bakery assistant

baker

cake decorator

shift leader

general manager

SusieCakes

SusieCakes preaches about having strong values, a good work/life balance and the importance of team work, leading you to believe you’re being welcomed into a healthy workplace of likeminded individuals, where you can grow and have your skills and talent put to good use. 
Unfortunately, it is all a massive facade, and there is a reason that this company is always understaffed. 
This company is very manipulative with their job marketing; they state that they offer decent benefits such as PTO, 401k, etc. but fail to mention that these benefits only apply after you’ve worked their for 2 years. 
Furthermore, the “sacred day” schedule, which is all the days through the year which nobody is allowed to request time off for, completely eliminates any realistic time frame for people to even try to request time off. 
So much for a healthy work/life balance. 
Even if you request time off for days that are not “sacred”, there’s no guarantee that it would even be approved, regardless of how much advance notice you give them or if your plans are non refundable, because it will be denied without any effort of accommodation if they are understaffed. 
I had a terrible experience in which I gave them a months notice to find coverage for plans I had for an important family event, only for them to tell me a week before the trip that they couldn’t give me the time off because it was a weekend in December. Not Christmas or another actual holiday, just a weekend because at SusieFakes, the only celebrations that matter are the ones making the company money :) 
My last comment in regards to scheduling is that if you work during the fall/winter holidays, you will be working a 6-7 (if you’re lucky) day work streak in November leading up to Thanskgiving and only getting Thanksgiving day and possibly the day after off, and an 8-10 day work streak in December with all the weekends being blacked out to request time off for being “sacred”, so that 3 day break from December 25th-27th that they market to sound so amazing and relaxing will most likely be spent trying to recover from working 8-10 days in a row, a good amount of those OT. 
Yes it’s as horrible as it sounds, and it gave me carpal tunnel. 
My biggest issue is that there is a very clear and toxic hierarchy in all of the shops: All managerial/corporate level staff can do whatever they want/break whatever regulations are put in place, in order to keep up the appearance of things going smoothly and the business being successful, but the lower level employees are treated like slaves, held firmly to said regulations, and expected to do everything and stay overtime for as little an hour as they can get away with.
There is a rule in which you can’t have your cellphone in your pocket/on you while working without an excuse. 
I could understand being told not to use your phone while working; this makes perfect sense regarding cross contamination, and just not being very professional, but they want your phone specifically off and in a locker unless you have an excuse. 
I was called out for having my phone on me. 
Not for using it on the floor or anything that would actually constitute as an HR matter, just for having it on me and not providing management with a reason for doing so, despite it being ridiculous and completely NONE OF THEIR BUSINESS why I would prefer my personal property on me, (and no I should not have to go into details of my personal life regarding my elderly father and being able to reach him if he needs anything in order to get my phone approved to be in my pocket). 
It was extremely annoying, but at the end of the day I must take responsibility for breaking the rules, cool. 
A while later, these same managers that chose to work amongst each other in order to make an example out of me regarding the phone issue, saw absolutely no issue in using their phone to watch the olympics right on top of a prep table while doing production. 
Literally, one manager was watching the olympics on their phone in front of the induction burner they were working on where guests could see if they actually looked through the kitchen door, and the other manager walked by and not only did nothing to correct the situation and remain consistent with the regulation of proper phone use, he also stopped to comment on the men’s volleyball game that was being aired :) 
As petty as a situation as it is, the way I see it is either all of it’s okay or none of it’s okay. Your employment status should not give you the right to follow most rules but ignore the inconvenient ones, especially when other employees are held to them. 
Lastly, the way they handled the pandemic was very irresponsible and potentially hazardous. 
At first, they really tried to justify being an essential business with the pitch that we were making days better by being open to sell people cakes and cupcakes. Lol. 
The incident that made me see that this company really does not care about anybody or anything but making money was when a team member came into the kitchen, unknowingly with COVID (yes, someone got COVID and had direct contact with everyone aside from myself since I was already in quarantine from a COVID exposure within my household), and when they finally found out  and informed everyone, instead of closing the shop to get all staff members tested and make sure everyone was safe to be around other people outside of the kitchen, the company only had 2 out of 4 kitchen staff (no front of house members who actually interact with the customers!) go into quarantine because the rest of the staff was deemed to not have had “enough direct contact” with said team member, and expected 2 people to be able to run the whole kitchen and take care of orders, inventory, managerial duties, and everything else under the sun in a selfish attempt at keeping the shop open to get as many sales as they can. 
Very well done, Susie. 
At the end of the day, SusieCakes is just another greed driven small business backed by investors, trying to project the image and success of a multi global corporation, while cutting corners in order to save the wealth for themselves. 
It is an extremely toxic company that I advise nobody to support with their money or their employment. 
If you are truly passionate about being a part of an organization that aims to make celebratory occasions memorable or just passionate about baking/decorating and want to expand your horizons, I beg you not to apply here unless you want said passion to be squashed and burnt out of you. 
The only positive comment I have is the truly wonderful friends/relationships I’ve made in the time I spent with the company.  
Otherwise, I do not recommend any form of employment under this company. 
There are other opportunities and companies to find that care about their employees and will treat you with respect, understand that their company does not operate without you, and pay you what you are worth instead of what they can get away with. 

