Buffalo Boss Babe : Sara Baker
After spending a decade in the education field as a teacher, this local momma’s life changed completely when being blessed with twins! Read her story how she found her NEW way in the new post pandemic world as a mom of twins and new business!
(also - does her backdrop for her first image look familiar?! Stephanie Lee Genco from in the Wellness in the Village is what we named her “friend-preneur” or “business bestie”-neither one had it first, they support each other, and bring each other UP, together! We interview them both on the podcast that can be found here episode 008 and discuss the whole awesome dynamic!)
Follow Sara here on all the things :
Instagram: @basicallybaker
Shop Apparel: www.basicallybaker.com
Facebook: Basically Baker
Tiktok: @basically.baker
YouTube: Basically Baker
I have always been one to play it safe. My entire life I have been described as someone who is "detail oriented," "a good planner," "organized," and "responsible." I loved education, working with children and being creative. All this led me to what I saw as a very clear career path-teaching! I started as a preschool teacher then taught first grade for a total of almost 10 years in the classroom. I can say with certainty that my world turned upside down when I found out that I was pregnant with twins! I left the classroom for what I thought would just be maternity leave, but by the start of the next school year I had made the decision to be a stay at home mom. It was during this time that I went through the phase of motherhood that noone tells you about-the one where you lose your way. Literally everything changes- from your body to your relationships to your priorities and suddenly I wasn't sure I wanted to be a teacher anymore. That was probably the hardest time for me as I have always played it safe, had a clear direction and known exactly what I wanted to do. It was seeing my close friend, Stephanie Genco, take a leap of faith and follow her dream of entrepreneurship that made me wonder if I could do the same. I had no idea where to start, so I began focusing on content creation and have been growing my social media ever since. I also started a YouTube channel documenting our home building process, and that led to creating more motherhood and lifestyle content. I focused on mastering the Instagram algorithm (still working on that one ;) ) and found that I loved sharing all parts of my life! Much to my surprise, the one thing that I was getting the most comments about was...our OUTFITS! I have always loved fashion, styling myself, my friends, my family and now my twin girls! I found that I was constantly searching for cute, custom options for us and that's when I saw a gap in the Buffalo apparel market that I wanted to fill. This is where Basically Baker Apparel was born! It started in the Spring of 2022 with me creating apparel for my girls, family and friends, and has since grown into my very own small business! It is an online clothing company designed for moms and minis to coordinate for every occasion! 6 months later, I am experiencing my very first "pop up season," during the holidays, which is not for the faint of heart! I am learning so much as I go and cannot wait to hit the one year milestone and see what is next for this business, and myself!
Who are your favorite people to follow ?
I love following fashion bloggers like Jen Reed, influencers focused on motherhood like Tiffani Beaston and Brooke Raybould and of course local small businesses! I also love following successful women entrepreneurs like Tori Gerbig (Pinklily) and Sara Blakely (Spanx). I would say my "fun follows" are anything that makes me laugh, like Elyse Myers, and anything that inspires me, like Mel Robbins.
What are your favorite things to do in the area ? Buffalo and greater WNY
I love finding things for us to do as a family, and we love staying busy! The girls participate in weekly music classes through Feelings Rock (@feelingsrock) and gym classes through Rollie Pollies (@rolliepollieswny). We recently discovered Little Buffalo Play, and are excited to check that out! In the summer we love visiting playgrounds and splash pads! Some of our favorites include: Green Lake in Orchard Park, Village Green in Elma, and Westwood Park in Lancaster. In the fall it's all about the apple picking and pumpkin patches and we love visiting Kelkenberg Farms, Gregs-U-Pick, and Becker Farms. Knox Farm is also a great spot for family pictures any time of year! For me time, I love going to yoga at The Practice (@thepracticebuffalo) and checking out local breweries like 42 North (@42northbrewing).
Tell us about your favorite collaboration or dream collaborations ?
I am always looking to collaborate with another local small business!
If you could have coffee with anyone in the world who would it be?
My dad, who lost his battle with lung cancer in 2018. He was a successful entrepreneur who founded multiple businesses which he was able to grow and sell. I would love to have coffee and tell him about my business, ask for his advice, listen to his stories and just be with him again.
What are your hopes, dreams, goals. Big or small?
I hope to continue to grow my apparel business and one day even outgrow my home work space! I would love to increase my reach to women all over the world and become an international boss babe! ;)
Tell us about your family?
My husband, Grant, is the most supportive person I could have by my side. He is always willing to hold the phone for pictures, makes guest appearances on social media, stays up late helping me prep for pop up shows, and is always up for anything! My twin girls, Eloise and Josephine, are my why for everything that I do. They are the cutest models for my apparel, they sit with me at pop up shows without (too much) complaining, and motivate me to find the blend between motherhood and entrepreneurship.
FEEL GOOD FAVORITES
Restaurant in Buffalo:
Toutant
Color:
Neutrals
Super Power:
I would want to freeze time!
Animal :
My Yorkshire Terrier, Graham Parker
Season of the year:
All things FALL
Favorite thing about Buffalo / WNY:
Boss Babes + Bills!
