‘Mi propio jefe’: A Cleveland family of entrepreneurs takes pride in being their own bosses

When Lazaro “Nito” Burgos set up a new location for his Cleveland barbershop, In the Cut, in 2020, he knew he wanted it to be a family-friendly environment. What he didn’t know was that his neighbor in the adjacent store would soon be his wife, Zuleyka Tirado, a baking entrepreneur.

Tirado, who previously worked in a factory, said the idea to start a cake business came to her one day while she was cleaning. “I called my sister Karol [Laguna] and said, ‘Karol, do you want to make cakes?’” With help from Burgos, the sisters co-founded Paradise Cakes, initially working out of Laguna’s basement. Today, they sell a variety of desserts including tres leches, carrot cakes, and cheese and coconut flans in more than 40 stores in Ohio and northwestern Pennsylvania.

“I thought that it was going to be small, but as the months went by, I said wait, this is going to be big,” Tirado says.

As demand grew for Paradise Cakes, Burgos decided to ramp up his business acumen to help the bakery reach its potential. He turned to Verizon Small Business Digital Ready, which he’d learned about through the Northeast Ohio Hispanic Center for Economic Development, and started taking the self-paced financial and marketing courses. Soon, Tirado did as well.

For two people who were busy creating desserts and cutting hair, the structure of the online courses was crucial. “We don’t have time to sit down for long classes,” says Burgos, who appreciated the concise but knowledge-packed Verizon Small Business Digital Ready offerings. “You can do it at your own pace. You can go back and check videos on things you’ve forgotten,” he says.

Tirado, who had managed her business’s invoices and expenses entirely with pen and paper, found the finance courses most helpful. She learned to take advantage of accounting software, to track profits and losses, to use a designated business account for all company finances, and to set aside funds for future expenses and investments. “If an emergency happens and a piece of equipment breaks down, then I have a place where I can get the money,” she explains.

Verizon Small Business Digital Ready also taught the pair new digital and social media marketing strategies. Tirado began posting photos and updates several times a day, and Paradise Cakes went from 300 to over 1,000 social media followers. Nito took advantage of search engine optimization and 5-star reviews to draw more customers, increasing business by 30%, he estimates.

“I’ve received a lot of help,” Burgos says of the Verizon courses. “The more you know, the more you can understand your business and be attentive to certain details."

Nito and Zuleyka’s entrepreneurial spirit has rubbed off on their son, Michael, who is taking business courses at college while also working at Paradise Cakes. His future plans? Michael now wants to open his own gym and become an entrepreneur, too.

Verizon Small Business Digital Ready is part of Verizon’s goal to support 1 million small businesses by 2030 with the resources to thrive in the digital economy. Visit CitizenVerizon.com to learn more about the company’s responsible business efforts. To sign up for Verizon Small Business Digital Ready, visit digitalready.verizonwireless.com. An individual user's experience may vary and results are not guaranteed.