At Susie Cakes i have excelled and stepped up the ladder with speed. I appreciate the guidance, acceptance, and appreciation in my skills and abilities. I wish there were more learning tools for management roles. I wish we did more in house to make the day go by faster and to give us more purpose, worth, and job security. There is definite favoritism and it's hard to get through and most times i feel unheard. The hardest part of my job is being stern and being more rigid to get more accomplished in everyday. It's hard for me to let responsibilities go i usually want to do it myself to ensure its done properly and efficiently which in the end only hurts myself. The most enjoyable part of my job is the feeling of accomplishment i am very goal driven and getting as much done in the time i have and setting up for the next day so that hopefully everyday that follows is a great one. Seeing happy guests and the smiles on their face and making days better and getting to be a part of peoples' lives and making memorable experiences with them are the true highlight for my job. Getting to put my passion of baking and hard work together into a company that supports us and gives us livable wages and good benefits is monumental in this industry where that usually isn't the standard. The workload isn't imbarable its broken down into bite size pieces so you can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I enjoy the new decorated cakes and promotional flavors to switch up the days and not be mundane and repetitive. I enjoy the work i am asked of. I wish there was more to look forward to. I wish there were higher growth opportunities because where i am now i feel stagnant and no higher position to reach toward. I love the competition between bakeries to be the best or sell the most. I love meeting sales goals. I want to be better at managing waste and better numbers at eop. I feel like bake house took all our work and our growth is in their hands i miss the pride we took in our product and producing immaculate cakes to spec. I feel like their isnt much left here not much to look forward to or things to really get uplifted about. 

Beware of working at any susiecakes location!
They allow guest to treat you like the scum of the earth and disrespect you however they please and reward them with free stuff right after so they may come back and disrespect you again.. 
They will hire people who have no experience and know nothing about the company at the same rate as you even if you've worked there 3+ years and know how to do way more than the new hires. They sell you a dream, tell you you're gonna get compensated for learning how to do many things and then they never do and the only way to make real money here and get promoted is by litterally selling your soul to this place aka not having a life and only going to work and going home because you're mentally and physically exhausted everyday. Susie herself doe's not care or even knows what's going on with her employees shes an actress and her "story" is fake. HR doesnt even help you when you have an issue they expect you to figure it out yourself, they don't even call you back after leaving a voicemail. Managment is very hypocritical they are the type to tell you all these things you can't do but then go ahead and do all those things themselves. basically ( do as I say not as I do)  and they don't listen to you because they dont care, they will forget everything you said the minute you walk out the office and for some reason Leads think they don't have to do anything but sit in the office and have a great time while the rest of the guest service team scrambles to get the guest out the door. Theres always gossip and drama it's like high school. And only general managers get bonuses. You are not rewarded with anything for all your hard work especially during the holidays which is the worse time of the year if you work here. They will juice the life out of you and don't get sick! They blame it on you and tell you to take better care of yourself as if you can walk around in a bubble everywhere. Basically only way susiecakes cares about you is if you're white and work in their headquarters or you're a general manager.
This whole company is a joke.

