Meet Amanda Rief | Cake Decorator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amanda Rief and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amanda, what role has risk played in your life or career?
In all honesty, I was not that big of a risk taker in my career or life, until the risk of opening my own business. For the longest time, I would plan meticulously. I had lofty goals, for sure, but I had detailed plans on how I would get there from one step to another. But the thing is, when you plan so rigidly, you often can forget how to plan for things not going exactly according to plan. So when all my meticulous plans fell apart after 2020, I had to rethink quite a bit about risk and failure in my life. And it was not easy, either, I was in a mental rock bottom for a while where I couldn’t believe in myself and also couldn’t make steps toward making things better. For so long I was used to observing and watching and learning from other people’s mistakes, that it was hard for me to want to step up to the plate and have to make my own risks and mistakes fully. I was so afraid, really. What if I got the paperwork wrong? What if no one wants to order because they don’t take me seriously? But when I had nothing else to lose in my career anyway, why not risk it and see? I just had to hit a rock bottom to see it. Because let me tell you, I would not be where I am today, with a growing small business and finally some confidence in myself, without taking that darned risk! And it’s shown me that I shouldn’t listen to the “what ifs” if the risk can have a positive outcome, because that it worth trying and fighting for.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
As a born creative mind, I have always wanted to create impactful and beautiful art. And while I grew up baking with my mom, it wasn’t until more recently in my life that I truly thought of my baked goods as a form or artistic expression.

My first pull into artwork as a child wasn’t through drawings or paintings as much as it was through the lens of a camera. First with my parents’ home video tape recorder, and later with my very own little point-and-shoot camera. From a young age I had decided that I wanted to become a photographer. I took hundreds of photographs of my own pets before I got the opportunity to learn studio portraits for high school seniors. And with the opportunity of clientele while working at that studio, my passion for higher end and larger scale portraits quickly grew. For four years I was able to learn from some of the best portrait and wedding photographers in the state of Arizona, and I was so certain that I would continue that path after getting my degree as well as a certificate in photography from the Professional Photographers of America. At the same time, I was also working at a local cat cafe (now Phoenix Cat Cafe), and was able to use my photography skills to help take adoption portraits of the rescue cats. And since my passion for photography truly began with photographing my own cat, I have always had a soft spot for using my skills to help those that cannot help or speak for themselves.

What no one could predict, even with my meticulous mind, was that I would lose all of my multiple job prospects in the spring of 2020. This definitely threw me into a dark spiral, and I fell back on Coldstone cake decorating, which at the very least kept my skills and efficiency sharp. It took me a good while to break out of it when I finally opened my business in September of 2022. The old version of myself was distraught by the fact that all my years of work and planning were for seemingly nothing, but after hitting a bit of a rock bottom, I was finally able to get into my head that if even my most meticulous plans could fall through, then why NOT go out on a limb and bet fully on myself? What else could I lose in my career anyway? The hardest lesson that I have had to learn in all of this is truly how to believe in myself in a society that trains you to be so self critical.

Two years later, I am so happy that I took that chance on myself. I never could have guessed the support and encouragement that would flood toward me in this venture. I have repeat customers, repeat events, and a constantly growing clientele. I have more opportunity than ever to perfect my recipes as well as create new and showstopping artwork in the cake medium. Owning my own business has also allowed me the freedom to continue to volunteer and invest in what is important to my soul, like continuing to work on local Trap, Neuter, Return projects, and even fostering kittens through to adoption, which lights my inner fire. And at the same time, nobody can ever take away the achievements and certificates I gained in photography either, and I can always rely on that skill to help advertise my own product in a professional and elegant way.

In fact, I believe that is one of the most unique and impressive things that I have to offer, the joint experience for wedding photography and wedding cakes. Not only have I photographed and helped schedule large and small wedding ceremonies and receptions, I have also created and put together stunning wedding cakes, and know how to consider both in the process. I believe that gives me a unique perspective that only ever will benefit the smoothness of the whole wedding in the long run, and even allow me to contribute both the cake and the photography to a special event.

Going forward for the rest of 2024, I want the world to know that I am showing up stronger than ever! I can finally recognize all that I can contribute and create in the world around me, and I want to impact the community in positive and uplifting ways like I have been uplifted. I am here for the human beings of all walks of life, and support and encourage inclusion and love for all, as an openly queer artist myself. Every human being deserves to be celebrated, and I hope to be able to show that to others through my art and my cake!

