This week's tastemaker is female entrepreneur Meg Quinn who shows tasty treats don't have to be a huge indulgence through her gluten-free, dairy-free & sugar-free bakery, Bougie Bakes! 

Meg wears the Helena Maxi Dress in Blue/White Palm Toile

I was the first person in my family to graduate from a four year college, and my parents always pushed my brother and I to prioritize education and real world experiences.  They sacrificed a lot to give us what they hadn’t been afforded, and made us feel like we could do anything we put our minds to. It’s always been a great source of motivation for me, and it’s pushed me to work extra hard at everything I have done in life - whether it was in sports, or school, or internships, or my career, I’ve always worked hard to be the very best I can be.  I think it’s ultimately what gave me the confidence to start my own business as well.

Throughout wedding prep, we struggled to find snacks that would satisfy our serious sweet tooth cravings at night, without derailing all of our hard work and clean eating during the day, so we started making them ourselves.  We quickly realized this was a problem a lot of people faced, and we wanted to bring these healthier alternatives to snacking to people just like us.  When we really took a look at it from a business standpoint, we saw a big whitespace opportunity in the better-for-you baked goods category - there weren’t any offerings that were free from gluten, sugar & dairy. We started baking and selling out of our home kitchen as a side hustle, and quickly outgrew our home kitchen and moved into a commercial space in South Los Angeles.  Fast forward 3 years, we now both work on the business full time, have a team of dedicated employees helping us to keep up with demand, and many loyal customers supporting us day in and day out!

Photo from bougiebakes.com

Getting to ride the high highs and the low lows of life and business together.  Building a life with your partner is such a cool experience, and I feel lucky that we get to take it even a step further by building a business together as well. While it definitely has its challenges as well, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Right now, I’m loving our Matcha Strawberry Cookies.  If you’re a matcha lover like me, you’ll love what you taste.  We have some new offerings coming out soon, that have me very excited as well!

I think investing in yourself means making time for yourself and listening to what your body needs.  For me, it means different things on different days.  I always try to start my days with something for me - some days that means working out, or meditating, or reading, or making something extra yummy for breakfast. Other days, that means snoozing the alarm for an extra 30 mins.  Whether morning or night, I think it’s important to take some time each and every day for you. If you prioritize your mental state and health, you’re going to be happier and healthier and feel more empowered.

I think empowering women is essential, and while so much has been done to close the gender gap, there’s still a long way to go.  I have been lucky to have been surrounded by some extraordinary women in my life, and I think it’s imperative that we keep showing by example, so the next generation of females stay motivated to reach even further.

I love everything Mestiza stands for!  The fact that the brand is so rooted in women’s empowerment and female founded is amazing, and it’s clear that so much care and detail goes into each and every design.  For me, I feel most empowered when I feel happy, healthy & confident, so wearing something that makes me feel good is a huge component of that.

Darling packaging photo from the Bougie Bakes Instagram Page

I’m in love with my Helena Maxi!  I stopped wearing pants in March 2020 (haha), so the fact that I can put on something that is so comfy and makes me feel so put together and confident, makes me feel like I can tackle anything the day throws my way.