Work is pretty easy most of the time at the bakery. It is filled with tempting sweets that are made fresh daily. It smells amazing inside, and you get to eat as the day goes on. As a guest service team member you are responsible for taking care of the case, making sure everything is "Susie" and looks good (no smudges on the glass, making sure all product is well stocked and looks tasty!)

 You are also responsible for taking care of the guests that come in. As I sit here and think about the guests, my heart jumps a little. There are so many different kinds of people that come into a bakery, and depending on who your main clientele are, you have to deal with some more than others. At my bakery, we are in a wealthy part of town, with a lot of well to do people who are happy to spend exuberant amounts of money on cakes for their child who is sitting in the lobby smacking the glass on the case, or crying about how they want a cupcake RIGHT NOWWW!!!

This can be challenging, when also trying to coordinate with the Culinary Team about what the guest is wanting, and depending on their mood for the hour, will depend on the treatment you receive when discussing the options with them. This is because depending on the Head Baker, the team can be really stressed out, or in a great mood, as it is with many boss-employee relationships. I have seen the back laughing and joking and enjoying their work, and I have seen them all standing around doing their tasks without saying a word to each other.

The team aspect and environment of the culture of susiecakes does two things. On one hand you can have a great team that functions well together, and has a sense of unity, and on the other hand you can have a team that is crying everyday because of the build up of pressure and lack of helpful communication. 

The hardest part of this job, is living up to the expectations of others who can be on a completely different planet than you mentally.

The most enjoyable part of the job? Making friends that you get to see all the time (employees, and guests) and getting to chow down on some really incredible sweets.

The pros:
Morale is mostly positive amongst the team members, the leads, and management. We support each other and look out for one another. It can be easy to let the tension during the busiest times of the year get to us, but we still get along great. 
There are plenty of opportunities for growth if you want to rise up in ranks. Beginners are eased into their positions as they train for each shift not only by the head bakers and GM's but also other team members who have been in the company longer. Experienced GS and CT members get to challenged themselves and refine their skills. Those who strive to work in a leadership role can turn to their more experienced leads during their training for a second opinion.
We get a discount when we purchase any product.
Our employer doesn't hesitate to show their appreciation for our hard work and loyalty.
Loads of benefits.
Diversity.
A sense of belonging as a valued team member.

The cons:
The pay could be higher to keep up with inflation in the housing market and everywhere else.
There are times where we feel like our employer doesn't value our opinions unless drastic and life changing happens.
Our marketing leader doesn't have much experience working in the professional kitchen, and therefore doesn't completely understand what we deal with on a regular basis. It could take weeks or months to get approval for the supplies or extra team members we need to work more efficiently. 
The job can be draining to the point where I forget that I have a life outside of my job.
The medical insurance benefit is too expensive if you are paying for more than just yourself.
We could afford to be more firm with guests that misbehave when we can't provide a service that we don't offer.
I no longer feel like a valued team member, despite all the praise and compliments, when disregard my seniority after I decided to take time off in 2020. I'm not the only one waiting on my blue bandana.


Most companies say they are committed to culture, but it doesn't materialize, so I am glad to have found my "home" at SusieCakes, where this focus is alive and well! We strive every day to display empathy and mindfulness at all levels, both internally and externally. Our constant pursuit of a providing a better professional experience and development to all of us who work here speaks for itself. From the newest hire to Susan, what we have in common is that we recognize our impact on others. 

Covid threw the industry for a loop this year, but SusieCakes has brilliant leadership at the helm to be sure that we continue our success, even in such a difficult time. To that end, SusieCakes does the right thing, even when no one is looking. I am confident that we will come through this stronger than before and resume opening new bakeries in the near future. In the meantime, we are focused on making people smile, especially during a time where it is difficult to remember that there is always something to celebrate.

I am challenged in my role daily, but also know that I am supported at the same time so I am afforded more growth than elsewhere in my career thus far. During our monthly Zooms, it is so moving to see such a diverse group of people from all corners of the industry continue to build on former successes and thrive. The fact that I get to be a part of that team is such a win.

