Today we’d like to introduce you to Joseph Gonzalez.
Hi Joseph, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
Hello, my name is Joseph Gonzalez and I am the owner of Broken Heart Cheesecakes! All my life I struggled with depression and on two separate occasions, once when I was 19 and September of 2022, I attempted to take my life.
I am very transparent about my story because that is why I built this business and what makes it so unique! Why the name Broken Heart Cheesecakes? I chose to name it that because of what it represents as a business. My cheesecakes names on the menu all have a unique name that represents a broken heart or something that can lead to depression such as an end of a relationship or marriage, a loss of a family member or a furry family member, or even how a person feels when in the state of depression.
Its concept is for people to be waiting in line looking at the names and to realize that anyone in that same line can be going through something so be a little kinder to people you don’t know because you never know what they can be going through. And most importantly, to raise awareness, 10% of my sales go to the Jason Flatt Foundation which helps prevent youth suicide!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Building the brand has been a slow start, but not rough by any means.
The community that has found out about what my business represents has been super supportive and has been telling all their family or friends about us. And with the support of my family and my “bonus” family, has reassured me that I am doing a great job so that helps a lot!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
What sets us apart from others is that we never freeze our cheesecakes and have a unique twist on flavors! It is the reason why our motto is “We have a different take on cheesecakes”.
I don’t only bake, but I also cook comforting foods for the business. I have been into cooking and baking since I was 9 thanks to my mom and dad who are amazing cooks and took the time to teach me.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
My advice when building a business is that always promote the people around you because one day you will rely on them to promote you. In the food business, we need to help each other whether it’s lending spices or even a hand.
And another thing to remember is it’s easy to make a buck but it’s a lot harder to make a difference!
Pricing:
- $10 slice of fresh cheesecakes
- $30 -6” cheesecakes from our menu (order ahead)
- $60 -10” cheesecakes from our menu (order ahead)
- Food prices vary from $6-12
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @brokenheartcheesecakes
- Facebook: Facebook.com/Brokenheartcheesecakes
Image Credits
Laci Bridges
