Long before Amirah Kassem was known as the fun-loving baker behind beloved rainbow cakes, she was working in the fashion industry alongside Swedish designer Johan Lindeberg in New York City. But as much as she loved her job, it wasn’t the reason why she was getting out of bed in the morning—desserts were.
Kassem would wake up and bake for friends and family in her Brooklyn apartment using the skills she learned from her mother’s kitchen in Mexico, figuring that her confections were a hobby that at least put a smile on her face. And then she had an idea: Maybe it was possible to play with sprinkles all day, and not just in the early morning before work. Kassem decided to start a business around her oven in 2012, not knowing exactly what tools she needed or how many people to hire. And in a few short years, she built an empire known as Flour Shop, where sprinkles spilling out of kaleidoscopic cakes became an event staple for A-list and neighborhood parties alike. Even Vogue came calling with a sweet tooth, too.
Since launching Flour Shop, Kassem’s bold, whimsical, and all-around fun desserts have become the basis for four books, most notably The Power of Sprinkles, and successful collaborations with Vans, Pottery Barn, and Williams-Sonoma. She’s appeared on The Tonight Show and the Food Network, and has partnered with charities No Kid Hungry and The Birthday Party Project. It has been possible for Kassem to play with sprinkles all day, and as it turns out, it puts a smile on everyone’s faces.
How did you make your first dollar and what did that job teach you that still applies today?
When I was young, I wrapped Christmas presents for my neighbors who wanted to hide gifts from their kids! I knew how difficult it was for my parents to hide things from me, so I went house to house asking my neighbors if they were in need of my wrapping skills. This mindset still applies to me today. You need to go get the jobs that you want.
Take us back to the beginning—what was the lightbulb moment for your business/career and what inspired you to pursue this path?
I had never really considered baking as my career. It was always about fashion for me, but the lightbulb went off one day when I started getting cake orders and found myself waking up early to bake before work each day. That's when I decided that I wanted to wake up and play with sprinkles for the rest of my life.
Entrepreneurship is all about taking calculated risks—What’s the most pivotal risk you’ve taken, and how did it change your path?
Definitely quitting my day job to start my own business was the scariest risk. I was never sure of where my next paycheck was coming from. However, I was willing to work as hard as possible for as many hours as possible to reach my goals, even if that meant sacrificing my social life, so this gave me the confidence to take the risk.
What career mistake has given you the biggest lesson?
I have slowly learned, and I’m honestly still learning, how to say “no” to opportunities. When I first started my company, I agreed to everything. Maybe it was a personality thing, or what I felt like I needed to do to take on the world. But sometimes saying no seems like missing out at first, only to really help you in the long run.
2020 presented everybody around the globe with new, unprecedented challenges. How did you #FindNewRoads + switch gears towards your new version of success?
The food industry in general has taken a huge hit from the pandemic. Restaurants are so integral to our communities. My hope is that we can figure out a way to keep this spirit alive during the pandemic. I have built a brand on spreading joy through celebration, which is something the world needs more of right now. So, I’m doing my best to stay positive and remind people that no matter what life brings, we can still celebrate milestones big and small. So far, pivoting to smaller treats and packaged items has been key for our continued success.
Going after what you deserve in life takes confidence and guts. Does confidence come naturally to you or did you have to learn it? What advice can you share for women on cultivating confidence and going after their dreams?
I’m naturally a very confident woman, but like everyone, there are things that make me feel more confident than others. I would say the most important thing is to remind yourself that you are doing something that you love. Trust yourself and be confident, regardless of the outcome.
For those who haven’t started a business (or are about to) what advice do you have?
Whatever you choose to do, make sure that you love it and are so passionate about it that it shows through your work in an organic way.
It’s easy to celebrate the wins, but how do you handle failure or when something hasn’t worked out for you?
I’ve had so many failures, especially in the kitchen! But we all need to fail in order to grow and learn. We also need to pay attention to what isn't working just as much as we need to take account of what is working. It’s important to give everything a shot because you won't know what works without trying.
With success comes opportunity, but that also means you have your hands full. What keeps you inspired and motivated to keep going even on your most challenging days?
Excitement! I am always excited for what's next and for all the projects ahead. On challenging days, I just try to remember the joy people get from our products. Taking a step back and getting out of the day-to-day grind really helps bring things back into perspective.
What's the one productivity tip or work hack that truly changed your life?
I wear many, many hats. So one hack that helps me stay on top of things is to separate the business days from the creative days—so, doing administrative work on a different day than, say, trying out a new recipe. It gives me space to get the creative juices flowing without interruption.
If you could go back to the beginning of your career journey—with the knowledge you have now— what advice would you give yourself?
Don’t be so hard on yourself if you know you are giving it 100%! Be patient and have fun with everything you do. And if you do what you love, then people will see that in your product.
Fill in the blanks:
The best career advice I always give is…
You won’t do 100% of the things you don’t try.
To be successful, you need to…
Have a clear vision of where you want to go.
I turn bad days around by…
Remembering that I once dreamed of where I am today!
Three qualities that got me to where I am today are…
Positivity, creativity, and tenacity.
The craziest thing I’ve done for work is…
I used to say that I had a kitchen in Los Angeles, but it was actually just me flying across the country to bake in a friend’s kitchen. Fake it ‘til you make it, but make sure that you stand behind your product.
