Melissa, welcome to the podcast.

Thank you.

I'm so excited to be here.

I feel like I haven't seen you in since pre-pandemic, but I did enjoy your cupcakes at my baby shower.

So thank you.

I heard we sent them.

It's our pleasure.

I know.

And it's been so long. I think we were at,

I don't know, either a female founder gathering or something and then the whole world shut down.

So it's good to hear your voice. So I'd love for you to share with everybody what baked by Melissa is and what kind of inspired you to start it.

Sure. Well, Baked by Melissa is a direct-to-consumer gifting company.

We make bite-sized stuffed cupcakes entirely by hand with the most delicious ingredients and flavors that make you feel like a kid again.

And we can get them anywhere in the United

States of America on the date of your choice. And we make people happy during good times

and bad. So what gave you this idea? And I'm sure it didn't start out with being able to ship

everywhere anytime. Tell me about the origin story.

Yes, it definitely didn't start as a business plan. Never actually was a business plan,

but I just love to create things. I think that's my love language actually. I used to make

like picture frames and stuff and scrapbooks for friends in high school and college.

And I love to bake.

And I see baking as an arts and crafts project, but even better because you could eat it when you're done.

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