We had the good fortune of connecting with Geneva Stone Hodges and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Geneva, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
When I was younger I had zero concept of what it meant to have balance between work & life. I started working when I was 16 & from then through to my days at culinary school & beyond I worked full time at multiple jobs & attended classes. Back then I thought I was doing great but looking back in retrospect, man, was I a hot mess. Honestly it wasn’t truly until the pandemic that I began to reflect & realize that I needed to slow down. I realized how emotionally & physically drained I was. My mental state was suffering which meant my business was suffering. I now know that in order to successfully run my business I have to take care of myself. For me that means taking Sundays off when I can, starting my mornings with a nice breakfast, generally just slowing down. You know when you’re on an airplane & the instructions if things go bad is to put your oxygen mask on first? That’s how I tend to think about balance now.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
It’s taken me years & many cringe worthy cake designs to get to where I am today. I want those who order from me to know that they are going to be getting a product that I poured hours of work & passion into. To those who are striving to grow their business, hang in there. I still have days where I hesitate from exhaustion but your repetition is going to pay off. Years of hard work & creating connections with clients has made me love what I do. Creating cakes for someone’s wedding, their anniversary, birthdays, & first children..It’s something really special.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My best friend & I would spend the week in Laguna Beach. We would stay at Hotel Joaquin which is my absolute favorite boutique experience. Incredible food & gorgeous rooms. We would spend our days at Table Rock beach & wandering the small local businesses. Obviously there are not shortages of restaurants! My favorites & musts being The Cliff & Nick’s. The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My family & my husband have been a huge support system for me. Every leap I have ever taken has been accompanied by their support & for that I am forever grateful.

Website: https://www.theknot.com/marketplace/geneva-stone-modern-buttercream-cakes-corona-ca-2017285

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/genevastone/

Other: TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJoVjC1W/

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.