Based on your passions and goals SusieCakes can be a great place for employment to support you to become a stronger version of yourself. For those interested in baking and pastry to culinary team at SusieCakes in a great place to develop fundamentals of baking, cake decorating and leadership for running a kitchen. The guest service team is great for those who love face to face interaction, love connecting with others based on their celebrations and is a great place to learn the skills for superior guest service interactions. For those who are focused on hospitality/pastry as a career SusieCakes leadership team is some of the best folks I have had a pleasure to work with. While managing others is not for everyone, SusieCakes come from a perspective of putting the guest and the team first, I've witnessed this supportive environment contribute to the growth and development of myself and others. The bakery environment is not for the faint of heart, it is hard work, takes a lot of your time and focus to consistently execute at a high level. Bakery work will take over during the holidays and times of the year that others are celebrating weddings, graduations or specific religious holidays. The ability to take and give direct, kind and honest feedback is a must.

I absolutely loved working here. I became so close with all my co-workers and easily became friends with all of them. the training was a little TOO extraneous though, just to box cupcakes & what exact words to say to guests. it took about 3 months just to get trained on how to take a small phone order... cakes are yummy. pricey, but good. although everything is not as fresh or 'homemade' as we are supposed to say ... i loved my assistant manger, she was the best and most kind-hearted person. but my new general manager (that had replaced the old gm) was a pain. i felt as if everything i did was not good enough for her, like she did not like the way i wrote something on a box, she would get a whole new one and move her new writing 3 mm towards the corner of the box. it made me feel like i didnt know how to write on a box for goodness sake. also, i never told anyone, but i felt so disrespected by her because of my beliefs.i won't go into detail because i dont want to feel as if i am bashing her. but that was a huge negative working here, the lack of disrespect she had towards me was very unprofessional. other co-workers i was close too knew something was wrong and when i told them, they agreed. but i guess you need to put up with whatever it takes these days to have a source of income.

My days started with making & baking all cupcakes, cakes & cookies, swirling cupcakes, building, crumb coating & final coating cakes. Decorating cakes and sugar cookies, traying up all of the product for the case. Production of other items such as puddings, pies, cookies, bars, cakes, etc. Maintaining a safe & sanitary/clean environment. Setting an example and training new employees, maintaining FIFO taking inventory and placing orders, checking orders in. Organizing storage of product, cleaning dishes.
 While at Suise Cakes I had an overall enjoyable & teachable experience, I was able to improve on certain skills, and work harder on my cake decorating skills. I was given the ability to start my way up to management and train new employees which was highly enjoyable. All of my managers where wonderful personalities, and the whole staff helped to make work feel more like a family sharing their passions together. 
The only down side was as the company expanded they became more corporate like, and one of their rules cost me my job. Although I was a hard & dedicated worker who was reliable I had a few days where I just didn't wake up in time for my 5 am shift

SusieCakes is an extremely structured, but fun environment! The training is thorough and there is always a why behind what is taught. 

Coming from other restaurant industry jobs, there is no comparison to how much this company cares for their team members. 
Susan and the rest of the leadership team cares about their employees and it shines through with the amount of benefits that the job comes with. The cupcakes and cakes are literally just the icing on the cake. 

Work-life balance is real, although, it can be easy to not know how to manage it when you are being promoted, but we lean on each other to help guide us through. You learn and you grow. 

The biggest challenge is working around the holiday schedules, but it comes with the territory of being a celebration business. You'll get this anywhere you go in the food industry. The team around you is what makes it fun and SusieCakes does provide OT for the hours you work and food for the big holidays! 

As you grow with the company, you are celebrated for your tenure with different prizes- the last prize of 10 years is a trip! Unheard of anywhere else! 

One of our values is we have fun. At the end of the day, we are spending a lot of our time at work with people that you may see more than your family during the week. We make it fun and enjoyable for the team so it's not a drag to come to work everyday! Life's what you make it, so make it fun and frosting filled!

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Bakery assistant 114 salaries reported	$18.70 per hour
Baker 48 salaries reported	$20.20 per hour
Cake decorator 63 salaries reported	$19.75 per hour
Shift leader 80 salaries reported	$21.75 per hour
General manager 25 salaries reported	$82,680 per year

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