We’ve developed the WAFFA Female Founders Shop to generate awareness for our amazing Alumnae Founders and to help drive customers and sales to their businesses. Visit our Shop and check out the wide array of innovative and appealing products and services, whether you are doing some holiday shopping, or browsing for yourself (i.e., “self gifting”!)
One of the Founders you’ll find in the shop is Cindy Shaw (pictured above) whose grandmother, Anna Kiska, is the inspiration for Paines Hollow Kitchen. Anna emigrated from Czechoslovakia to the United States in the 1920s. She raised her family on a 118-acre farm in Paines Hollow, a hamlet in Herkimer County, New York, three miles south of the Mohawk River.
Cindy’s baking philosophy is — Malé dávky. Pečené od nuly — “Small batches. Made from scratch.”
Paines Hollow Kitchen offers made-to-order baked goods and baking kits to help you can stir up some joy for and with the people you love, care about, and appreciate. Kits include pre-measured ingredients, essential kitchen tools and supplies, step-by-step instructions with helpful tips, and curated products like tea, honey, and jam. Baking kits range from $22-$84 and Baked goods are priced based on type and quantity ordered. Cindy is offering 15% off all baking kit orders through December 31, 2022
Tell us about your company
Paines Hollow Kitchen offers made-to-order baked goods and baking kits to help you stir up some joy for and with the people you love, care about, and appreciate. Kits include pre-measured ingredients, essential kitchen tools and supplies, step-by-step instructions with helpful tips, and curated products: tea, honey, jam.
What inspired you to start your business — what opportunity in the market are you seeking to address?
My grandmother inspired me to create Paines Hollow Kitchen. My mission is to help customers stir up some joy for and with the people they love, care about, and appreciate through sales of my baking kits and made-to-order baked goods.
What is it about your personal background, experience, or perspective that fuels your passion for this venture?
An entrepreneurial spirit and love of baking from scratch, in small batches, with quality ingredients fuel my passion for Paines Hollow Kitchen. Being able to honor my grandmother with the creation of this venture is especially meaningful to me.
What are one or two of the biggest wins or most encouraging experiences you’ve had so far?
It’s encouraging to receive photographs of my customers enjoying a Paines Hollow Kitchen product (baking kit or baked goods); it reinforces my “why.”
What has been one or two of your biggest learnings so far?
I’ve learned so much from other women entrepreneurs. They motivate and inspire me to keep going.
What is an obstacle that you are grappling with as you continue to build this venture?
Working full-time while running a business.
What surprises have you encountered as an entrepreneur? Something out of left field?
I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the number and quality of low or no-cost resources available to women entrepreneurs (e.e., SBA SCORE, USA Women’s Entrepreneurship Cooperative, pro-bono legal support, etc.).
Read more about Paines Hollow Kitchen here and connect with Cindy here.
