Cake Therapy
Rising Above Adversity with Baking; Crafting a Legacy One Cake at a Time
Baking isn't just about satisfying sweet tooths—it's a journey of self-discovery and healing. In a heart-to-heart with the renowned Porsha Kimble, we uncover the rich layers of her life, delving into how she whisked together tenacity and talent to rise above the heat of the competitive cake-decorating world. Her story is a masterclass in authenticity and resilience, teaching us all that the secret ingredient to success is staying true to your unique flavor, even when faced with the bitter taste of adversity.
We peel back the fondant on a topic close to my heart—how baking served as the lifeboat through my own stormy seas of depression and imposter syndrome. Reflecting on how I traded my dark path for an apron and oven mitts, I hope to inspire you to find your anchor, be it in baking or any other pursuit that brings you joy. We'll talk about breaking through the sugary ceiling of the cake world, embracing your journey authentically, and the importance of disconnecting from the digital to truly connect with yourself. Pull up a seat, and let's savor the conversation that promises to feed both your mind and soul.
Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcast. Share the episodes and let's chat in the comments.
Support the Cake Therapy Foundation:
1. Cake Therapy - Cake Therapy (thecaketherapyfoundation.org)
2 Buy Me A Coffee : The Cake Therapy Foundation (buymeacoffee.com)
3. Buy The Book: Cake Therapy: How Baking Changed My Life https://a.co/d/76dZ5T0
Follow Sugarspoon Desserts on all social media platforms @sugarspoondesserts
Baking isn't just about satisfying sweet tooths—it's a journey of self-discovery and healing. In a heart-to-heart with the renowned Porsha Kimble, we uncover the rich layers of her life, delving into how she whisked together tenacity and talent to rise above the heat of the competitive cake-decorating world. Her story is a masterclass in authenticity and resilience, teaching us all that the secret ingredient to success is staying true to your unique flavor, even when faced with the bitter taste of adversity.
We peel back the fondant on a topic close to my heart—how baking served as the lifeboat through my own stormy seas of depression and imposter syndrome. Reflecting on how I traded my dark path for an apron and oven mitts, I hope to inspire you to find your anchor, be it in baking or any other pursuit that brings you joy. We'll talk about breaking through the sugary ceiling of the cake world, embracing your journey authentically, and the importance of disconnecting from the digital to truly connect with yourself. Pull up a seat, and let's savor the conversation that promises to feed both your mind and soul.
Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcast. Share the episodes and let's chat in the comments.
Support the Cake Therapy Foundation:
1. Cake Therapy - Cake Therapy (thecaketherapyfoundation.org)
2 Buy Me A Coffee : The Cake Therapy Foundation (buymeacoffee.com)
3. Buy The Book: Cake Therapy: How Baking Changed My Life https://a.co/d/76dZ5T0
Follow Sugarspoon Desserts on all social media platforms @sugarspoondesserts
Welcome to the Cake Therapy podcast a slice of joy and healing, with your host, Dr Altricia Foster. This is a heartwarming and uplifting space that celebrates the transformative power of baking therapy. The conversations will be a delightful blend of inspirational stories, expert insights and practical baking tips. Each episode will take listeners on a journey of self-discovery, emotional healing and connection through the therapeutic art of baking. There's something here for everyone, so lock in and let's get into it.
Speaker 2:Good day. Welcome back to Cake Therapy with me, Altricia Foster. Today, your slice of joy and healing is going to be a fun one, and today's guest is well known in the cake industry. I think once I mentioned her name, everybody's going to be like oh, this is who we're talking about, right? But she doesn't need a long introduction, I believe. Just say her name, because she's that girl, she's that lady. So I want to welcome Portia Kimball to our space today. I'm excited to have her. So welcome, portia.
Speaker 3:Thank you, Dr Altricia Foster. I'm honored to be doing your podcast. I appreciate you doing mine, so of course, I'm never going to say no to you. So thank you again.
Speaker 2:Yeah, thank you for having me on the podcast and I'm excited that you could have said no. You know you're a busy girl. You could have said no, but you didn't, and I'm really, really appreciative of that. But before we even get started, I want to tell you, like how much I appreciate you, the human being, not just you, portia, the bigger cake decorator. I appreciate who you are to me and I hope that our listeners will learn from you as much as I have learned from you over the years. Well, thank you, and I'm really excited to have you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I appreciate it. So how are you doing? Yeah, of course.
