Meet Ashley | Sugar Enthusiast & Business Owner
We had the good fortune of connecting with Ashley and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Ashley, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
When you first start a business, your primary goal is simply to find customers. At that stage, it’s hard to say no because you never know which customer will become a loyal client or introduce you to someone who helps your business grow. Like many new business owners, I said yes to almost everything.
The downside is that constantly saying yes comes at a cost. I found myself overworking, which didn’t just affect me—it affected my friends, my family, and even my full-time job. Looking back, I realized I wasn’t building a sustainable business; I was just trying to keep up with the next order.
After 8½ years in business, my perspective on work-life balance has completely changed. I’ve become much more intentional about how I manage both my business and my personal life. I rely heavily on digital calendars to organize orders, track my availability, and set clear expectations with customers. More importantly, I’ve learned my own limits. I know how much work I can realistically take on, what types of orders energize me, and which ones are likely to create unnecessary stress.
One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned is that saying “no” isn’t bad for business. In fact, it’s often the opposite. Setting boundaries has allowed me to deliver higher-quality work, protect my time, and create more demand because customers know I’m committed to doing my best work rather than simply taking every order.
Today, work-life balance means being fully present wherever I am. When I’m decorating cookies, I’m focused on my customers. When I’m spending time with family and friends, I’m able to enjoy those moments without constantly thinking about my business. I believe work-life balance isn’t a luxury for business owners—it’s essential. Taking care of yourself is one of the best investments you can make in the long-term success of your business.
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
If someone told me that owning a business was easy, I would probably have a good laugh. The idea of working for yourself sounds exciting until you realize that, in the beginning, you are the marketing department, customer service representative, accountant, photographer, social media manager, and product maker all rolled into one. Most small businesses don’t start with a team—they start with one person in a spare room or a tiny kitchen, trying to figure it out one day at a time. My story was no different.
What makes my business unique is that I’ve built it around a single product: decorated sugar cookies. For more than eight years, I’ve been able to grow a successful business focused entirely on one specialty. When I first started, I was a self-taught baker armed with my grandmother’s cake recipes and a passion for creating. But I lived in an 873-square-foot apartment with a kitchen barely larger than the desk I’m writing on. I quickly realized elaborate cakes weren’t realistic in that space, so I leaned into decorated sugar cookies instead. They fit my artistic style, were highly customizable, and, because they’re shelf stable, offered flexibility that cakes couldn’t.
Finding my niche was only the beginning. For the first few years, I said yes to almost every order. I hadn’t yet learned what I was capable of, so I often accepted projects that were far too complex or far too large. I was constantly chasing deadlines and burning myself out. Around my third year in business, I realized something had to change. If I wanted this business to last, I couldn’t build it around exhaustion.
I started setting boundaries. I stopped offering general holiday presales like Easter and birthday collections, and each year I decide whether I’ll take on Christmas orders based on my workload and personal commitments. I was convinced customers would leave if I became less available. Instead, the opposite happened. They planned ahead, respected my boundaries, and valued the work even more.
At the same time, I realized my business had quietly taken over my life. My work-life balance had disappeared, and the people I cared about were getting whatever time and energy I had left after baking. That wasn’t the life I wanted to build.
So I made another difficult decision: I only work on cookies Monday through Friday, and I only release my availability three months at a time. Fridays became my delivery day, and because decorated sugar cookies stay fresh for days, my customers were still able to enjoy them for weekend celebrations. Those simple changes gave me the freedom to be present with my family, invest in my career, volunteer in my community, and simply enjoy life outside of my business.
Burnout was another lesson I couldn’t ignore. I realized that if I wanted to continue creating beautiful work, I had to make space to recharge. Every January, I intentionally close my business for part of the month to reset creatively and personally. I also stop accepting custom orders after Thanksgiving so I can enjoy the holidays instead of feeling overwhelmed by them. Once again, I worried customers would be disappointed. Instead, they patiently wait for my calendar to reopen or book well in advance.
Looking back, every major decision I’ve made has come back to asking myself three simple questions:
How are my customers being impacted?
How am I being impacted?
What needs to change to make this better for both of us?
These questions have shaped every stage of my business and continue to guide me today.
What I hope people take away from my story is that success isn’t about doing more—it’s about building a business that is sustainable. Protecting your time, setting healthy boundaries, and giving yourself permission to evolve doesn’t make you less committed to your customers. It allows you to show up as a happier business owner, a more creative artist, and a better version of yourself. I truly believe my cookies reflect that, not just in their design, but in the opportunities they’ve created and the joy they’ve brought to both my customers and me.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
One of my favorite things about living in Colorado is getting to experience it through someone else’s eyes. I was actually raised overseas in Taipei, Taiwan, so although Colorado is home, I know what it’s feels like to discover a new place for the first time. Because of that, I often have friends visiting from around the world, and it’s become one of my favorite things to play tour guide.
Without fail, the first thing they want to see is the mountains. Many of them have never experienced snow before, so I’d spend a day driving Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park. Watching someone see the Rockies for the first time never gets old, and if we’re lucky enough to catch some snow, it’s even more magical.
I’m also a huge foodie, so every day would revolve around trying somewhere new to eat. We’d start each morning by exploring a different local coffee shop because I’m completely obsessed with coffee shop culture. Some of my favorites are Crema Coffee House, Hello Darling, and The Wild. For breakfast, I’d take them to Jelly Café or Denver Biscuit Company. Lunch would be Tacos, Tequila & Whiskey—because every visitor needs authentic Colorado-style tacos—or maybe a stop at La Loma. Dinner would almost certainly be Old Town Hot Pot in Aurora for an Asian comfort-food fix, although Korean barbecue is always a close second.
In the evenings, we’d skip the typical bars and explore Denver’s incredible speakeasy scene. William & Graham, B&GC, and Nora’s are some of my favorite places to end the day with great cocktails and even better conversation.
Of course, Colorado is about much more than food. We’d catch a concert at Red Rocks, spend an afternoon wandering through Golden, challenge each other at an escape room, throw a few axes just for fun, play a round of mini golf at Holey Moley, and, if the timing worked out, cheer on the Avalanche at a home game.
For me, the best part of Colorado isn’t just the mountains or the restaurants—it’s how easy it is to create memorable experiences. Whether it’s sharing a meal, watching the sunset over the Rockies, or introducing someone to their first snowfall, it’s a place that has a way of making ordinary moments feel unforgettable.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
To my Grandma Judy for teaching me the love of baking
To my Pompo for buying me that KitchenAid mixer for Christmas
To my customers that have been with me since the beginning
and To the little dry cleaning lady who took a chance on a girl with a dream
Without each of you, I wouldn’t be here 8 years later.
Website: https://www.loveandbaking.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loveandbaking2018
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LoveAndBaking2018/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@lovebaking2018/videos
Other: tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@loveandbaking2018
Image Credits
none
Nominate Someone: ShoutoutColorado is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
