Meet Becca Tatel | Baker, Business Owner, and Mom

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

Hi Becca, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
The seed for With Love Baked Goods was planted before the pandemic, when I was teaching part time preschool. My background is in education, but with two children at home and a husband with an erratic work schedule, I didn’t want to go back to full time teaching. As I searched for my next venture, I really began to evaluate what brings me joy. And nothing brings me more joy than baking. A freshly baked cookie is magical. It can transport you to a different time and place. One bite, and suddenly you’re sitting in your grandmothers kitchen as a kid with a huge smile on your face and a glass of milk. You feel taken care of, and loved. Someone said to me once that baking is my love language. I bake for people to show empathy, love, connection, and comfort. Food brings people together, and let’s face it, cookies bring people happiness. It fills my heart when people eat the things I’ve baked. I love taking time out of my life to prepare something that will create joy for someone else. It’s how I let people know that I care and that they are special. I think my customers can sense that. My hope is that they can feel the love with every bite. My mission is to bring joy to as many people as I can, and to put a little bit more love out there on the world.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I grew up knowing that I wanted to teach and work with children. I received a degree in education at the University of Iowa and came home to teach. After a short time substitute teaching, I got a job teaching preschool, and eventually 3rd grade. During my time as a 3rd grade teacher, I studied for my Masters Degree in Reading. When my children were born, I took time to stay home with them. When they were little, we began to bake together. I have so many memories of cooking in the kitchen with my mother. I wanted to share those experiences with my own children. When they were both back in school full-time, I taught at their preschool part-time. I continued to bake and cook with my children, and we always had fun. After the pandemic hit, I decided not to go back to teaching. Instead, I focused on what brought me happiness. I wanted to be in my kitchen making delicious things that made others happy. I never thought in a million years that I would be a business owner or a professional baker but I’m very happy with where life has brought me. Developing new flavors and growing the business has been more fulfilling than I could have ever imagined. I love to bring joy to others through delicious cookies.

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?
I live in Chicago, so we would definitely head to the lake shore. If it were nice out, a beach day or a bike ride along the lake path would be perfect. Chicago has so many neighborhoods. It’s fun to explore a variety of places and experience all the unique qualities of each area. The restaurants are endless, I can’t even choose. We’d have to fit in some pizza and nightlife in Fulton Market or maybe go hear live music in Uptown. My family and I see a lot of the Broadway shows. The theaters are beautiful and full of history. If it was really my best friend visiting, we’d probably get a hotel room or airbnb with a view and just sit and talk for several days straight.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Even though I am technically the only employee, With Love Baked Goods LLC would not exist without my family. Beginning with my mother, grandmother, and sister who showed me the magic of making something with love. But also, my husband and my children. They support me and help me whenever I am at the Farmer’s Market, they promote my business and brag about the cookies, they build me up when I’m down and give me the confidence to try new things. I could not do any of it without them.

Website: https://withlovebakedgoods.com

Instagram: @withlove_bakedgoods

Image Credits
I took all the pictures on my iPhone.