Today we have Nikki from SuperNova Mom visiting with us. She bakes, she writes and is an Internet Nerd…all which means she is totally awesome.
Hi there! I’m Nikki from SuperNova Mom and I’m so excited to share my story with you today! I want to give a big THANK YOU to Lacey for having me!
Once upon a time I was an Internet Nerd (well I still am) working at AOL. Ever heard of it? Working at AOL was a part of my family. My mom worked there from 1992 – 2006ish. My sister worked there as an intern and later after college before she was laid off. I worked there after college for 6+ years on and off. Basically, I just loved AOL. I loved the culture, I loved my coworkers and I loved my work. Until I started becoming bored in my position.
Me (and Molly in my belly) with the Running Man!
I wasn’t being challenged enough and I thought seriously about finding another job. Then, I unexpectedly got pregnant. Oops. I decided to stay at AOL and see what changes could be made once I returned from maternity leave.
I took 12 weeks of maternity leave (awesome!) and returned to my job in the beginning of February. I will admit that I was not happy about leaving Molly. I was also unknowingly suffering from postpartum depression. I had just started taking the wonderful drug Zoloft when I was called into a meeting with my boss and laid off. I was completely shocked. I had only been back 2 weeks! My husband (then fiance) was unemployed at the time and now I was out of a job. Oh great. Yes, I received a severance package, but these days it takes 6-8 months to find a job. I now joke that it was a good thing I started my antidepressants before that meeting or I may have gone all Jerry Maguire on everyone!
Molly visits Mommy at work!
After living in a fog for a few days I decided to take a hard look at my life and decide what I really wanted to do. Well, I really wanted to stay home with Molly, but living where we live is not cheap and I knew we would need two incomes to afford anything. So I started brainstorming things I could do from home… things that I was good at and knew I could make an income off of. I loved baking and when we met with our wedding cake vendor she said that she got into the business so she could stay home with her kids. She inspired me to do the same. I immediately signed up for a Wilton cake class at Michael’s.
I loved that class and pushed myself to learn more and more about the custom cake business. I watched YouTube videos, read tutorials, followed blogs and practiced and practiced some more! I finally got the courage to name my business, Noms by Nikki, and sell my very first cake. From then on I’ve been in love with my job! I bake and decorate while Molly naps or after she’s down for the night. I get the best of both worlds! I also am a freelance writer - writing about health and wellness – which helps bring in a little more income, plus it doesn’t hurt that I love writing as much as I love baking.
My Very First Cake Sold!
Looking back, I never could have imagined how much my life would change by making the decision to start my own business. I’m a big believer in “everything happens for a reason” and maybe one day I can fulfill my dream of opening a bakery!
If you want to check out my custom desserts you can like my Facebook page, visit my website or just check out the pics on my blog!
Awesome cake!!! Thanks so much for join in the linky followers fest! So happy to have you!
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