Kara Haspel Lind on Her Cupcake and Wine Empires

Hi, Kara! Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business:

Crafting Sweet and Spirited Ventures at Kara’s Cupcakes and Bar Lucia Meet Kara Haspel Lind, the serial entrepreneur behind the infamous Kara’s Cupcakes. Raised as the daughter of a dentist deprived of sweets, Kara’s sweet tooth rebellion turned into a full-blown pastry revolution. A former advertising executive, Kara swapped pitches for pastry at Tante Marie’s Professional Pastry School in San Francisco. Thus began the quiet buzz of a cupcake catering venture that exploded into the first Kara’s Cupcakes in San Francisco’s Marina District. With 16+ years of crafting sweet alchemy, Kara’s empire now boasts several bakeries in Northern California. Juggling mom life and bakery boss duties, she’s still the driving force for her sweet creations. Beyond the kitchen, Kara’s love for celebration knows no bounds. Recognizing the value of chasing dreams, she decided to spice things up a bit and entered the world of wine. Launching Bar Lucia, the inaugural Napa Valley Rosé wine and cocktail bar, nestled in the heart of Napa Valley. Kara Haspel Lind’s journey from advertising to artisanal sweets, and now to the spirited concept of Bar Lucia, is more than a business story. It’s a narrative of resilience, authenticity, and the art of blending sweetness with a spirited touch. As a woman shaping her ventures, Kara continues to turn dreams into reality, one cupcake and cocktail at a time. As a female entrepreneur, Kara understands the essence of not just building businesses but fostering connections. Social responsibility isn’t a trend for her; it’s an integral part of her brand, woven into the fabric of both Kara’s Cupcakes and Bar Lucia.

What a story, Kara! What excites you about being an Entreprenista League member?

Community and meeting other entrepreneurs.

What made you take the leap to start your own business?

I wanted to create celebratory moments and community connections.

What was your background prior to starting your own business?

Director of Advertising Condé Nast Allure Magazine.

Take us back to when you first launched your business, what was your marketing strategy to get the word out and did it go as planned?

Daily Candy, marketing to online blogs and magazines.

What is the biggest challenge you have encountered along the way and what did you learn from it?

Hiring! I learned business is about people. Many have been with me for over 10 years.

What is the accomplishment you are the most proud of to date?

Opening 11 bakeries without taking outside financing…bootstrapped 100%.

What’s a piece of advice you can share that you wish you’d known when you first started your Entreprenista journey?

Invite manifesting and visualation into to your work flow. It works! If you think it, if you dream it then you can create it.

What have you achieved recently that you’d like to celebrate with our community?

I made a commitment to take a wine course with six levels of sommelier learning.

What’s next for your business? What can we expect to see over the next few years?

Launch the wine women website and sell it for $10,000,000.

Learn more about the Entreprenista League and join today!