#MAKEITHAPPEN

Take a step into Tennille Ortiz's world and you'll see she is, indeed, living the sweet life. The New Jersey-based pastry chef has a thriving business in The Ellinnet Cake Collection and its mobile bakery, The Cupcake Carriage—and counts DJ Khaled, Miley Cyrus and Alicia Keys as celebrity clients, too. She's a master of the artful dessert—just check out her wondrous confections below, which range from fanciful "pointe shoes" to a charming take on Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit, even a fun basketball-and-net combo.

The secret to her success? Hard work, perseverance and plenty of passion. Born in East Harlem, New York, the mother of three spent 17 years in business management and administration in the healthcare industry before—like the Veronicas—opting to tackle the startup life so she could make her own hours and be more hands-on with her children. The career pivot paid off. Next up: franchising The Cupcake Carriage, expanding to include more corporate clients and opening her own storefront.

But here's the thing about Ortiz—she doesn't just make breathtaking (and delicious) cakes. Her product is much bigger than the sum of the ingredients. Through The Cupcake Carriage, she's making an impact in the community and paying it forward to the next generation in a very real way. As part of her business, Ortiz hosts special cupcake-decorating workshops with a message of empowerment at their core. "We teach entrepreneurship and leadership skills," explains Ortiz, whose real mission strikes at the heart of our #MAKEITHAPPEN campaign: to inspire others to take the reins over their lives. "I want to prove to other women, who are trying to build something from nothing, that it can be done."

Left: A happy client, Camille, delighting in the experience of working at a real boutique bakery. Right: Ortiz's very first enrichment workshop in Harlem, New York

My hustle…
Bringing all things sweet and pretty to life's most precious events and building a following of young women I can empower.

What got me started…
I want to prove to other women, who are trying to build something from nothing, that it can be done. And my family—my family is always my motivation. I definitely looked up to my mother, who raised two children by herself. She really started from the bottom and worked her way up to the top in her career. Watching her has been a huge inspiration.

What clears my head…
Long car rides. I come up with the most creative ideas in my car.

Most memorable baking job…
My first mega cake ever was for DJ Khaled's son, Asahd, who was turning two. I had to do 500 sugar cookies, 500 cake pops, 500 cupcakes, and three mega cakes, including one with a rotating carousel in the middle—all in two weeks. We made most of the elements in New Jersey, then had one week in Miami—where the party was—to finish the rest. I had a team of seven and I think we only had 10 hours of sleep the whole time there. That project taught me so much about servicing the high-end industry and it prepared for the other three cakes he ordered from me after that!

Left: A dessert wonderland for DJ Khaled's son Asahd's circus-themed birthday at the Marlins' stadium in Miami. Right: Ortiz and DJ Khaled.

Greatest challenge—and how I overcame it…
Being comfortable with who I am. Accepting that my life experiences don't define me; they give me a voice and something to contribute.

My enrichment workshops…
They differ, depending on the age group. For young children, as they're decorating the cupcakes, we teach them that practice makes perfect and that you can learn a lot from your failures, to see them positively, and how this applies to other parts of life too—like school, sports, and so on. For the teenagers, we teach them the meaning of supply and demand, how to calculate cost, how to make a P&L statement, how to scale their business and other basic entrepreneurial lessons.

And the inspiration behind them…
I come from a lower-income area in Harlem. I want to give back to the community, help those underprivileged inner-city children, teach them how to become an entrepreneur and that it's possible to be one. It's a passion of mine.
The very first workshop I did was for someone I grew up with. She booked me for a party because she wanted to show her daughter what an entrepreneur from Harlem looks like. She wanted her to see that I came from the same neighborhood and had this business. That was a full-circle moment for me.

The hardest part about being an entrepreneur…
The time that I sacrifice. I'm also a mom with three amazing boys, ages 5, 11 and 16. There's a lot of work that goes into this business. I’m hoping they will see that it was all for them, and learn firsthand from me that hard work will pay off and that it’s possible to do something you love and are passionate about while raising a family.

Another birthday slam dunk—Ortiz created the cake for Veronica Miele Beard's son, Matty, this year. Above: Matty with his basketball team and a close-up of the cake.

3 morning musts…
Hot tea, a quiet space, and kisses from my boys. There's nothing sweeter than their warm hugs and kisses right out of bed.

3 life hacks…
Faith, gratitude, and an abundant mindset

3 secret work weapons…
1. Never play small.
2. Preparation
3. Strategy

Personal talisman…
My calendar

Best advice received…
If you can imagine it, it's because it's possible.