“I can't imagine doing it solo. That would be really tough,” says Hutchinson.
“I feel like we've always had each other to build off of so that's been very, very lucky,” says Kosowan.
With three locations in Winnipeg, Jenna Rae Cakes has come a long way from where it all began: Hutchinson watching an episode of the show Cake Boss and getting inspired to bake a cake, back when she was still in dental school.
“I watched that episode of Cake Boss, I'm like, this looks way more fun. I'm gonna try this just for fun and see what happens,” says Hutchinson. “I had always made cakes growing up for my friends but it was out of a box with a tub of icing. They were nothing special by any means. So I went out bought everything I needed to make my first fondant cake. I made it with the help of Ash - we were living together in an apartment at the time with her now husband - and I just fell in love with it.”
Kosowan recalls that her sister’s passion for cakes grew quickly, in more ways than one.
“Our apartment was just under 1000 square feet - and I feel like 500 square feet of that was dedicated to her cake stuff,” says Kosowan. “[It] started with one little bin that just grew and grew and grew.”
Hutchinson and Kosowan soon realized that making cakes in their apartment was impractical. Once they started getting orders they needed another solution.
“I was renting kitchens overnight,” says Hutchinson. “The first place I did was a nightclub - I'd go to this kitchen at 11 o'clock at night, lug all my stuff in, work until 7 a.m., lug all of it out. And I was doing that for years. Eventually I [realized] I can't do this anymore - I have to open a storefront.”
Kosowan, a graphic designer by trade, was helping her sister throughout these early stages by designing the menu and even helping install the floor in the store.
“We truly never thought the business could support me as well,” said Kosowan.
Kosowan says what happened next was just a ‘very natural organic slow progression’ of the sisters building the business together.
“We kind of just looked at each other one day [and realized], oh, I guess we're doing this,” said Kosowan. “So yeah, it was very organic. I remember writing [my] occupation on a form. What do I put? It took me years to clue in: entrepreneur, that's what I should be putting down, it was never a goal.”
The duo found their individual passions became strengths for their business. Kosowan takes care of business planning and growth, the design work, social media and all the creative aspects.
“I'm also in charge of where the company is headed,” said Kosowan. “Jenna definitely is involved in that too, and we make all decisions together. But I'm wearing the day to day of it. And Jenna focuses on cakes.”
“I've always said I just want to make cakes,” says Hutchinson. “And I thought that's what I was doing when I signed up for this business. I'm loving just being able to focus on custom cakes and the fun side of the business.”
The sisters have branched out. They now have three retail stores, have written the best-selling Jenna Rae Cakes and Sweet Treats Cookbook, are judges on Wall of Bakers, and have also developed a line of home goods and apparel. Their teamwork and support for one another are intertwined in everything they do.
“I feel like we have each other and…” says Kosowan.
“…I was going to say that,” says Hutchinson.
“We’re constantly going to each other to celebrate successes, talk about failures and figure things out together,” says Kosowan.
You can listen to the full episode here or on your favourite podcast streaming app!
Learn more at ig.ca/women.
