Today we’d like to introduce you to Olesia Nikonchuk.
Hi Olesia, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Since I was a child, I always loved people, celebrations, and holidays (Christmas is still my favorite ever!). I loved organizing little parties and dinners with friends, in general, I just love making people happy.
One day I wanted to make a small gift for my family – a cake. I asked my grandma, who always baked pies for every family occasion, for her most popular cake recipe. I made it completely from scratch, and everyone loved it. But the most important thing was that I fell in love with the process. Something just clicked.
I started making custom cakes, and I worked a lot, sometimes 20 cakes in one weekend. It was crazy. Then COVID happened, and everyone stopped ordering because of lockdowns. So I changed direction a little bit and started filming the process instead. I created a TikTok and Instagram account, and my videos suddenly went viral. I still remember my first 10k followers, such a warm memory. I even celebrated it and booked my first professional photoshoot. Then people started asking me more and more questions about recipes, techniques, pricing, selling, everything. And I realized I could actually help them.
All my cake recipes I created myself. I spent so much time and money trying ingredients, combining them, adjusting them, trying again. I didn’t go to pastry school, I’m fully self-taught. I learned everything by doing, and I learned how even 10 grams of flour can change the whole sponge cake. I made a lot of mistakes, but thanks to those mistakes, I became a real professional.
My social media started growing fast, 150k on Instagram, 300k on TikTok, 500k on YouTube. I stopped doing custom cakes and focused only on education, recipes, and helping other bakers.
But in 2024, I realized I was missing something very very important in my life – real contact with people. I didn’t see their emotions, their reactions, their smiles. And I needed that. That was the moment I decided to open a cake decorating studio in San Francisco. I had no idea how exactly it would look, only some pictures in my mind. My husband supported me like always (he actually forced me to create TikTok and IG in the beginning), and he said “You have to do this. This is 100% your thing.”
I found my future studio space in a couple of weeks and signed the lease immediately. Then renovations, assembling tables, chairs, cabinets, buying decorations… it was a lot. Hard work, a big investment, dust everywhere, but I enjoyed every single day.
I opened my studio in January 2025, and it got fast success. It’s a completely unique experience for San Francisco, nobody does anything similar here. We have so many happy customers, amazing reviews, and we work with big companies like Google, Pinterest, SF Ballet, and more. This year alone we’ve already hosted almost 2000 guests, which still feels unbelievable to me. And the most amazing part is that people come back, that means we’re doing the right things and creating something they truly enjoy.
But the best part for me is that I finally got what I was missing. Every day I see people smiling, laughing, celebrating something important. We talk, we hug, we enjoy the moment together.
And I feel like I finally built a place where people can relax, be creative, and feel joy. A place where we have the most important thing in life – each other.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Absolutely not! It was definitely not a smooth road. It was unbelievably hard. Now I can talk about it with joy and even laugh about some moments, but back then… some days I didn’t even have time to eat. I worked nonstop.
Honestly, I think I could write a whole book about all the struggles. It was hard to find my first customers. It was hard to keep filming content when I didn’t see any results at the beginning. It was hard to share my real thoughts online, because you’re always afraid to be open in this not-very-perfect world where people can hurt you.
I went through depressions, burnout, moments when I thought “that’s it… I don’t want to do this anymore.” It’s hard to get your first bad review. It’s hard when a contractor doesn’t finish their work on time and everything falls on you. And it’s scary to lose not only money, but also friendships, because when you work 24/7, you honestly don’t have time for anything else.
But even with all of that, the results are worth it. When you finally see your goals coming to life, when you see people smiling in your studio – you realize why you pushed through all those hard days.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We host hands-on cake and cupcake decorating classes in San Francisco. These are not professional baking classes, they’re more about having fun, relaxing, and creating something beautiful with your own hands. People come for birthdays, date nights, girls’ nights, team-building events, or just because they want to try something new.
We actually offer different types of classes. For beginners who have never touched a piping bag, for people who already know a little bit, and even for cake artists who want to practice piping techniques and improve their skills. So everyone can find something comfortable for their level.
I think what we’re really known for is the atmosphere. It’s not just “decorate a cake and go home.” People walk in and instantly feel warm, welcome, seen. We try to create this cozy little world where you forget about work and stress for a couple of hours. You decorate your cake, you talk, you laugh, you take photos, and you actually enjoy the moment.
We specialize in making the whole experience super easy and comfortable. We prepare everything in advance – prebaked cakes, buttercream, tools, setups – so guests can just relax and have fun. And the designs are beautiful, from vintage-style cakes to simple modern ones. Everyone leaves with something they’re proud of.
What sets us apart is that there’s honestly nothing similar in San Francisco. Nobody does cake decorating classes the way we do, with this vibe, this level of service, this attention to every detail. We also work a lot with companies like Google, Pinterest, the SF Ballet, and many others, so we host big corporate events too.
Brand-wise, I’m most proud of the feeling people get here. Our reviews always say the same thing: “It felt magical,” “I didn’t expect it to be this fun,” “I forgot about everything for two hours,” “I want to come back.” That’s the best compliment ever for me.
This year alone we’ve welcomed almost 2000 guests, which still blows my mind. And people keep coming back, which means we’re doing something right.
I started this studio by myself, but now I have a big team, not big by numbers, but big by heart. Our customer care manager Julia has been with me for more than four years, and our amazing teachers Marina, Felipe, and Natalie bring so much love and energy into every class. Without them, this experience wouldn’t be the same.
What I want readers to know is simple – our studio is not really about cakes – it’s about people.
It’s about creating a space where you can slow down, be creative, celebrate life, and feel joy. And you go home with a cake you made yourself, which is pretty cool too.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
Honestly, I’m not a big books or podcasts person. I learn the most from real life, trying things, making mistakes, fixing them, and moving forward. Sometimes I watch videos from other small business owners just to get inspired, but my biggest “resource” is my own experience and the support from my husband and my team. That helps me more than anything else.
Pricing:
- Cake Decorating Classes start at $149 per person
- Cupcake Decorating Classes start at $119 per person
- Private groups and corporate events pricing depends on group size
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.olesiacake.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olesia_cake_
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/olesia.nikonchuk/following
- LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/olesia-nikonchuk-baa18a375
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@olesia_cake_
