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After working for 30 years in the property and casualty insurance business, Cindy Harper decided she was ready for a change and will soon trade her office supplies for baking supplies.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 want to spend the rest of my working life staring at a computer,鈥� she recalled, 鈥淚 had a client at my desk one day who was in his early 70鈥檚 and had just completed his third fight with cancer.  He was buying the car of his dreams.  I decided I didn鈥檛 want to look back at my life and wish I had pursued something I love to do.鈥�

The California native has a degree in economics from Pepperdine University. Later, she went on to attend 抖阴探探App鈥檚 Culinary and Hospitality program and graduated in 2016. She鈥檚 always enjoyed baking, and now has her own business. She鈥檚 got a booth at the Farmer鈥檚 Market at Union College and also teaches baking classes through 抖阴探探App鈥檚 Continuing Education Program.

鈥淚 started decorating sugar cookies many years ago, and while I didn鈥檛 make any decorated sugar cookies in the classes I took, what I did learn was how to independently search out the information I needed to improve my skills, how to purchase and cost the supplies and ingredients needed and the basics of how to run a culinary business.  All of that is very helpful now.鈥�

Harper expanded her repertoire to include baking chocolates in addition to her cookies. Thanks to a Cottage Food Law passed in the Nebraska legislature in 2019, she can now sell her baked goods out of her home, in addition to farmer鈥檚 markets.

鈥淚 recently received a professional chocolatier certification and making chocolates is now one of my favorite things to do,鈥� she said 鈥淭he best thing though is to make something that someone really enjoys, and that it somehow makes their day a little better.鈥�

Harper is currently in the process of launching her website. Beyond that, her long-term goals are to build up her business and keep her busy during retirement.

Brandy McWilliams is another graduate who is taking advantage of the Cottage Food Law. The Lincoln native enrolled in the program after browsing the website, and said she loved learning about food culture.

鈥淚t was like a 鈥榝ood culture shock鈥� because there are so many ways to produce cuisines and pastries,鈥� she recalled. 鈥淭he teachers were very hands-on and wanted to see us students succeed. I felt so comfortable.鈥�

She graduated in 2008 from the Culinary/Hospitality program. She鈥檚 always had a love for baking that she got from her mother and grandmothers. She started designing cakes on the side and after getting requests from friends and family, decided to start her own business.

鈥淥ver the course of years, I have been studying different techniques, sharpening my skills, and have worked with several amazing cake decorators that helped me elevate my mindset,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his year, I just became self-employed with my 鈥�Art of Love Cakes鈥�&苍产蝉辫;产耻蝉颈苍别蝉蝉.鈥�

In addition to baking cakes, McWilliams also enjoys baking macarons, brownies and chocolate chip cookies. Her short-term goal is opening a kitchen studio for young people, and her long-term goal is substantial business growth and client loyalty.

McWilliams鈥檚 business can be found at artoflovecakes.com and Harper鈥檚 is on Facebook at #creativeconfectionsne.