Meet Ashley Buerger | Bakery Owner & Head Decorator

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

Hi Ashley, what’s the end goal, career-wise?
The end goal…I would love to do this as long as I’m physically able, and as long as it makes me happy! My goal is to create a business that is uniquely mine, and then be able to sell or pass on my business to someone else when it makes sense to do so. I absolutely love having the privilege to provide sweet treats and memorable cakes to customers of all sorts. I love having a small business that caters to locals and visitors alike. And I would love it if I were able to build a business that will go on serving the community with sweetness even after I’m gone!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve been working on my skills over the last 10 years or so and am proud to say that my favorite cakes are the ones I’ve been given artistic freedom on and have designed myself. So many times people see something and want what’s already been done, which still honestly turn out great, but the best ones are the originals, the ones that challenge me to think outside the box and actually create! It hasn’t been easy to get here, and it’s taken a ton of practice and learning over the years to get to this point. I’m super grateful for my customers in the early years who believed in me and thought what I did back then was good! I hope to continue refining my skills and provide even better product each year than I did the previous year.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If I had a friend from out of town coming to visit, we would be sure to visit the Iron Mountain Hot Springs, catch a show at the Vaudeville, we’d almost definitely have dinner at Smoke, and grab some ice cream from Sundae! Besides these awesome spots in Glenwood Springs, we would most likely go on a Jeeping adventure too. Our favorite adventures include camping up on the Flat Tops, crawling over Pearl Pass from Aspen to Crested Butte (where we would have to get pizza at The Secret Stash!), or taking a mini trip down to Ouray where there are a ton of Jeep trails, the Ouray Hot Springs, and then we’d have to grab breakfast at Kate’s Place in Ridgway before heading out!!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have had so much support in my business!! My top two supporters are my husband and my mom. My hubby, Clay Buerger, is always here to offer help when I need it. From simply giving his opinion to doing the heavy lifting to taking advantage of destination wedding deliveries with me, I couldn’t do it without him. And my mom, Cynthia (Faith) Getz, who literally moved from Arizona so she could be closer to help me whenever I need her! She has been my number 1 supporter my whole life in anything I do, and she is also the reason I started baking to begin with! I especially wouldn’t have made it through this last year without her, having more than twice my average number of weddings, plus all the other orders! She always makes time to come help me bake when I’ve taken on more than I can manage alone, to deliver wedding cakes herself so I can take on more than usual in a given week, and to help me with special events so I don’t have to go it alone. These two are my behind the scenes helpers, but I’ve also been blessed with the best customers, friends, and external support! I have some amazing regular customers who have supported my business for years, and anyone who has ever recommended me is truly appreciated!! I could probably keep going forever, but just know, if you’ve ever bought anything from me, “liked” or shared a post of mine on social media, recommended my services to someone, or helped me out in any other way I am truly grateful for you and my business wouldn’t be where it is now without you!

Website: www.afternoondelightbakery.com

Instagram: @afternoon.delight.bakery

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ADBakery

Yelp: https://yelp.to/FiyJCljHvlb

Image Credits
Sessions by Selena, Kara Moore Photo, Genevieve Leiper Photography, Carved Tree Photo, and Katie Fletcher Photography.