Career Inspiration Interview Series: Owner of Leonora Bakery

Name: Carolina Garcia
Title: Leonora Bakery
Website: www.leonorabakery.com

What is it that you do on a day to day basis?
I have a french bakery. I’m in charge of the administration of it, team management and help with the baking of breads and pastries

What are your favorite parts of your job?
I love my job. I love everything that I do for my business. From accounting to baking breads and pastries. Maybe something that I really enjoy is how I get to know so many people thanks to my retail store.

How did you get into your field? Was it something you always wanted to do or something you discovered bit by bit?
Since I was a little girl I loved cooking and baking and always dreamed of having my own food related business. When I arrived here and couldn’t find the bread I used to eat in France I saw there was a business opportunity.

What aspect of your work most surprised you? (Either in a good way or a bad way.)
– In a good way: How good it feels to wake up every morning to do what you love.
– In a not bad way but challenging way: Managing human resources.

Does your education (high school, college or graduate degree) matter in terms of the work that you do today?
100 %! I’m an economist with a minor in business administration and a masters in International Business. I’m convinced that my education was not only useful but necessary to be successful in this enterprise of having my own business.

What environmental factors have the greatest impact on your job satisfaction? (For example: co-workers, compensation, company culture, flexibility, work/life balance, etc.)
Work/life balance is great, although at the beginning the sacrifice was huge. I worked more than 18 hours per day!  Seeing clients come back for their breads and pastries is also very satisfactory. it means we are doing something right and I love it.

Any career advice you’d like to pass along to others? (My audience is comprised mainly of adults in their twenties and thirties.)
I saw a phrase once that I loved: “Shoot for the moon, even if you miss you will land among the stars” Anonymous