Speaker 3:You know, I would say you know a lot of life changes happened unexpectedly, you know, health-wise and personal-wise, in the past year and I really felt like the past week or so I feel really good and I don't want to say like I feel like I'm back to my old self, because I'm not my old self anymore. I would just say that I can feel something better and much more improved and I'm embracing that and I'm okay with it and I'm stepping into it and, you know, taking it day by day.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, I'm happy to hear that, like you're feeling the difference. I've seen the difference and I'm hearing the difference in your voice and in your lives that you do daily or, you know, three times, four times weekly. I can tell, and I am an avid supporter of your work. So I watch what you do because I want to live in that space. Right, I want to be like Portia, so I take notes, I do, I take notes and I love what. Where you talk about transformation, but what are you transforming from? Tell me who Portia is.
Speaker 3:That is an amazing question. That's a deep question. So I would say that something has to happen to maybe trigger you to make a shift. I would say the first time it happened to me it was September 2018. I was in a training for work and it was with I can't remember the name, but it was basically about marketing and advertising and the perception that you give people. And it hit me like a ton of bricks because if you watch me or previous years ago, you'd be like bro, she's really aggressive, she's rough around the edges and people probably still say that now. She's very blunt, she cusses all of these things. And when I took that training, I mean I was taking so many notes that I was just like, oh my God, you know, it made me shift. Like I'm not going to bash anyone publicly, I'm not going to make fun of anyone, like all of these things I was doing. I was like I'm giving this perception that I'm this mean, horrible person and then also I'm a straight shooter. So if you've never met me in person, you may look at me online and be like I don't like her delivery, but I'm delivering it. I've always delivered it. Maybe you're just not in the space to hear it. I always kind of look at it as when you go to church and you feel like the pastor or the preacher is talking to you and hits you different than maybe someone else, because you feel like it applies. So that's kind of how I felt.
Speaker 3:But then I don't know if you know, the past year I thought I wasn't thinking about my business Hell, I wasn't even thinking about myself. But I think the transformation now is being okay to say you know I'm not the best and being okay to be open to trying new things or changing it up. You know, I've had this same sort of teaching routine for a while and it's kind of a military style. But then I said this year I'm going to take some more classes and so you know I'm on the fence because I'm a student and then I'm also looking at the instructor part and so really taking this year and I was very intentional this year about saying I was going to heal myself and take this year to really figure out where I want my business to go, what that looks like, the direction, how do my classes, my job, my profession, you know, how do I just do something different and better? And I was transforming in different areas without even knowing it. So I think I'm really just looking at my age and looking at the industry and what's happening and you know, I'm not the only one out there teaching anymore, I'm not the only one doing a lot of things anymore. And you know, I think there was some imposter syndrome.
Speaker 3:But I kind of just woke up and thought you know what? No one can do it like me. I've been doing this for a while and I also felt like I know this is going to sound crazy. You know, maybe I am a leader in the community. I mean, I know that sounds kind of weird because I don't look at myself in that sense, but I do realize that a lot of people do.
Speaker 3:And I thought I'm just going to put that hat on and I'm going to show myself more. I'm going to put myself back out there and you know, I've always put my business out there, period, whether you want to hear it or not, business or personal. I've always been like that since the moment I was born. But I don't know, I just felt like when I changed my name from your cake, even a Porsche I thought I could kind of lower my bar a little bit in my wall Like I'm a person. What if I don't want to do cakes forever? I feel like I had pigeonholed myself with that. So I think just giving myself the name took some things off of me. That made me feel okay to explore other avenues in the cake industry.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So I'm glad that you mentioned your cake Liva, because that's how I met you. In a sense, that's my first connection with you was the cake Liva. I remember I was I remember in 2017, I believe I'm a brand new bake baker, new baby, everything. I was like who's this lady cutting these people about their cupcakes Online? But then I thought I was like, okay, I'm going to follow this lady. But then here's the question I have for you how did you start baking right, and why did you give yourself a name the cake diva and not own the Porsche Kimball? Why did you feel like you needed a moniker or something?