All of my cakes and baked goods are made custom to order, with any desired flavors, themes, or dietary restrictions. I take plenty of time to create just the right dessert for your birthday, wedding, or special occasion. Having time to make sure the flavor and texture are perfect along the way is an important step, so the cakes are as delicious as they are beautifully decorated. It has helped me create some amazing cakes that I am so proud of, to the point that customers are coming back time and again. It makes my heart so very full when that happens, because it means that I have been able to make a positive experience and memory for my customers, as well as light my inner passion.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love living in the Phoenix Metro area because there is just such a variety of offerings, there is truly something for everybody. When recommending some of my favorite places, I would probably take you all around town.

Scottsdale definitely has some of the nicest new restaurants around, with places like Pomo Pizzeria (in Scottsdale or Phoenix) and Zu Izakaya Sushi Bar, with a dive bar-esque original location with stellar happy hour deals (my go-to for late night sushi also), and a fancy new bar location up near PV Mall. There is also Glow Putt near the 101 that is such a fun and unique indoor mini golf arena for all ages to have fun, without gauging your wallet.

For the nostalgia filled friend, I would take them to downtown Mesa for Endgame Bar, which has all sorts of console games from original Nintendos to modern PCs and everything in between, and then to BRI Taproom for a pinball arcade tournament. And don’t worry, they have a quarter machine available.

Now for events and night life, Downtown Phoenix is where it is at. The Melrose District has iconic and unique restaurants and shops, and I highly recommend checking out the oddities shop at Curious Nature. During the daytime, definitely stop by Phoenix Cat Cafe for an afternoon pickmeup of coffee or tea, and relax a bit in some bean bags with friendly, adoptable kitties. Or stay into the evening for one of their Paint Nights or Drag Bingo events.
After that, we should check out some of the surrounding Roosevelt District, full of arts and culture. There are queer and women owned breweries, like Greenwood Brewing. There are bars with years of experiences depicted on their walls, like Killer Whale Sex Club (it’s a restaurant bar I swear). And there are showstopping performances of aerial and burlesque talent put on by the local troupe Spellbound Burlesque. They do small, intimate shows every second Wednesday at The Grey Hen, and it is truly one to experience.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I owe so much to the people around me in the growing of my small business, because they are always the ones who believe in me when I do not believe in myself.

First and closest in proximity, I have to thank my life partner, TJ, for sticking with me through the thick and thin, supporting me when I haven’t been able to pay my bills, and constantly reminding me that I am not a burden while I am growing my business and passion. They deal with my mental breakdowns the most directly, and still show up day in and out with love and support, and without them I would not have a business open today. They are the honorary business partner, and couldn’t have a better outlook on it. They are my rock for me to explore this venture.

Secondly, I of course have to attribute so much of my success to my own mother, Terry, who inspired my passion and skills for baking in the first place, and also shared my meticulous and perfectionist eye for detail. She is my most trusted baking assistant, and I would not rather have anyone else by my side in the kitchen. She will lend an extra hand or dollar without me even asking, and is my biggest cheerleader and advertiser through word of mouth. I am my mother’s daughter, and I hope to continue to make her proud with something we both feel so passionately and creatively about.

And lastly, but definitely not least, I have to shout out to my chosen family and community I have made through my local gym, Prowess Pole Fitness. It might not seem related to my home bakery, but in reality the people in this community are the real ones who not only encourage me when I need it, but also who teach me how to feel confident and believe in myself when I feel like I can’t. This community of aerialists and dancers is the most wholesome and uplifting community that I have ever been a part of. We help encourage and cheer each other on for aerial tricks and feats of strength, but also in ourselves as whole human beings. And that absolutely does transfer into believing in your strength in all aspects of life. These classmates and coaches of mine are the ones who hype me up when I feel down. When I say “I am just a cake decorator, I own my small business,” they will correct me and say “Actually you are an fantastic cake decorator and the cakes are the most delicious, AND you own your own business, that’s so cool.” These people are specifically asking for me to bake and sell cupcakes at shows and events, and spreading more word of mouth recommendations for me than I could have ever asked for. I think that if I did not join the community at Prowess that I would not have had any of the necessary confidence to grow my own business in any meaningful way, and would also be stuck in self deprecation.
I guess if all these people around me believe in me and my bakery, then I very well should believe in myself too!

Website: https://www.jadecakes.com

Instagram: @jadecakes_bakes

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-rief-429030151

Image Credits
all images copyrighted to Amanda Jade Rief