Hi everyone. I had shared this with my email subscribers in May and wanted to also post this publicly……
This letter has been sitting in my heart for a long time, and today, I finally feel ready to share it with you.
On July 2, 2012, I posted my very first baking-related photo to Instagram. I was working a full-time job in biotech, decorating cookies in the evenings and during every free moment—more for therapy and escapism than anything else. It started as a creative outlet, and organically over the years, it became a business, a brand, a community… and a lifeline.
Since then, I’ve shared nearly every step of my life’s evolution with you—recipes, tutorials, mistakes, wins, burnout, divorce, healing, business pivots, and redefining what freedom means to me. All in the hopes that if my actions inspires just one person to make a different choice and take their life into their own hands, it was worth it.
Some of you have been here since the early days—when I was staying up until 3 a.m. filling custom orders, squeezing content into every free moment, building Borderlands Bakery from my dining table. Others may have joined during our wild cookie supply boom, our TV show moments, the Cookie Con insanity, our heartfelt newsletters or maybe via Matcha Meets Macaron.
No matter when you came in, you’ve been part of something truly special. This was never just about cookies. It has always been about people, choices, connections and a love for life.
But seasons change—and this one has been calling to me for a while now. I’ve always told people that cookies are a way for me to live my values – that it was a vehicle, not the end-game.
What started as a way to share and teach has slowly become a source of friction for my growth. And I’ve been in the “in-between” for years now —trying to reconcile the Lisa people knew/expected with the “now” version of me who’s craving something different.
After 7+ years of running our physical supply shop, I’ve made the immense decision to let it go.
This is a hard decision. The shop is something I built from scratch. It’s where I poured my heart, money, late nights, early mornings, and countless hours of R&D into. I created tools that had not existed prior and changed the way people decorate cookies. But that chase for innovation never stops, and that type of life no longer aligns with the kind of life I’m trying to create.
Moving forward, Borderlands Bakery will focus on digital resources—recipes, classes, templates, business tools, and maybe some more personal reflections & lessons. We will continue to carry some 3D printed-to-order products, limited selection of supplies and seasonal sales of kits. My efforts will also be focused on improving My Custom Bakes – I’ve made lots of personal sacrifices to bring this tool to life and feel like it’s time to fully commit to it.
This means no more juggling inventory 6-8 months in advance, mountains of packaging, or late-night supply chats with overseas manufacturers, navigating an increasingly-challenging macro economic/political climate. I’m ready for this next version of life and business—and I want you to come with me.
Whether you’ve purchased our iconic piping bags, eco towels, a spatula, or just watched silently from the sidelines—thank you. You have helped shape not just a business, but the person behind it & touched so many more beyond me.
This is a bittersweet sendoff. But it’s also a celebration—of how far we’ve come and the beautiful unknown ahead.
It will take me some time, but I will come up with an alternate supplier + eventually release my approved supplier list for fellow business owners. When that’s ready, I’ll edit this post to include links to those resources. Meanwhile, please refer to my Amazon Storefront for commonly used tools and supplies, with some piping bag suggestions HERE
With love, transformation, and gratitude,
Lisa
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