Speaker 3:That was the thing back then. Nobody was going by their name and it was always fancy cakes or cakes by or Lisa Bakes or whatever the case may be. I mean, no one was ever going with their name.
Speaker 1:And.
Speaker 3:I started baking because of my grandmother. I am black and Hispanic, my mother's side is Hispanic, my dad's side is African American and my grandma is the oldest of 16 kids and so she didn't have a choice. You know, her mother died at birth, giving birth to the last child, and so she was the head cook and the head everything, and even when her father remarried, and so my grandma also worked at the school cafeteria that all of her kids and grandkids went to school to. We live across the street, so that was just there. You know, that's always been there, and even though she didn't really let us help but that's another story. But you know people, just it was different and I think people take that if you do go by your name, it's breaking. It seemed very conceited back then. Yeah.
Speaker 2:So your your affinity for baking started with your grandmother. Tell me about her and tell me what that affinity is Like. When did you start baking? What are some of the things that she baked?
Speaker 3:My grandma is a fearless baker. She bakes everything. That's one thing I can say. We're talking bread, cheesecake pies. I mean she will just open up a cookbook or recipe book and say that's what I'm doing, and I mean it's just no hesitation. You know, like I'm afraid to make a cheesecake, like that's not my ministry, but she doesn't care. I mean I love that about her. I think, growing up seeing her do it. Just, it wasn't for payment, it was I'm.
Speaker 3:You know, coach Hudgens, and Miss Hudgens lived around the corner from us, down the street, and so it was like oh, coach Hudgens loves cherry pie and that's what she would make the hudgings and you know so.
Speaker 3:And so down the street, miss Cresson and her husband, they like millionaire pie, so my recipe makes for I'm going to give them one. It was always as a gift, it was never monetary, or I'm going to give you this, you're going to give me something. That's not how it was, and she is someone that's been a staple, not just in our lives as grandkids and kids, but just in the community, from, you know, being a leader in the Catholic Church or in something happens. You know, back then you didn't go to the store and buy a pie. Everyone came together and cooked and made stuff and brought stuff and that's. You know, most of my upbringing was with my grandparents and watching them both work really hard and my mom but my grandma was the one that was always in the kitchen and, you know, those memories just will always stay with me. I mean, she is really one of the main reasons I'm doing what I do.
Speaker 2:Yeah, okay. So what's your grandma's name? Sherry, her name is Sue.
Speaker 3:I call her Big G. She's a little short lady, but I call her Big G and you know she's feisty and she's opinionated, which is where we all get it from. And you know I will just say that just not judgmental, just gives the best advice. She always says if we would just do what she tells us to do, our lives would be perfect. But other than that, that's it. I mean, she's just, she's amazing, you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, that's good. Sounds like she is. You did mention that cakes and pies and cheesecake isn't your ministry. What is the portion ministry?
Speaker 3:You know I actually love to cook. I know a lot of people don't know that I love to cook. I like baking cakes, I like baking bread, I love pound cake, I love brownies, I like the basic stuff. You know, I love a good chocolate chip cookie. I'm not with like the stuff, stuff that people do now, I'm not into any of that. You know, I love it. Just a good plain piece of key lime pie I love. I'm not a pecan person but I love homemade bread. I mean, if you've seen my thighs you know I'm a lover of bread. But yeah, I just, I like just nostalgia cookies brownies cupcakes, cupcakes.
Speaker 3:Those are the things that I enjoy baking, not that's not decorated.
Speaker 2:Okay, sounds good. So, big G, your love for, for baking and all things cooking, I would say, started with your grandma. Well, when did you decide that this baking, baking was going to be your passion? When did you decide that you were going to start baking?
Speaker 3:I had a dream when I was very young, that I probably was about eight, eight or nine. I had a dream that I drove past the store. I couldn't see the store, I didn't know the name of it. I was driving and I had this dream. I drove past the store and I went inside and everything that I was wanting to do or needed to do was in that store. That's the feeling that I had in the dream. I didn't know what it was. So that was the first thing. The second thing was growing up I used to buy wedding magazines, not cause I was getting married, obviously, but I would tear all of the flowers and all of the wedding cakes mainly wedding cakes out of those magazines, and those magazines are expensive, so I would tear them out and I would have a pile. I think my mom finally just got rid of all my tearing out of the magazine and then just really enjoying doing stuff for others, you know as far as being in the kitchen. So those were kind of three things that I noticed until the one day I drove by the store that was in my dreams and it was Michaels. I saw the store.
