Central Texas student bakes cake pops in order to promote entrepreneurial spirit among area youth

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - A local middle school student who opened a business at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic says business is booming and he hopes his young entrepreneurial spirit will inspire other youth to dream big.

Max Zepeda, 13, is the owner of Mr. Sugar’s Bakery and specializes in baking and decorating cake pops.

“I decided to start it because I realized that I wanted my community to see that a young person like myself could achieve something great at a young age,” Max said.

Mr. Sugar’s Bakery opened in July 2020 when Max was just 12 years old and about to start the 7th grade at Tennyson Middle School in the Waco ISD.

Max says he’s always enjoyed baking alongside his mom, Carmen, and it was her idea that he start a business out of it.

“I once thought I had a boring life, but my mom inspired me that I could start a business at a young age,” Max said. “I love the idea of my mom telling me to inspire myself and other young kids to start their own business.”

With the help of his mom, Max began baking and selling his cake pops to friends as well as customers in a local coffee shop and area restaurants.

Today he sells the majority of his treats to customers at Lolita’s restaurant on Franklin Ave. in Waco with flavors including vanilla, chocolate, red velvet, pineapple, mint chocolate and lemon buttermilk.

“I think the favorite of customers in strawberry,” Max said.

The cake pops are $2 per pop. You can purchase them at Lolita’s or by contacting Mr. Sugar’s Bakery on social media.

Max says he’s thankful for the sweet success of the cake pops and hopes his story inspires others his age.

“Not only adults can work but young people can at a young age to build more and more in the future,” Max said. “I feel really great and I’m really proud of myself.”

Copyright 2021 KWTX. All rights reserved.