Meet Mariolga “Mo” Calderon | Founder & Chief Creative Baker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mariolga “Mo” Calderon and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mariolga “Mo”, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I’ve always been a risk-taker when it comes to business. For me, it’s about looking at the bigger picture. I think you have to be able to see the potential and focus less on what could go wrong along the way. Starting a new business is always a risk – you’re taking a gamble and hoping it will work, and there are alot of unknown factors you may be betting against along the way. At the end of the day, I stand by following your instincts.

When I decided to start Mo’s Bundt Cakes I was jumping off of a huge cliff by walking away from the stability of a corporate job in favor of pursuing a creative career; essentially, a passion project. On top of that, I decided to do this in the midst of a pandemic, where risk was at an all-time high in general! Not to mention, the food industry has always been so competitive. It’s a challenge not only to have a good product but to also have a brand that is able to secure a solid position in the market. In this case, I leaned into my marketing experience to create a voice for the brand that I felt could stand out.

When you have an impulse to pursue something new, even something perceived as a risk, I think you should listen to your gut. It’s always been a positive experience for me, and so far, my risks have paid off.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Our focus is on creating a variety of bundt cakes that are perfect for special occasion gifting or just one of those days when you need to treat yourself. It’s our mission to make Bundt cakes cool. Yes, they’re inspired by my family recipes, but these are not your grandmother‘s cakes! Our signature Cinnamon recipe started it all, but our rotating flavors really set us apart; our customers really know us best for taking the bundt cake to a whole new level. They love our inventive flavors, and they really look forward to our Flavor of the Month, which my daughter and I usually choose together.

We launched in the middle of the pandemic after I decided to walk away from my corporate job, and while it wasn’t necessarily easy, I think we did this at the right time. This concept was inspired by a family recipe that I grew up with, so I’ve always associated these cakes with happiness. When we were all stuck at home during the lockdowns, we knew it was the perfect time to start something people could find joy in.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
There are so many things to do in Miami, and I think so many people automatically think of the beach (which is great here, obviously!), but I live in Brickell and I really enjoy the urban energy that Miami has to offer too.

I would start in Brickell City Centre, and one of my favorite places there is Casa Tua, an upscale Italian food hall that has some of the best pizzas and pastas in town. There’s so much great shopping in BCC, you could easily spend a whole day there, and then I would suggest heading up to Sugar Rooftop Bar at the East Miami Hotel for drinks. There’s just something special about this place–it has a great scene and it’s one of the highest rooftop bars in Miami. For dinner, I love Marion (and their Champagne bar!), or for dinner with a side of great music and high energy, I would head to El Tucan. My newest favorite in Brickell though is Paperfish Sushi Bar. It has such a cool atmosphere and great sushi of course.

Venturing outside of Brickell, Greenstreet Cafe in Coconut Grove or Pura Vida at the Design District are two of my favorite spots for breakfast or brunch. There are so many great places in the Design District, I always suggest spending some time there as well. From there, I would head just north to the Upper Buena Vista area for some funky shopping or south to the Wynwood Walls to explore the artsy part of town. My go-to for a cool lunch spot there is 1-800-Lucky – it’s the perfect place to take a break from walking around to enjoy a variety of Asian-inspired food and take in the Wynwood scene.

For some more authentic and local flavor while in Miami, Cafe Versalles on Calle 8 is an institution for visitors and locals craving Cuban food. Although I prefer Mofongo Calle 8, because I’m originally from Puerto Rico so I’m a bit biased for Puerto Rican food!

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?
I have to dedicate my shoutout to my only daughter, Andrea Sofia Pacheco! She is my inspiration and my biggest supporter, as well as my biggest critic. She is the reason I wake up every day and she played a big part on me taking the risk to start Mo’s Bundt Cakes. She is very involved with the business even while she is far away studying at Loyola University in New Orleans. She just spent the whole summer helping develop the new flavors of the month and is constantly giving me her input. She is my sunshine and I want her to be proud of me!

I also want to give a big shoutout to my friend and business partner, Regi Lacayo! Without her support and encouragement I don’t think I would have made the decision to pursue my passion. She has been a rock in my personal and professional life for years and she always helps me analyze and bring things into perspective when I’m overwhelmed.

Website: www.mosbundtcakes.com

Instagram: @mosbundtcakes

Linkedin: Mariolga Calderon

Facebook: @mosbundtcakes

Image Credits
Alexis Cubilla Yorch Sanz