PaSean Wilson-Ashley does business in Hollywood as an actress. But
when the director yells cut, Wilson-Ashley is baking up vegan goodies.
?Why
did I decide to start MamaAunties Vegan Baked Goodies? Well, there’s a
story.? A few years ago Whole Foods began making vegan chocolate chip
cookies.? They were rather expensive and since I liked them a lot, I
realized I would be spending a lot of money on the cookies.? I decided
to try and make my own,? recalls Wilson-Ashley. ?I searched many recipes
vegan and non-vegan and came up with the recipe that I use today. From
there, I started experimenting with other desserts.?
And she had a
special inspiration for her new company?s name. ??The name MamaAuntie
was created by my niece and nephew. I had the great fortune of being
able to keep them every summer for the past 13 years and one day they
said to me that I’m more than an auntie; I’m a mama and an auntie and
thus the name MamaAuntie was born,? explains Wilson-Ashley.
Now,
Wilson-Ashley is baking up a storm. Her offerings include: Almond Butter
cookies; Banana Cake; Banana Nut Bread (Chocolate); Brownies with
Walnuts; Carrot cake with Cream Cheese Frosting; Chocolate cake with
buttercream frosting or chocolate buttercream frosting); Chocolate Chip
Cookies with pecans or walnuts; Coffee Cake; Lemons Bundt Cake;
Persimmon Pumpkin Spice Cake; Red Velvet Cupcakes with cream cheese
frosting; Vanilla Cake with vanilla or chocolate frosting; Vanilla
Cupcakes with caramel frosting; Chocolate/Vanilla Cake with chocolate
vanilla frosting; and even Vegan Ice Cream.
Wilson-Ashley has
funded her home-based startup with product sales. There have been a few
challenges. ?In California, if you want to sell to anyone other than
friends and family you need a cottage license.? In order to get a
cottage license you have to label your product in a certain way.? So
researching that and taking a food handler’s course are the main
challenges,? she says.?
One thing that has, fortunately, been
easy has been balancing her side hustle. ?Balancing acting and a
home-based baking business has been quite manageable.? I bake on the
days that I don’t have auditions.? Since acting has been a little slower
lately, it really hasn’t been a problem.? But even when things pick up,
I don’t anticipate a problem because I can always bake ahead.? I don’t
have to worry about things going bad because all of my products are
dairy-free.?
Wilson-Ashley is excited about the next phase of her
business. ?One of my goals for 2016 is to increase sales.? I also
intend to have at least two of my products in coffees shops.? I would
also like to get into a farmers markets,? says Wilson. ?My long term
goal is to have MamaAuntie become a recognized ?brand.? I would like to
be the Black Martha Stewart.? I would also like to launch MamaAuntie?s
vegan waffle mix in retail stores. The time is right because I am in a
point in my life where I want to have multiple streams of income and
have multiple outlets to express all of my creativity.?
