"In that moment, I kid you not, it was like, as they say, the heavens opened up and the choir sang and that was it. I was hooked. I knew right then and there, November 1997, that I want to bake cheesecakes for the rest of my life."

The Cheesecake Boutique now ships nationwide

(shameless plug for our AstroExpert!) and the beautifully crafted cheesecakes pay tribute to Marie's Caribbean heritage –

made with vibrant fruits and spices and always lots of love!

We've selected 4 chapters from Marie's expert story video to

give you a taste (haha, see what we did there?)

of what it's like to be a baker and entrepreneur.

Marie didn't just take a leap of faith without hard work and planning.

Marie used her brain to follow her heart. There's an idea!

She offers great advice on being practical, thinking ahead,

being cognizant of the cost of education,

and shares how she uses common sense to make

wise business and life choices! A great lesson for us all.