Continuing with my favorite series: Career Champion! One thing I love about the blogging community is meeting incredible, strong, beautiful, courageous and wildly talented, smart, innovative, entrepreneurial boss babes, chief chicas, inspiring women. Every month, I'm going to spotlight one of these incredible role models and share a little bit about what makes them amazing. 

I have a major sweet tooth and I’m so excited to share the sweetheart who is this month’s Career Champion - Samantha Strange! She is the mastermind behind the delicious, crave-worthy The Cheesecake Girl! Read on to hear her recipe for success and what got her baking in the first place!

1) You run the adorable business, The Cheesecake Girl! How did you get into baking, and specifically, why cheesecakes? 

So I actually never could bake or do anything in the kitchen, so when I went to college I minored in culinary to kind of get into it more and learn the basics. We had to make this low fat cheesecake in class one day and I thought it was gross, so I went home and tried to make a better one! Things kind of spiraled and I was making cheesecakes for every occasion! They are my favorite dessert and I just didn't feel like anyone was doing it right, so I wanted to!

2) What did you originally intend on doing for a career before The Cheesecake Girl?

I wanted to be a sports reporter! I had been working for WCOL radio and loved it, but kept applying to sports radio positions in Atlanta and Colorado but nothing ever panned out! Thankfully that's the case because I didn't know what was waiting for me in this business.

3) How did you decide to leap into entrepreneurship and open The Cheesecake Girl?

Honestly I was kind of pushed into it! In a good way though - Like I said I just was doing it for fun occasions, then family friends started asking for them and then strangers started asking for them and I had to start charging and getting packaging and license the kitchen and so on! It was so much fun but I was trying to keep up with orders and work my regular job on the side, I finally got too busy I had to choose, so I took the leap!

4) What has been the best thing about entrepreneurship? What has been the biggest struggle?

Definitely calling all the shots! When I get an idea in my head I want it executed in a specific way, being an entrepreneur you get to be picky and you get to make all the decisions. But that's also the biggest struggle. When it comes down to the hard decisions I have to make those as well and it's a lot of pressure sometimes.

5) Where do you see the business going in the next few years? 

We are opening two locations this year! I can't talk about any details yet but I'm really looking forward to sharing more information!

6) What is your day-to-day like at The Cheesecake Girl? 

I'm usually in the kitchen for 6-9 hours a day depending on orders, then working from home answering emails and making prep lists for a couple hours! Not very glamorous haha!

7) Go back to college graduation: what would you tell yourself?

Roll with it. I always had a plan for my life and would get so frustrated when things wouldn't follow through, but this cheesecake business wasn't in the plans at all and I'm so so thankful for what it has become!

8) How do you find inspiration?

I always talk it out! Like I'll get a small idea or theme in my head then talk with friends or family about it until the whole idea is pieced together. They love helping out with all the creative stuff and it's so refreshing getting a clear look at everything! 

9) Who is your role model? 

It would be hard to choose just one! My dad is a big one because he's an entrepreneur as well, along with our family friend Earl who owns a restaurant. They both have a different way of looking at problems and solving them and always help out! 

Rapid Fire:

Favorite home cooked meal: Biscuits and Gravy

Favorite movie:  Secondhand Lions

Favorite phone app: Furbo, gotta check on my dog haha

Favorite vacation spot: Mountains

Best way to spend a Saturday: if it's nice, outdoors, if it's cold, on the couch

Favorite cheesecake flavor: Blueberry Oreo!

BONUS: How can we find you? Can we order online? 

Yes they can!

www.thecheesecakegirl.com

@thecheesecake.girl