Speaker 3:I had moved to downtown Dallas and I saw the store and I thought, oh my God, let me stop. And I did the exact same thing I did in the dream. I turned around, I did a U turn and when I walked in that store I thought this is where I'm supposed to be. Like it was telling me to come in there and I'd always just loved cake, just in general. My grandma didn't decorate. But when I went in there there was a lady that was buying a kit, a Wilton kit, and there was a sign that said if you buy the kit, the class is free. That was $25. And I thought this is where I'm supposed to be, this is what I was supposed to see, and I've been doing it ever since.
Speaker 2:So you bought the kit, did you buy it?
Speaker 3:The little money that I had. I didn't have any money. Yes, it was a four week class. They had just come out, buddy had just come out, cake boss had just come out with gum paste and fondant and all this stuff, and that was what was popular. So they had done four courses, they had done three and that's what happened. Yeah, I took the classes.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I was, of course. I was scoping the website and I see where you've said that you took that class and towards the end of it, the instructor asked you to teach a class. Do you think, like, teaching was innate? Do you think that is something that innate? Do you think you were born to teach? Because here's why I'm leading with that question, because it's all you do, right? Do you think you were born to teach?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think I'm a natural born leader cause I'm bossy, so there's that. But I think there's something to be said about. I was in shock that she asked me that, and when I look back at my journey, it's always been to lead something. So you're probably right. I do believe that I was supposed to be in charge of something or someone or some kids, I don't know. But yeah, that's pretty much it. I'm a very strong-willed person. I don't think I could be a follower. I'm definitely a leader for sure.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you definitely are a leader. You're leading a space, a leader in your own right. What do you feel? What do you feel when you teach?
Speaker 3:I just feel like you know, I had to take a step back and realize that not everyone's on the same level. But when I'm teaching I want to give general information to everyone and then make people feel comfortable to ask questions, cause I think in the past that was a misconception I have. I'm always like don't ask me anything stupid. And people say there's no such thing as stupid questions. There are, I don't care what anybody says, but I just feel like. I just feel like when I'm teaching I'm genuinely there to help, like I'm excited to teach my classes. I never feel like, oh God, I have to go teach a class. I never feel like that. I've never felt like that baking a cake. I'm honored that people would spend time and money to learn from me and to travel to me To learn from me, when you could have gone anywhere.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So tell me what that feeling is. Your honor, and yes, but what does it feel like when, let's say, for all intents and purpose, I call, I say hey, portia. Well, I'll be DMing you right At this stage, cause we're still I don't have your number. Let me tell you, we don't have your number. I'm DMing you. I'm saying I'm hoping I'm saying good afternoon, cause people don't say good afternoon or hello anymore. I'm going to be saying hey, portia, I love your work, I'd love to come out to Texas to have you teach me what is the first, what is the response? What do you feel in that moment?
Speaker 3:I'm excited, you know. I'm like, yes, absolutely, you know you can stay with me. I mean, that's how I am. You know I'm all here for helping and I think the feeling of that you reached out to me specifically is a really exciting, igniting feeling. I'm like, absolutely, you're like there's no hesitation at all. I'm like, oh, come on, tell me when you're coming. It's like I can make sure I'm home and tell me what you want. Now I'll get on top of it. You know, that's who I am.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah. Well, that's good. So you are like. You said that you are super transparent. Ok, you are the queen. You're not only the cake diva, you're Portia Kimball. You're super transparent, open book, whatever. Whatever you're going through, you should well, I'm saying 15% because not everybody will share everything on the internet, but we know when Portia is hurt. Tell me what makes this space so brave and safe for you to share.
Speaker 3:That's a tough question. I think from my upbringing. We talk about our feelings. We don't brush anything under the rug. It's always been out in the open. We make fun of each other, we talk about each other and my family. And I know at a young age my mom used to tell me you have to make a decision. You know, my mom had always told me when she was younger my grandma had made all the decisions for her and when she was older she didn't know how to make a decision. So at a very young age she was like you pick what you want to eat, you do this, you do this. And so I think that's where it started. And then expressing how I felt.
