The stories of stay-at-home teachers who become entrepreneurs is growing. Melanie Hurley founder of Piggy Paint was a teacher as was Amanda Whitney founder of Tutu Couture. Priscilla Kumpe with Dog Party USA was also a teacher as was Laura Gheen founder of Ramo d-Olivo. The star of this post is Melissa Baker Emmett. Melissa knew she wanted to be a teacher – a 2nd grade teacher just like her second grade teacher Helen Friend. Melissa participated in a high school volunteer program called Elementary Tutors which set her on her career path. Melissa was always a star pupil in all levels of school. When required to teach one lesson for a college economics class, she taught an entire project! She collected treasures for the class she would eventually have with hopes of upper elementary. She had an interesting story as her teaching career unfolded. During her internship, she was hired early in the Springdale ‘pool’ which guaranteed her a job but not a specific school or grade level. The Friday before the start of school on Monday, she learned that she was going to be a kindergarten teacher!!! What a shock! For this she was not prepared. But the other kindergarten teachers stepped in and helped her have her classroom and curriculum ready by Monday morning. She was in fact, my son’s kindergarten teacher. He had a great year! Melissa was a quick study and a committed and dedicated professional. Over her 13 years of teaching Melissa loved the young students and advanced from kindergarten to first grade and then on to second grade.
After having her second child, she decided to stay at home with her children. Melissa had a long-time passion for baking and cooking and was really good at it. She is the Martha Stewart of Elm Springs, Arkansas! While teaching, she would bake birthday treats for her teammates and then while staying at home, she started baking for other people. She quickly founded Baker’s Dozen Pie Shoppe and bakes all types of cakes, pies and cookies. Her decorations are artistic and beautiful and oh so very tasty! Out of her small home kitchen she bakes as many as a dozen cakes per week and 10 dozen cookies decorated with royal icing, along with other desserts like pies and strawberry shortcake. Her sales are over $1000 during each of the three major holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter). This gives her family extra income and more time with her kids. A new service she offers is cookie decorating classes – combining her teaching and baking skills. This is popular among family and friends or as a team building activity with corporations. Melissa lives in Elm Springs with her husband Jeremy, a combat veteran, and their two children, Mallory and Jon Gray. Follow her on Instagram @memmettbakersdozen or join her Facebook group Baker’s Dozen Pie Shoppe and More and let your creativity soar! Be sure to get your orders in early for any special event or holiday.
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