Meet Kaela Smith | Home Baker

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

Hi Kaela, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
*It is important to note that Yellow Couch is only half of what I do. I also coach lacrosse at Capital University and Co-Own Tempest Lacrosse, a lacrosse club based in Columbus, Oh.*

I had always been drawn to the creative world and luckily my family was more than supportive toward that adventure but getting further into traditional education I found that it was less than fostered (by fault of my own, I came to realize). I ended up deciding to purse an artistic career because I had wanted to be a baker since I was young and when the pandemic hit I was faced with the choice to remain furloughed from my then 9-5 or try it out for better or worse. I am so thankful I went for it and that I have a partner that values and enourages the risk of starting your own business. I will say that my whole life I sought to find myself in ONE career and the older I got the more I realized that was not realistic to honor who I am. I am equal parts linear and creative and I find that exercising my creative side lead to more in-depth solutions, ideas and pursuits in my linear side and vice versa. Being able to flex both muscles, typically in one day, has given me an outlet for both sides of my brain and helped me gain balance in other facets of my life. Sure, some weeks are more than overwhelming but I never fail to recognize the opportunity I have.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My career is absolutely the opposite of “traditional” and is something I have to choose to fight for often. Being a sole owner and operator is a lot of pressure and as you can imagine, a lot of work. That being said I am proud of how far I have come and the client base I have maintained. There is a truth to baking that anyone can do it if they felt so inclined but the fact people trust me and spend their money on my creations is forever flattering and honestly hard to believe sometimes. My favorite part is that I get to be a small part of celebrations and add something sweet to a happy day.

I have learned that being a creative is not for the faint of heart. I often have 13/14 hour days in my kitchen but I cannot imagine it any other way. The trails and errors are all part of the process and people actually like to see how far you have come.

Document for yourself and share for others. I have learned how powerful social media can be. I do not have a large following but I have a couple hundred people who are not only invested in my baking but in who I am as a human being. That is so unbelievable to me. I get so many messages about how it feels like they are sitting at my kitchen table and it sparks friends and conversations with people I may have never met.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Where to start! My parents, siblings, in-laws, friends but most importantly my Fiancé. I would never be able to thank him enough for seeing the value in my endeavors and believing in, nurturing and pushing my ideas into the world more than anyone.

Website: yellowcouchbakeshop.com

Instagram: yellowcouchbakeshop

Facebook: facebook.com/yellowcouchbakeshop

Image Credits
Big House Photography