Monica Lanigan shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Monica , so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Something outside of work that brings me nothing but absolute joy lately has been watching my daughter grow and learn at school! She just started VPK in August and she’s the happiest she’s ever been! Watching her learn and make friends has been such a gift. As much as I miss having her with me all day, I’m so incredibly proud of her and the person she’s becoming.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hello my name is Monica! I just turned 32 and I’ve been baking for as long as I can remember . Some of my family will tell you it all started with an Easy Bake Oven but really it all started with my Grandpa. He was always traveling and talking about all the different foods and desserts he would try. Constantly cutting out little recipes from magazines or newspapers and saving them in a little pile until the next time he saw me. The one thing he raved about most were always the beignets in New Orleans and how you’d see everyone walking down the road with powdered sugar all over their suits. I finally made it out there 3 years ago to try them for myself and I definitely understand the hype! I took a culinary class in middle school and continued into 4 years of culinary in high school and then after went to college for baking and pastry right outside of Washington D.C where I was taught by what I’d like to consider some of the best of the best chefs. After graduating I moved back to the Tampa area and continued my internship at Dough/Datz and then later worked at Alessi Bakery starting in the bakery baking and ended up working my way to the decorating room. Fast forward 6 years to me having my daughter, I decided I didn’t want to return to work and put her in the care of others so I decided to start my business and here we are almost 5 years later! I can definitely say I would not be where I am without the inspiration of my Grandpa and my little one.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
The relationship that has most shaped how I see myself and what I’d consider the best version of myself, would be the relationship I have with my daughter. How incredibly blessed my life has become with her in it. I would not just be the mother I am without her but I would not be the strong, brave, courageous, constantly inspired, hard working, proud of myself woman that I’ve transformed into. I learn from her everyday and she’s a constant reminder that anything is possible if you work hard enough. She’s also a constant reminder to smile even on what feels like the hardest days. She’s a constant reminder to always be grateful even for the smallest wins. She’s a constant reminder that I am loved and needed. The love she pours into me I pour back into her and everyone around me. Especially those who support me and my business.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The fear that’s held me back most id say was/is the fear of failure. Convincing myself I’m incapable of something when we’re all capable of anything we truly set our minds too. I was scared to start a business thinking I would fail at it. I was scared to become a mother thinking I would fail at that also. Well I can say with the utmost confidence that I have far from failed at either of these.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
I believe my closest friends would say the thing that matters most to me outside of my family would be the simple idea of kindness. I always say it’s so easy to just be nice! Life is far to short to waste time feeling hate, anger or sadness of course these are all valid emotions to have but I feel we shouldn’t hold on to them in the moments we start to feel them. Feel them and let them go. Be happy as much as you can be and learn to appreciate the smallest wins in life and it makes everything day to day so much easier. I love loving everyone and it will forever be my favorite thing to do and I’m certain even my customers can feel that from me as well!
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Absolutely! I genuinely love what I do and I do it because I love it and I love the never ending knowledge to be gained. Everyday of college my Grandpa would drive me to school and every morning he would say “Good, Better, Best, never let it rest until your good is better and your better is best!” I instill this in everything I do everyday. It’s the one thing that will never leave me. Praise or no praise.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sweetsbymonicalynn.wixsite.com/sweets-by-monica?fbclid=PAZnRzaAM_-epleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABp4ooja5R_Fz5DduLL9QqQMblp1NJEVn0EG4S673-Df7vOz44Bjc2qjKbV53E_aem_hIBlEY45dDZu9Td1NkPtrQ
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweetsby_monica?igsh=MTFrbHByNjUzZ3I2MQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1GpCxdeUKg/?mibextid=wwXIfr