Speaker 3:I grew up with nothing but Caucasians. I was the only biracial student in my small West Texas town and I remember someone saying the N word to me for the first time. I didn't know what that word meant. I never heard it and someone called me that and I remember going home telling my mom and she was like the next time someone says that to you, you're gonna say X, y and Z and I'll never forget Jordan I won't say his last name said it again and I said something and it stopped. He never called me that again and I thought, oh my God, like I stopped that because I said something. You know what I mean.
Speaker 3:Like and I think and I guess sometimes it's hard to sympathize with adults who are like, oh, I just can't say it. I'm like you can, because you can change the dynamic of how you feel. And I remember being in that my thing was a freshman in high school, I was 15 years old and I thought I had the power to stop him for making me feel some sort of way, and I have been an open book ever since. I mean I already talked too much anyways, but I'm okay with it. And I think watching designing women, you know, I never forget. She's always telling people how she felt and kind of putting them in their place if they were unfair, and I thought I have to take up for myself in some way. And so sharing has always just been a thing for me my family's a share we've always shared and I'm probably shared too much and I'm too trusting. But until you make me not trust you, I'm not gonna share.
Speaker 2:Yeah, okay, you are an advocate for talk therapy then. Oh, yes, yeah, yes. So I believe that a lot of bakers bake from the same place and I recently wrote a book Cake Therapy how Baking Chains my Life. But then, on your website, I've always known that this was your tagline, like baking literally saved my life. Yes, that's you and I feel like we are baking from a similar place. You know, I could say baking changed my life. You say baking saved your life. You know, tell me how baking has saved your life.
Speaker 3:You know, I was addicted to cocaine. For a while. I dealt cocaine, I was a drug dealer and then I became a cocaine addict. And so there was this moment that I had with friends and I thought, oh my God, like we're gonna go to jail, we're gonna get arrested. We were out at an after-hour spot and there were some people there asking us if we wanted to party afterwards and I just didn't feel right about going with them. And a friend of mine got upset because we didn't. And in that moment I thought I gotta stop. You know, I didn't go to therapy. I quit cold turkey on my own, nobody knew, my parents didn't know, and I was watching Oprah four o'clock. Louise Hayes was being interviewed and her book was called you Can Heal your Life.
Speaker 3:And I remember watching that episode and thinking, and I had lost my job because I had failed a drug test, because I tested positive for cocaine. And I remember thinking like, oh my God, like how do I change the? You know the trajectory, I can't say that word of my life. You know, like, what is happening? What am I doing? And cake was the only thing that I had going. You know, I didn't have a job, I was making cakes for old you know co-workers and friends. I had just started, you know, I was still in the Wilton situation and it changed my life because that's the only thing I had to hold on to. That was it. It was just me and cake. I mean, where else was I going? What else was I doing? That was the only thing that kept me going because I had something to do. So it's like from one habit I switched to the other. You know, I was putting my time and energy over here to now.
Speaker 3:Over here, and cake has done things for my life that a lot of people will never get to experience. As far as the travel destinations, it's given me opportunities, unlike anyone, you know, and I know that I'm the first for a lot of things and that's okay. Clearly that was where I'm supposed to be. But cake has saved my life as far as like helping me in the toughest time of my life, and if it wasn't for cake, I don't know if I would still be alive. I don't know if I would be where I am today without it, because it got me through, and it got me through when I got fired from jobs. Cake was there. You know, gotten debt. Cake was there, you know, and needed some extra money. Cake was there and it's been a revolving positive symbol of my life until it's turned into my life.
Speaker 2:Yeah, okay, we're going to talk about how it's turned into your life in a few, but, if you may, could you share with our listeners, right? What do you feel when you bake? When you get into your kitchen, what are you feeling?
Speaker 3:I feel joy. I never go in like, oh God, I gotta bake. No, like I'm excited. I've always thought of, like the customer or the client, the meeting that we had, what they want. I truly believe however you feel when you bake the cake is how the outcome is going to be, because I've had some customers and I was just like oh God, and when I felt that way, I baked that way and then there was a problem, which I haven't had that many, but I felt like I was transferring my feelings onto the cake and then I just it didn't come out the way I wanted. So always tell people I don't bake cakes for people I don't like. You know I feel good. I know some people say like I don't like the baking, I just like decorating, I like all of it. It's all in one.
