Mara Fortin traded legal career to pursue sweet dreams
It's 2 a.m. on a cold February morning in 2004. Mara Fortin, an attorney, is awake feeding her two-week-old daughter, trying to concentrate on the lengthy document before her. She knows that in a few short hours she will be dressed and ready to head downtown, where she will soon be arguing to save the professional career of one of her doctor clients before the Nevada Supreme Court. This is nothing new for Fortin, where pulling all-nighters is a regular occurrence.
The birth of her first child, while adding another level of complication, won't stop her from meeting the needs of her very demanding career, which includes long hours on the computer and in meetings. She knows something will need to change.
Fast forward two years. Fortin welcomes her second daughter and finds herself in the same situation, with the same demanding career, and the feeling in her gut that a change needs to happen soon. She is at home for what she hopes to be longer than a two-week maternity leave, but knows that any client can call up and demand her immediate services, and knows there is a 75 percent chance that this will occur.
And then the fateful phone call that will change the course of her career and life comes in.
"I was sitting with my newborn in our Las Vegas home, most likely staring off into space thinking, and my husband (now divorced but still business partners), also an attorney, called me from work. He told me that Nothing Bundt Cakes had emailed him and told him that they were ready to start franchising and were reaching out to us to see if we were still interested," recounts Fortin. I immediately said "Why not? Let's see where this thing goes!"
Nothing Bundt Cakes makes its cakes with the finest premium ingredients, including fresh eggs, real butter and cream cheese.
Things quickly progressed from there. Fortin remembers her long-time pediatrician yelling at her as she arrived for her six-week postpartum visit after discovering from the nurse that Fortin was in the waiting area on the phone being pre-qualified with the budding franchise.
"She reprimanded me and told me that I needed to slow down and focus on my two children and quit pushing myself." But Fortin just shook her head and said that she would try, but knew she was wired in a very different and unique way.
"Once we were qualified with the franchise, we quickly began looking for a location in my hometown of San Diego," says Fortin. "Even though we were living and working in Las Vegas at the time, I knew that I wanted to raise the girls in an area with good schools and medical care. San Diego was the natural fit for us."
A location was soon found in Poway; Fortin officially quit her law career in December of 2006; and the first-ever franchise of Nothing Bundt Cakes opened its doors for business on St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 2007.
"I was thrilled and scared all at the same time. I knew nothing about running a food/retail business and really just went on gut and grit for the first year," laughs Fortin.
But she soon found her footing and has grown and flourished in her role of entrepreneur. In 2009 the Del Mar bakery opened. Two years later, Mission Valley opened its doors. And just this past December 2013, Carlsbad and Chula Vista were added to the line up. Plans are underway for the sixth bakery to open in San Marcos by mid-year.
"I vacillate between feeling elated and amazed. I know I put in the hard work and I know that there is a reason for our success, but, wow, what an amazing ride!"
It's 2 a.m. on a cold February morning in 2004. Mara Fortin, an attorney, is awake feeding her two-week-old daughter, trying to concentrate on the lengthy document before her. She knows that in a few short hours she will be dressed and ready to head downtown, where she will soon be arguing to save the professional career of one of her doctor clients before the Nevada Supreme Court. This is nothing new for Fortin, where pulling all-nighters is a regular occurrence.
The birth of her first child, while adding another level of complication, won't stop her from meeting the needs of her very demanding career, which includes long hours on the computer and in meetings. She knows something will need to change.
Fast forward two years. Fortin welcomes her second daughter and finds herself in the same situation, with the same demanding career, and the feeling in her gut that a change needs to happen soon. She is at home for what she hopes to be longer than a two-week maternity leave, but knows that any client can call up and demand her immediate services, and knows there is a 75 percent chance that this will occur.
And then the fateful phone call that will change the course of her career and life comes in.
"I was sitting with my newborn in our Las Vegas home, most likely staring off into space thinking, and my husband (now divorced but still business partners), also an attorney, called me from work. He told me that Nothing Bundt Cakes had emailed him and told him that they were ready to start franchising and were reaching out to us to see if we were still interested," recounts Fortin. I immediately said "Why not? Let's see where this thing goes!"
Nothing Bundt Cakes makes its cakes with the finest premium ingredients, including fresh eggs, real butter and cream cheese.
Things quickly progressed from there. Fortin remembers her long-time pediatrician yelling at her as she arrived for her six-week postpartum visit after discovering from the nurse that Fortin was in the waiting area on the phone being pre-qualified with the budding franchise.
"She reprimanded me and told me that I needed to slow down and focus on my two children and quit pushing myself." But Fortin just shook her head and said that she would try, but knew she was wired in a very different and unique way.
"Once we were qualified with the franchise, we quickly began looking for a location in my hometown of San Diego," says Fortin. "Even though we were living and working in Las Vegas at the time, I knew that I wanted to raise the girls in an area with good schools and medical care. San Diego was the natural fit for us."
A location was soon found in Poway; Fortin officially quit her law career in December of 2006; and the first-ever franchise of Nothing Bundt Cakes opened its doors for business on St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 2007.
"I was thrilled and scared all at the same time. I knew nothing about running a food/retail business and really just went on gut and grit for the first year," laughs Fortin.
But she soon found her footing and has grown and flourished in her role of entrepreneur. In 2009 the Del Mar bakery opened. Two years later, Mission Valley opened its doors. And just this past December 2013, Carlsbad and Chula Vista were added to the line up. Plans are underway for the sixth bakery to open in San Marcos by mid-year.
"I vacillate between feeling elated and amazed. I know I put in the hard work and I know that there is a reason for our success, but, wow, what an amazing ride!"