Christina Austin shuffles through her notebook while studying for her upcoming midterm exams. The familiar beeping of the oven timer sounds. It's time to wrap up another dozen cupcakes for a customer.
Austin, a sophomore business major, juggles being a student and being the sole creator of her own business, Confections by Christina. Confections by Christina, which started a little over two years ago, has now served hundreds of UB students and community members their favorite baked goods. She works directly from her home kitchen in Buffalo, N.Y.
Austin started out as a cashier at her local Wegmans chain supermarket and quickly developed a knack for baking as she moved her way up to a cake decorator. After receiving positive feedback on her creations, Austin decided it was time to take it to the next level and develop her very own sweet shop. That's when Confections by Christina was born.
She said it seemed to happen overnight.
Austin was able to start her business through the help of her supportive family members and boyfriend. Her family saw her determination when all she asked for Christmas last year was baking tools and supplies.
Already, since her start-up two years ago, Austin has been able to pay back all of her debts and turn a profit.
Simone Webb, Austin's close friend and a Buffalo resident, was one of her first customers. Webb threw a party in July and needed 72 cupcakes. She wasn't disappointed.
"Some people couldn't believe they were homemade," Webb said. "She puts time, effort and love into her baked goods and you could really tell."
Kenna Rose Rodolph, a Buffalo resident, ordered a cookie cake for her dad's birthday last fall. She and her family loved how the cake turned out.
"The texture was very good and I loved the design," Rodolph said.
She plans on ordering from Confections by Christina again in the future.
Lately, according to Austin, she's been serving a surplus of red velvet cupcakes topped with her homemade cream cheese icing. She's been told that it's "pretty amazing."
But with a constant influx of cake orders, Austin sometimes finds herself overwhelmed. It is usually easier to balance her schoolwork and baking because she works out of her own home, but students grow hungrier as finals week approaches, according to Austin.
As a student herself, Austin sometimes must decline an order though she'd rather not.
"School is my top priority ... If there's anything I would change now, it would be more time spent focusing on school," Austin said.
However, school won't stop her from baking. She loves creating over-the-top treats that require a lot of care and detail - like her signature chocolate cake made with homemade whipped cream, topped with chocolate ganache.
Webb is amazed Austin has been able to keep her momentum going steady since the beginning. She believes Austin's personality adds to her success.
"She is very genuine and sincere and those are two very important qualities to have while starting a business," Webb said. "Because people will not only be drawn to your talent, but also that friendly and positive attitude."
Melzetta Eve, a frequent customer, raves about how Austin goes the extra mile for her customers - literally.
"Recently for a birthday, I picked up a cake from her and jokingly complained about how far I had to drive," Eve said. "Since then, Christina has made it a priority to be only two miles away. [That's] something she didn't have to do."
Since Austin started her business, Eve hasn't purchased anything from a "franchise baker." Eve thinks Austin's products are unique in taste and presentation and are very affordable.
One time, Eve found a picture on the Internet of what she wanted her order of cupcakes to look like. Eve said Austin took the idea and made it her own. It was "even better than the picture itself - hence her originality."
Austin works hard to accommodate any request and she'll even freehand designs on a customer's cake. She has hand frosted everything from monkeys, tigers and lions to pumpkins, flowers and balloons.
With Valentine's Day around the corner, she said most of her orders are for chocolate-covered strawberries. She is relieved in a way because she gets a break from only making cake.
Because money is tight, she uses free forms of marketing for her business, such as word of mouth and social networks like Facebook and Instagram.
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