Stephnie Ballard, New Mexico Culinary Designer and Community Figure  

Stephnie Ballard is the founder of Desire and Consequence, an online specialty bakery and custom dessert catering company located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Stephnie is  on a unique mission to be a creative leader in the dessert industry, while giving back to her community at the same time.

Stephnie’s personal commitment to helping her community is integral to her company’s culture, so more than serving up “to-die-for” sweets, Desire and Consequence is a commercial enterprise with a massive heart. The business actively engages in fundraising opportunities and events for various organizations in the local community.

But if you’re not located in New Mexico, don’t let your sweet tooth despair! As part of the bigger entrepreneurial vision for her company, Stephnie launched another branch of Desire and Consequences, a nationwide dessert club that delivers a delectable sweet treat every month. But luckily for me, I was able to indulge in some of the incredible confections created by Desire and Consequence on a recent trip to New Mexico to see this energetic, socially conscious culinary figure.

Stephnie was a finalist in New Mexico’s Hauterpreneurs’ inaugural HauteHopes scholarship initiative that I was assigned the challenging task of judging.  Hautepreneurs was co-founded by Lisa Abeyta, founder and CEO of AppCityLife (the first entrepreneur featured in the SharpHeels “In Conversation With” series).

Together with Lisa’s co-founder (serial entrepreneur Jessica Eaves Matthews), Lisa set out to create a premier peer network for women entrepreneurs, thought-leaders and innovators in New Mexico.  Stephnie participated this past February in “pitching” Desire and Consequences as part of the HauteHopes scholatship initiative.  Read on for more about this socially responsible purveyor of delicious dishes.

Define “entrepreneur.” 
Someone who owns and runs their own business.

What was the spark or moment that started your entrepreneurial journey? 
My grandmother’s death.

Is Hautepreneurs your first pitch competition? Tell me about the experience. What is your advice to other women who may be hesitant to pitch their business ideas?
Yes. Amazing. The education was priceless.  My advice to hesitant women would be “Go for it!!”

Who are your heroes?
My husband. He has been my biggest champion of my vision for Desire and Consequence.

What is your current challenge?
I am not sure if this is a challenge or just something I need to make myself do, but I get so caught up in baking and producing my products that I miss out on a lot of networking in which I should be involved.

I am on the cusp where I have enough work to keep me busy and pay the bills, but not enough to hire yet.  So, I need to get out there to get more work in order to hire — so I can keep getting more work — if that makes any sense!

Your greatest achievement?
My children and my company, Desire and Consequence.

What is your motto?
Live in the moment. 

Why are you an entrepreneur?
So that I can manage my own schedule while doing what I love.

What problem would you like solved?
Child hunger. New Mexico is ranked #1 for the MOST starving children. It makes me sick.

Item you wish you had invented?
The zipper.

Biggest regret?
No regrets. My mother-in-law taught me that nothing is worth regretting. Instead, always look forward.

What mobile device do you presently use?
iPhone, iPad, MacbookPro.

Essential app(s)?
Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram.

Which productivity tools (app/software/office supplies) do you use most often?
Facebook, Adobe Creative Suite, Quickbooks, and the Square.

Best discovery?
That I can do whatever I put my mind to!

Which talent would you would like to have?
A quick tongue and the gift of gab.

Best pat on the back you’ve ever received?
A notable designer once told me my chocolates were like eating liquid gold.  That was so awesome to hear!

Advice you wish you’d had (or had followed)?
I wish I had had financial advice when all of this started; I might be in a different place by now. I have had to learn about and fix many mistakes.

Your pitch in 140 characters?
“Desire and Consequence is an online specialty bakery providing featured dessert support and catering services to local restaurants and the community at large.”

Your bio in six words?
Architecturally trained culinary designer.

What’s your hashtag?
On Instagram: #delicious, #desireandconsequence.

The J.O.B. you’d actually like?
Event coordinator.  I wouldn’t want to bake for anyone else.

Biggest misconception about being an entrepreneur?
That it is a piece of cake (pun intended!).

Inc. or Rolling Stone or…..?  If you could be on any magazine cover, which one?
Food and Wine.

What are you reading?
Wonder Women: Sex, Power and the Quest for Perfection.

If I wanted to do what you’re doing…what’s your advice?
Don’t overthink it — just go for it.

What conference would you like to keynote?
Some type of food or dessert conference.

 What’s your guilty pleasure? 
A hot bubble bath with wine and Sade playing in the background.

Short cut, long route, road less traveled? What’s your roadmap?
Long game which has been the road less traveled.

The memories of a chef are tastes and smells; what would you say are the memories of an entrepreneur? 
The smiles on peoples’ faces.

What makes you LOL?
I LOVE comedy shows. Especially the kings of comedy.

Who or what inspires you?
Art and design inspire me as well as seeing people do great things.  I love hearing success stories…they get me fired up.

What’s the most important startup/entrepreneurship lesson you’ve learned?
That I need to network more.

Your Ferris Bueller moment: if you could goof-off/skip out for a day, what would you do? 
Spend the day at the pool, lake, or beach– whatever was closest.

One place in time you’d like to visit?
The Netherlands, at any time.

Part of the trick to staying focused?
Assimilating your life into what you are doing.  In other words, if I have a big event to cater and the kids are in my way…I just put them to work and we have a lot of fun!

You take a three-hour ocean tour and get stranded …what three items do you have with you?
Phone, sunblock, and a protein bar.

Do you have any unrealized dream projects?
Designing my dream house.

What makes you happy? 
Vacation with my family.

What does success look like for you?
A steady income, a great product, and being able to work from anywhere I want.

Where can readers of “In Conversation With” connect with you online?
Facebook (and check out our new shop on Esty).