Small Business Focus: Life is Sweet Bakery

Today's Small Business Focus is all about a new face/place here in Harrison -- the face of Veronica Thomas and her Life is Sweet Bakery. The bakery's Grand Opening is slated for this weekend and I thought it would be interesting to interview Veronica to get her thoughts on her first business. -- Jay.

Veronica Thomas launched her first startup while still in middle school when, at the age of 12-13, she announced she was starting a babysitting business. Her family was, as always, supportive -- and not surprised. Like her mother, Veronica was independent and opinionated. Plus, she liked kids and taking care of younger ones seemed like a good way to make extra money.

In high school, she naturally gravitated to teaching as a future profession. She applied and was accepted at Miami University. But then, as sometimes happens, life intervened.

"A friend from high school told me she was going to Cincinnati State to study pastry arts," remembers Veronica. "That sounded interesting."

The comment caught Veronica's attention. As a young child growing up in a busy home, she'd often found fun in helping her mother and grandmother in the kitchen. She was particularly fond of the time they spent baking. Even when not cooking with her family, she worked on cooking projects by herself.

"I can't tell you how many times my Dad had to go get me a new Easy-Bake Oven because I'd worn one out!" she laughs.

Her friend's comment changed Veronica's direction in life. She enrolled in Cincinnati State's 2-year associate degree in business with a focus in the pastry arts. As a part of her degree program, she worked at the Kroger bakery in Oxford. After graduating in 2012 she moved back home to help take care of her ailing mother. She worked odd jobs and then, after her mother passed in 2015, spent the last year as a bakery decorator for a retail and food chain.


But the seed planted when she was young -- the idea that she could do things on her own -- had been further reinforced during her college years. She knew one day she wanted to own a bakery.

So in the summer of 2017, when Kylee Miller approached her with an opportunity to buy her bakery, Cakes by Kylee, she jumped at the chance.

Veronica and Kylee had become friends in college and stayed in touch afterward. When Kylee thought to sell, Veronica was her first call. The girls struck an agreement. Veronica would officially take ownership on October 3rd.

In addition to changing hands, the bakery would also change its name to Life is Sweet Bakery. Navigating the ownership change was relatively easy for the girls. But how would the change be perceived by returning customers?

Veronica agreed to continue with the recipes Kylee had developed during her 5 years in business. But Life is Sweet would have its own touch. Veronica would add new recipes for truffles, breads, and cakes. And she would take customer requests and even work with customer recipes!

Life is Sweet is located at 1373 Stone Dr., Ste #1, in Harrison, Ohio. The bakery's Grand Opening is this Saturday, October 14th, from 9 to 4. Visitors will be eligible for a gift basket giveaway.

For more information, contact Veronica at (513) 506-6506 

or visit the Life is Sweet Facebook page.

(There's more! Read about Kylee Miller, owner of Cakes by Kylee)