am proud to say I have a brick and mortar located in a downtown historic district. I wanted to bring both passions (baking and traveling) into one creating not only a SWEET experience but also an experience that allows my customers to explore the world through pastries & more.
So Joselene, what excites you about being an Entreprenista League member?
Being part of a community where women understand what it’s like to wear multiple different business hats while balancing life.
What made you take the leap to start your own bakery?
I am a single mother whom struggled a bit between the years of 2018-2019. When Covid started, I was furloughed from flying and I had no idea what my next steps were. I had created this concept back in 2015 and felt it was finally time to put my foot first and take the leap, so that I always had something else other than my career to fall back on. I also wanted to ensure that I was never in a situation where a company can take away finances from my family.
What was your background prior to starting your own bakery?
I currently am and was a flight attendant for the last 9 years. I perfected my craft throughout those years and have used my career travel experiences as a way to make my concept progressive and finalize it.
So Joselene, did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?
No, but I do believe there are certain people that truly have an entrepreneur mindset and I can say I’ve always had that mentality. It’s hard to not have it living in New York City!
Marketing a new business can be tricky. How did you go about marketing United Cakes Bakery when it first launched?
I launched my business in 2015. I have used my degree in public relations and communications to assist me on growing my brand awareness through social media. However, since I’ve opened my brick and mortar I’ve noticed word of mouth is the number one way to truly bring awareness to your brand and that starts with good quality and consistent products.
Mamaprenistas face challenges every day. What is the biggest challenge you have encountered along the way and what did you learn from it?
The biggest challenge for me is finding a work life balance for my family. Being a single mom, guilt is and will always be here. However, I’ve learned to be able to be more present by strategizing and organizing my days to specific tasks allowing me to have one day solely for my son and family each week.
So Joselene, what's the accomplishment you are the most proud of to date?
Opening our brick and mortar in a thriving location.
Do you believe in work/life balance? What are some of your best tips?
Yes absolutely! It is crucial for your mental health. I’ve learned to implement this in my life by choosing one day for my family and one separate day for me. Allowing the others Days to focus on business and work related duties. Give yourself boundaries when working on emails and other tasks. Have a shut off time and stick to it.
What's a piece of advice you can share that you wish you'd known when you first started your Entreprenista journey?
Be patient and have faith. You’re not going to have everything you envisioned for your business right away and that is ok. Be accepting to that but know that your business will progress and grow and it will allow your audience whomever your are targeting to grow with you.
Joselene, you have lots to celebrate! What have you achieved recently that you'd like to celebrate with our community?
We won top 3 best bakeries in the city, and we have our business.
What's next for United Cakes Bakery?
We anticipate opening a second location closer to Boston and grow our team of bakers.
Learn more about the Entreprenista League and join today!
About the Author
Entreprenista Team
