The Story

About 2 weeks ago I was contacted by a lady named Jeannie - through my website - and she requested a cake consult with me on TUESDAY (Nov. 22) at 10:30am. She said that she was having a Spring wedding and she needed a cake to feed 200-300 people!!

Several days later, I was contacted by Jeremy - through my website and he requested a meeting on Wednesday (Nov. 30) at 12:30 - he said he was having a Winter wedding - probably in Jan or Feb - they haven't finalized the details but the cake didn't need to feed more than about 50-100 people. I later received a second e-mail from Jeremy explaining that his Fiance had scheduled us for Tuesday but he really needed it to be Wednesday because of his work schedule. He explained that he worked at the Bountiful Rec Center and that it would be easiest to meet there on his lunch break and that he could secure a conference room!

Well, I replied to Jeremy and happily agreed to meet at the rec center but said that no, his fiance hadn't contacted me at all so Wednesday was still just fine!

I was thrilled - 2 cake consults in 2 weeks - yipee!!

I received a second and then a third e-mail from Jeannie changing the date, the time, and the location until we finally settled on meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 29, at my home at 10:30am! So now I had 2 consults in the same week - one for Tuesday and one for Wednesday (so I thought).

Tuesday finally arrived and I waited for Jeannie for an hour! She never showed. I was confused since she was so adamant about meeting! I sent her an e-mail and asked if she needed to reschedule and she replied that she thought we rescheduled for Wednesday. Now I was majorly confused. Well, I never thought that Jeremy and Jeannie were a "couple" b/c their inquiries were so different, what couple doesn't know when their wedding will be when they contact the cake decorator? But I figured - what the heck and I simply prepared myself to meet this couple on Wednesday at the Rec Center.

So, at 12:15 on Wednesday, I grabbed my computer, and portfolio and calendar and headed to the Bountiful Rec Center to meet with Jeremy and Jeannie. When I arrived there was a lady - dressed very business like - waiting for me. She said "Hi, are you Aislinn?" and I smiled and said "yes" and she introduced herself as Carolyn, Jeannie's step mom. She told me that Jeannie was showering because she had just finished working out but that Jeremy was in the conference room waiting for us to arrive. On the way up the stairs I apologized for the confusion from Tuesday (meeting Jeannie and not realizing that she and Jeremy were a couple) and Carolyn said not to worry because Jeremy and Jeannie didn't have their heads on straight because there are so many decisions to make! So, we made our way up the conference room where Jeremy was waiting. When Carolyn opened the door all I heard was SURPRISE and then there were cameras (like TV cameras and regular cameras), balloons and a man (turned out the be the president of the Western Division of US Bank) holding a GIANT check for $5,000.

I just started crying and I said "I did it, I did it" and the Steve (the president) replied, "Oh, you blew it out of the water!". They took my picture and told me that they were so touched by my story (I had 300 words or less to tell why I deserved the money) that they felt like there wasn't anyone more deserving! Mr. Steve told me that of the 3 winners he wanted to meet me - and he proceeded to look through my portfolio! He said he was so impressed and happy to give away $5,000 to someone like me!

Here is some background that you may or may not know. US Bank announced in September that they would be holding this challenge for small business owners - there would be 3 ways to win. 1 - popular vote, 2 - judge's choice - and 3 - random draw by the computer. I knew I wanted to enter and I figured that the easiest way to win would be by voting. So I made my entry and started bugging my friends. I sent out numerous e-mails asking for votes, I posted it a bazillion times on Face Book asking for votes, I put it on Linkedin, I sent it out to every group I belonged to. I asked friends to send it to their friends, and so on. Then I thought and thought - what more can I do? I settled on going around Bountiful, introducing myself to other business owners and asking them for a vote as well. I decided that if I were to lose then at least I'd lose knowing I did all that I could do. You see - of the top 10 entries (I knew mine was at least in the top 10) I was the only one without a store front. I didn't have people coming and going through my business daily. I didn't have constant contact with the public -so I had to really relay on my friends and family. I pounded the pavement for several days.

It wasn't until after I was presented with the prize that they told me that I won the voting phase and that 2nd place was more than 200 votes behind me. WOW - all that hard work and love and support really paid off!! (literally!)

So - you can CLICK HERE to see the video of my reaction to the prize if you want!!

Thank you to everyone!!

What will I do with the money? Well, there is a convention in Austin, Texas (That Takes The Cake) and they only do it one time a year. The top decorators from the nation come and they teach classes and new techniques to those that want to learn. The classes are not cheap and I said from the start that if I won then I couldn't think of a better way to expand my business than by expanding my knowledge - so that's what I will do - I'm going to Texas!!

Then I signed a press release - they had contacted the press from Utah - and they took more pictures and had me read my story (the one I had written) for the cameras.

The branch president where I bank - Kristi - was there and she said that she had known for 2 weeks that I won and that it was so hard not to tell me every time I went in to the bank!!

So that's the story - I'm the winner of the US BANK challenge. I have a giant check for $5,000!!