Speaker 3:Yeah okay, I'm excited to bake.
Speaker 2:It's all in one package for you yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:I mean it's all together. It's the start of something amazing. How could you not be excited about that Something that you're making, you're creating? That's the base. That's the base.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah. So you are an entrepreneur, right, you're a successful entrepreneur in my eyes, in the people who look up to you, the people who follow you. Like, you're a successful entrepreneur in your own right and I'm gonna preface this because I see on your, of course, I'm telling you, I follow you right, and I will talk about you too. Like today you were talking about everybody's broken industry right now, right, so, without, even without even like seeing that live that you did. We believe, like your, how much money you have, it does not define your reach and your impact and how successful you are in the community. So, with that said, what are? What has your experience been? To be the first off? You know you mentioned that you're the first off a lot of things in this industry. What is that experience like?
Speaker 3:It has not been easy. I have been talked about and ridiculed and picked apart and been called a lot of things and people have believed it and maybe some experiences. It was true. You know, I don't know everyone's experience with me on their side I think a lot of it had to do with race, because I feel like if I was white I would have got more of a backing than I did when I started the retreat. I knew, going in when I started, everyone was teaching classes from. Like a cake, like a cake supply place would have to reach out to you for you to come and teach. That was the thing. And they were only reaching out to people who had been on television. That was when, you know, the Food Network had Carrie Vincent and they were doing the cake challenges. That was it. Those were the only people that you saw teaching and I didn't see anybody black, you know.
Speaker 3:And here we were, you know, doing the Wilton classes, then teaching the Wilton classes, to finding out there's more of this cake world out there. There's cake shows, there's these things called days of sharing and all these things, and you know, to be ostracized and looked at because we were black. You know, like what are they? What are they doing here? Like the black dollar didn't mean anything, I thought, no, I have a point to prove and if you know me, especially my mother, if I say I'm gonna do something, I'm gonna do it, and I thought this is a message that needs to be told to everyone, because we're here, we're not going anywhere, we can bake cakes just like everyone else, and so people have looked at me like I don't have the experience.
Speaker 3:They have shunned upon me or, like you know, put me down, but I'm still standing. You know, I was the only show that happened during COVID, and most of the cake shows are gone now. So when I was told that the retreat was a horrible idea, it was different. Nobody would come to it because there's no classes and there's no vendors. No, it's not because I didn't want it to be like everyone else's. I wanted it to be different. So I was the first to do something different, especially African-American, and I did it and I'm still here and most of those shows are gone, and so being different got me ahead of the game later, you know, and I think for people seeing what I'm, doing and incorporating fun and music and good food, which is what my family is about.
Speaker 3:It's okay to mix all of those and you can still learn and have a good time, and it took me a while to get there, for people to see it, but they see it now, and now the same people who didn't want to do it are asking to be a part of it. It's okay to take a different road, you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, what does no mean to you, when you even know what does that mean to you?
Speaker 3:It doesn't mean anything. It just means I need to outwork you and prove to you that the N-O was not in my vocabulary, Never had to be yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:So that's good, that's good. So no is a part of my vocabulary. It used to be, but what I use I use no as a stepping stone. You know I use no as a challenge, so that's what no is and was. It used to break me, though, so that's why I asked, because I know that I'm noticing our conversations. No means bye for you, like I'm gonna do it anyway, so that's why I wanted to see you know what your thoughts were around the no. So yeah, you are. I didn't check how many followers you have now on Instagram, but you are on every platform that I know. You're an inspiration to so many. You're an inspiration to so many people I know, even in my close vicinity, minnesota, in my family, like you know, you were an inspiration to those individuals. Tell me, what are your top two pieces of advice for individuals who want to be entrepreneurs and are daring to walk in your footsteps? What are two pieces of advice that you want that you leave with those individuals?
Speaker 3:The first piece of advice would be your journey is yours and it will not look like anyone else's, just like anyone else's won't look like yours. I mean it, just it can't, and just be thankful for your own journey, that it is different. The second piece of advice I would say is nothing is going to work unless you work it. That's it. I mean my mom told me that a long time ago. If you want it to work, you're going to have to work it. You can't leave it up to anyone else, and I've been down that road and I completely agree. I mean there are some things you can delegate, but at the end of the day, like I am who I am and I am my now, I am my own brand and so nobody can sell me like me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely. So tell me the brand, what? What is the brand and what do you want the brand to represent? You know?
