Sweet Smell of Success

So here we are: six months into running our Washington Square Park cart and three months into operations at our Metropolitan Museum location. Whewwwwwww! Mama mia…it can be busy! If these were two babies instead of carts, they would both be reaching crucial developmental milestones simultaneously. It seems like a good moment to take a look around and see just where it is that we’ve landed.

It’s hard to believe that not too long ago, this was all an idea on paper and now we are running a full-blown business. How cool is that?!? And yes, it’s easy for us to keep thinking of the next horizon and keep dreaming bigger dreams for C&S (national franchise, here we come!), but it’s probably even more important to realize that we are a success TODAY, as is.

Beyond the press attention which has, admittedly, been a lot of fun, we’re defining success as something else. There is literally nothing more gratifying than savoring the day-to-day pleasures of interacting with our fans and customers. Having children draw and write on our cart in the “artist corners” will probably never get old. And can you fathom the joy (and responsibility) we feel when we introduce someone to the first cupcake of their LIFE? This happens very often, especially at the global hub that is the Met. How about the dog lovers who know that we put as much care into our little Poochcakes as anything else we sell? Or the satisfaction we feel when we sell out of our customers’ favorites, like Whozeewhatsit cakes or Salted Caramel Shakes. This happens every day!

There’s just something amazing about the entire daily routine: the sleepy-eyed early morning haul; getting the carts from the depot in Queens to their respective perches; brewing the Gimme! Coffee and letting the smell waft through the street; serving the crowds all day and into the evening; watching as the hour grows later; closing down and hauling the carts back across the water; tired, satisfied, ready to do it again tomorrow. There’s nowhere else we’d rather be.

Thanks for letting us publicly ruminate on our definition of success–in all of its forms and colors. Come and see our 3 and 6 month-olds. We’ll celebrate with cake!

-Gina & Derek