Krissy Gibson, Founder of Take The Cake
Krissy Gibson founded Take the Cake in February 2017. It has grown at a fast pace because of the quality of her cakes.
In 2019, their best-selling Carrot Cake won a Great Taste Award through The Guild of Fine Food. Based in Mulhuddart, Take the Cake doubled the size of their bakery in April 2019.
In 2020, Mrs Gibson won the Irish Women's Awards Food Entrepreneur of the Year Award. 2020 also saw TTC as a shortlisted finalist in the Fingal Enterprise Awards.
They currently supply several stores in the Dublin area: Nolan's Clontarf, Nolan's Coffee Shop, Londis Malahide, Spar Castleknock, Spar Ashtown, and the following SuperValu locations: Dalkey, Killiney, Blanchardstown, Lucan, Firhouse, Deansgrange, Churchtown, Knocklyon, Ranelagh, Swords Pavilion, Sundrive, and Kilmainham.
Their cakes have travelled to other parts of the country and beyond. Their first nationwide delivery was through the GROW With Aldi program in June 2019.
Mrs Gibson is an American mother-of-four, and since making Ireland her home in 2006 with husband and business partner Kevin Gibson, the family has grown up with all the different cakes which now make up the TTC menu.
Since her own childhood, these treats have been her obsession, and it has always been her dream to open a bakery.
Krissy's authentic hand-made desserts are lovingly made with no additives or preservatives, just as they were by her own mother, her grandmother, and her great-grandmother before her.
Take the Cake gives the consumer fresh, moist cakes made with only the best locally-sourced ingredients, making desserts the way they were meant to be eaten.
The menu is made up of traditional American desserts - the kind you mightn't usually find in Ireland. You can regularly watch Krissy on the cooking segment on 'Ireland AM' and order anytime from www.takethecake.ie.
Tell us about your current role and what you like about your career or areas of focus.
I am the Founder of Take the Cake. We are a bakery with an online shop, and we supply many Dublin grocery stores as well.
I LOVE dessert, and I enjoy sharing my desserts with others. When I hear that someone enjoys one of my creations, I find it very gratifying.
Having my own bakery has literally been a dream for me, and it's a dream come true to bake for a living!
What inspires you, motivates you, helps you to make each day count?
My love for desserts is my first inspiration. I'm completely obsessed. What motivates me is others' positive reactions to what they're tasting. My menu isn't typically Irish, so a lot of people are experiencing these desserts for the first time.
When I hear from a customer that they've never tasted anything like what they've ordered, I find it extremely gratifying. Another motivation is the hope that maybe someday I might be able to pass this along to my children.
Outside of your professional work area, what hobbies or interests do you have or what other areas of your life are of real importance to you?
My family is my primary interest. My husband Kevin and I have four kids, ages 22, 20, 18 and nearly 10. I want more than anything to be able to offer them stability and something to fall back on.
I also have a recording studio, and I do a voiceover. That was my primary source of income before starting Take the Cake.
When it comes to your life chosen career, is there a phrase, quote or saying that you really like?
One of my all-time favourite quotes came from André Gide, a Nobel prize-winning author. He said, "One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time."
I find this applies to anyone starting a business. It's often a real leap of faith, and you don't always know what is next.
What are you most proud of in your life?
Definitely my children. They've each overcome a lot in their lives, and I feel they are all adaptable, strong-minded, and love unconditionally.
These are qualities that will serve them well in life. I consider them an accomplishment, just as I consider Take the Cake an accomplishment. I am equally proud of Take the Cake.
What do you wish you had known when you started out?
This is a double-edged sword, because had I known then all that I know now, I probably would never have started my business.
So I'm glad I didn't know all I didn't know because I'm glad I started my business. But I wish I'd had a more realistic idea of all that was involved in running a food production facility with regards to cost and liability.
Who do you most admire in business, academic or creative circles?
Resiliency.
What companies, brands, or institutions do you like or do you think are getting it right?
Krispy Kreme started small and has grown into a global phenomenon. Their products, although now produced in high volume, have maintained their quality.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
My fear will never serve me.
What drives or motivates you each day in a work environment?
To make a success of my company so that I may provide for my children. I am driven by a strong desire to create financial stability for my family.
What are your thoughts on the future of social media?
I am amazed by social media. I believe it will continue to evolve and help strengthen businesses' brands. It gives any brand a way to broaden its reach in a way that was never possible a very short time ago.
What is your favourite social media platform, and why?
Facebook, because it's the one I'm used to. I find it a challenge to keep up with all of them. I'm afraid the saying "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" may apply to me.
Do you have a mentor, or have you ever been a mentor to anyone?
In my personal life, yes, but not in business. Both. Those relationships have certainly strengthened my resilience and determination in business.
How do you network? What is your preferred way to network?
I interact on most social media channels and stay active with my local enterprise office.
What advice would you have for someone looking to get into the same area of work?
Set money aside to cover the costs of ingredients, packaging, and equipment.
It will be 3-5 years before you see a profit, so make sure you can still feed your family until that time comes.
What do you feel is the most common reason for people failing or giving up?
Because long hours can diminish peoples' ability to cope, and it's difficult to keep faith in an invisible destination.
Fatigue and financial insecurity are strong motivators in quitting. "Staying the course" is not always graceful, and it certainly isn't the easy choice.
How do you define success, and what lessons have you learned so far that you could share with our audience?
If you can surprise yourself with what you accomplish, and if you know you have maintained a high level of integrity while doing it, then you will go to bed each night feeling gratified.
You will know by feedback from your customer whether you are doing things' right'. Listen to your instincts – they are your only true compass. You cannot plot your course based on others' paths and experiences. Don't get distracted by outside 'noise'.
What skills do you feel have helped you to become successful?
I have a very strong worth ethic, a lot of energy, a huge motivation to create stability, I believe in good customer service above all else, and I am absolutely obsessed with dessert.
Is there anything new that you are working on or involved in that you would like to share?
I hope to have a retail line of refrigerated or frozen desserts that people can make at home, as well as a cookbook. These are probably still two years away.