Speaker 3:it's crazy. I'll push it. You know I don't. It's not in a box, whatever it is.
Speaker 3:I think when I dropped the York and just went with my name, I just wanted people to feel that they could relate to me. You know, I think for a long time before COVID, it was always like, oh, be married, oh, have kids. And I have not had any of those, and it's okay. I am a hardworking woman. You know. I've worked for over 20 years, I'm running a side business, I'm trying to do this, I'm trying to live my life, I'm trying to do all the things that women and just people do in general, and I wanted people to know like I've always been very upfront, like I mess up too, and I think that's the brand is I am you and you are me, and I may say things that you wouldn't, but you're thinking it and that's okay.
Speaker 3:I'm. I'm human, I mean, and I'm afraid of chocolate too and I'm afraid of you know cake pops too, but I'm going to show you I can do it because I can. So if you've got all this stuff, let's do it together. That's the brand is being relatable and being a woman at any age and being okay to discuss what went wrong in business or what mistakes you did make, instead of trying to make everything look perfect, because it's not.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so what? What is what? What do you want your legacy to me? What does it look like? Um, you, you know, you said before you thought about you know what defined the woman, not you, you know. The definition before this is what defines a woman is her being married and having kids. Right, but that comes in its own time with its own set of trouble and drama. And you can be. You can be you without all of the trappings, right, the handbags, I would call it. What is your legacy? What do you, you know? What do you want it to be?
Speaker 3:I just want people to, when they think of me, to think of that I was honest and I was true and I never sold out, you know, and everything that I've done has come from my heart and from here and the help of people along the way, because I can't take credit for everything, um, but I'm a hardworking person. That's the legacy. I mean, I worked my ass off, you know, and I'm just now to the point of saying you know, I'm here and I'm not going anywhere and I'm going to step into this and you know, this is my lane right now. And I think that's the legacy is be who you want to be and be okay with it, and whatever you want. You're just going to have to work really hard for it, because I I feel like I have yeah, and you have, so you work your ass off, you do.
Speaker 2:You just mentioned that you, you have one. Um, we watch you pour into this community daily for show. Honestly, I don't know how I do it, but you do. You pour into this community three, four times a day. Yeah, like what.
Speaker 3:That's my job. You're going. I think I just realized. You know, I would say a couple of months ago I was really depressed, like May June, like April, may June I was depressed. I didn't know that's what it was, but I was depressed. And then the whole health thing happened, you know, and I remember just laying there like, okay, what do you want me to do? I feel like there's something that comes with every experience. There is a message or several messages, and I remember thinking, okay, what is this about? One, you want me to slow down to clearly some things wrong. And three, what's the other part of this? And I mean there's not enough time to even go through all that. But I would say I'm just now embracing being an influencer. That's why I said I know that sounds crazy. I even said that on my stories the other day. I was like I feel like an influencer, like I came home to all these packages and I think for a long time, for years, I didn't feel people wanted to hear from me.
Speaker 3:I know why that sounds nice but I didn't feel like anyone cared what I had to say or my opinion, but I just said somebody listen. We're out here listening to crazy people all day long on TikTok and Instagram. What's one more? That's me so yeah, so.
Speaker 2:so that's the imposter syndrome that you mentioned earlier. Right, how do you? Oh, here's the challenge. How do you tell the girl who is listening? How does she push through that syndrome to becoming her?
Speaker 3:Put your phone down, take the apps off your phone and go back to a time you were happy before you got into whatever it is. I mean, let's say, you're a makeup artist and you just, you know, became an aesthetician or makeup, whatever you're doing, and you're seeing all these people and their journeys are a lot longer than yours. You can't compare and I know that's hard because we're constantly seeing the comparison on our phone. So I was like put it down, take a step back and really realize that everything that's important doesn't belong in this square, in this rectangle. It's everywhere else. And that would be the message for anyone going through imposter syndrome, because where are you getting it from? You're getting it from here, you're not getting it outside the door, you know. So you got to find joy in what makes you happy and do more of that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so put the phone down. Yeah, put the phone down and see what's important, and if that's, that is again. Yeah, Go outside, go get dressed up go be with friends, dude.
