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Jennifer Appel
Jennifer Appel
01:30

Jennifer Appel

Buttercup Bake Shop

New York, NY USA

"It's scary sometimes to make those leaps of faith-I was terrified. But I did it. I just said, 'You know, it couldn't be any worse than how I feel now.' How far could I fall?"

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Jennifer's work combines: Entrepreneurship, Food, and Being Creative

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Day In The Life

Founder

I share my passion for baking with my customers by creating classic American desserts everyone loves.

Skills & Education

Here's the path I took:

  • High School

  • Bachelor's Degree

    Psychology, General

    Hofstra University

  • Graduate Degree

    Psychology, General

    Hofstra University

  • Doctorate

    Psychology, General

    Hofstra University

Life & Career Milestones

My path in life has been direct

  • 1.

    Studied psychology all the way through school-went from undergrad to master's to Ph.D straight to practicing psychologist.

  • 2.

    Said even as she was editing her dissertation, she was just "flinging around statistics" that weren't grabbing her.

  • 3.

    Started watching the cooking shows on the Discovery Channel; said baking seemed "lighter and so much more satisfying."

  • 4.

    Has faced "tremendous challenges" but always took leaps of faith.

  • 5.

    Believes in listening to the customer; her bakery, Magnolia Bakery, originally didn't even sell cakes until customers started requesting them.

  • 6.

    She started making cupcakes with the leftover cake batter; now largely credited with starting the "cupcake craze."

  • 7.

    Her current bakery, Buttercup Bake Shop, has been visited by Hillary Clinton and Al Roker, sells 3,000-4,000 cupcakes each day.

  • 8.

    Says the most important thing is to "listen to the little person inside," rather than doing something that isn't making you happy.