Meet Becky Thomas

Meet Becky Thomas – the owner of Bex Baked Goods and a graduate of our Self Employment Assistance Program!

All her life, Becky would watch as her Mom and Grandma created delicious meals and treats within their kitchen. So, it was no surprise when she discovered her love for cooking and baking too! After hosting her children’s birthday parties, Becky soon found that through her creations, she loved to make people feel special and add a wow factor to their celebrations. This lead to her family supporting her to start her own business which we now know as Bex Baked Goods.

Bex Baked Goods is a successful small business that sells specialty decorated sugar cookies and other baked goods. Looking back to before her business, Becky notes that she came across sugar cookies at a birthday party she was attending and thought to herself “this looks so cool! I am totally going to learn how to make these!” After researching and creating batches for her family to taste test, she began her journey in the entrepreneurial world.

While owning a business looks different to everyone, Becky loves that each day brings her a different task. “I would have to say everyday doesn’t look the same for me, which I love!” She can be baking all day, running business errands, decorating cookies, locating products at stores but above all, she is able to be present for her family. “I enjoy being my own boss that way I can still be the mom that I need to be for my children”

Along the way, Becky found herself in our Self Employment Assistance Program. This program is designed to increase an entrepreneur’s level of innovation and how to build their business confidently. In class, students learn business planning, building and assessing a business model, value propositions, business registrations, writing a business plan and more! The final project is to complete a mock Dragon’s Den presentation to a panel of CEO’s. In reflection to Becky’s experience she says, “I still look back to that day with some of the opinions that were brought forth to help better myself and my business.”

Becky pays homage to her program instructor as she helped navigate Becky through one of her hardest moments. After baking 3300 cookies for an order and in the middle of an assignment, Becky and her family experienced a basement fire almost resulting in the loss of her husband.

“Even though I was emotionally and mentally drained, I went ahead and pushed myself with a great support system by my side. I’d have to say the overall benefit to this SEA program was and is to never think you’re alone. I am grateful that this program exists so people can build their dreams.”

We are incredibly proud of Becky in everything she has accomplished as one of our students and a business owner. To Becky, she believes that if it wasn’t for her Haudenosaunee values and beliefs, she would not be where she is today. At OSTTC we are proud of her successes, her resiliency to surpass any challenges she may face and her dedication to learning.