Speaker 3:If you want to travel, go somewhere you've never been. I mean, there's so many things out in the world that don't have anything to do with the imposter syndrome. It's all carried in this little thing here. All of our worries come from here, but if you put it away, most of your worries are set to the side and you can enjoy what is around you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah. So, Portia, you've. Baking has saved your life. Baking has changed your life and the premise of the Cake Therapy Foundation is to use baking to change a woman, a girl's life. The foundation aims really to teach girls how to use the concept of baking or culinary art as their therapy to work through what they're doing. What would you say to a girl who's been trauma impacted and is seeking baking or any other non-traditional art form to help them heal through, you know, deal with some of their, the troubles that they've experienced? What would you say to her in a moment like this, Speak to the girl who's listening.
Speaker 3:I would say that creating is therapeutic on its own because you get to make it what you want, and there's so many things around us that are controlled. But when you get your hands on something and you get to make it or create it, it's yours and it's whatever you want it to be. And so I would tell the girl who's traumatized and looking for answers or looking for relief that baking is one of those things. You're on your own, you're in the kitchen. You get to pick whenever you want to be in there. You get to pick whatever you want to make. That's the freedom of it. The recipes are the guide. We're just asking you to go along with it and to find joy in that, and at the end of the day, you get to taste it and it's amazing. You made it.
Speaker 2:And you made something with your hand from scratch, or you know what I mean. There is a stillness and your space, that what comes with you being in that big space and I've experienced it and it is what I thrive is almost like a drug. I want to go for that high that I feel each time with baking, that pleasure that comes from it. So thank you for sharing those words and encouragement to the girl. I can't let you go without talking about what is next for Portia. I know you have the brown sugar retreat, I know you have a ton of things, so tell me about all of them, tell me what's on their rise.
Speaker 3:Well, not a ton of things, but some things. Obviously, with the flavors there's going to be some new products. I wanted to expand my line and so making a business change with that has granted me the opportunity to be able to bring more flavors, which I'm very excited about. The other part is obviously still traveling to teach. I was kind of intentional Not kind of I was intentional about the locations that I decided to go to, because the last year I really didn't do that.
Speaker 3:This, like last year, going into this year, was just kind of what she was. Yeah, I felt like I my mind wasn't as Probably where it should be, but going into next year it is like I haven't made a schedule or put it out there like this in years, and so I'm excited to apply some new mediums and new techniques and take my teaching and my creations up several notches. And then, you know, with the retreats, I mean I definitely would like to change that up after next year. I don't know if that's a big cake show, I don't know if that's other things and other platforms and collaborating with other brands. That would be amazing. I feel like I'm just now stepping into more of like an ambassador role for different. You know brands, big and small and I'm hoping that that develops into something more in time.
Speaker 2:Well, this is great. I've thoroughly enjoyed talking with you, portia. I've enjoyed getting to know you even before now, but just hearing you speak of your passion and the work and the hard work that you've been doing for the baking community, I'm I'm honored that you decided to join us on cake therapy today and I look forward to more conversations with you. So, before you hop off, share with our listeners who are from not necessarily from the cake space, but from more of the the Mine and well being space. Share with them how they can find you.
Speaker 3:You can go to pkbakescom. There's no WWW. I'm on. Tiktok is PK Crew and on Instagram Portia dot Kimble, or you can just Google me I hate to say it like that and find me, because you will find me somewhere, you know just you can Google her, she will pop right up.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much, portia. This has been a great meeting and this has been the cake therapy podcast, your slice of joy and healing, with me, our Trisha Foster Checking out.
Speaker 1:Thank you for tuning in to the cake therapy podcast. Your support means the world to us. Let us know what you thought about today's episode in the comments section. Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcast and if you found the conversation helpful, please share it with a friend. Also, follow sugar spoon desserts on all social media platforms. We invite you to support cake therapy and the work we do with our foundation by clicking on the buy me a coffee link in the description or by visiting the cake therapy website and making a donation. All your support will go towards the cake therapy foundation and the work we are doing to help women and girls. Thanks again for tuning in and we'll catch you on the next episode.