1 minute read
glo Girl : Malila Smiley
By Stacie Ball | Photo by Mollie Shutt
At a young age, Malila Smiley dreamed of becoming a baker. When her dad said she did not need to wait to become a baker, she hit the ground running. A good amount of positive thinking, a dash of YouTube, and a sprinkle of inspiration from Pinterest helped Malila write the recipe for the business of her dreams.
Malila was born with a passion for art and enjoyed drawing and painting. Soon she discovered culinary art and learned to bake from YouTubers like ‘How to Cake it’ and Rosanna Pansino. “I learned how to make cupcakes, which eventually branched off into cheesecakes and brownies,” Malila explained. She experimented with different recipes from Pinterest and favorite cookbooks and put together a menu of items she thought would sell. In August of 2016, Malila founded her business, Dreamie Pastries. Customers order her delicious cupcakes, cake pops, cheesecakes, brownies, and lemonades on Facebook and Instagram or by email. She offers approximately 24 flavors of cupcakes, including customer favorites like chai latte, strawberry colada, mint chocolate, and cotton candy. Her love of culinary arts is quite contagious. She teaches baking classes at the YMCA to eager beginning bakers and even gets her little sister and brother in on the action. She said, “Now, my little sister, Amiliya, makes cake pops for Dreamie Pastries, and my little brother, Ephraim, makes lemonade in the summer.” Malila’s life isn’t all sugar and flour. She is part of the National Honor Society and was a Junior Achievement Student Board Member. In November 2021, she became a Junior Achievement Entrepreneur of the Month. In her spare time, she works at JCPenney. When asked how she manages everything, she stated, “I manage it by simply knowing that I am capable and it’s possible.” Even if orders were scarce, or recipes flopped, Malila resisted the urge to give up. Her business has grown due to her positive thinking and hard work. Malila’s next dream is to become a dermatologist. In five years, she hopes to begin her journey through medical school. Discover more about Dreamie Pastries by visiting it on Facebook and Instagram. Place an order on either social media site or by sending an email to dreamie.pastries@gmail.com. a
