Baking With Whimsy - Alyssa Diede @nekosama_ba
- Kindred Curiosity
- Dec 26, 2025
- 4 min read
From a fresh-baked toast to a decadent pastry, baked goods spark joy in the mundane. Alyssa Diede's bakery focuses on small batch, whimsical baked goods that are presented beautifully at popups around the Bay Area. Read below to learn about Nekosama Bakery and Alyssa's story!
What made you curious about the baked goods business?
I’ve always loved eating baked goods, so I guess the curiosity came from gluttony lol. However, once I started learning how to bake, I also loved the process of making the baked goods - it’s therapeutic (most times).
What is something about baking that you think more people should know about?
You can make your own Cake Flour with All Purpose Flour + Cornstarch.
Tell us about the product/service you are most proud of.
I love our Marble Knots - it’s one of my personal favorites. From making the dough, to proofing the dough, then folding in the flavor sheets, and finally forming the individual knots - so much patience and care go into them. They are not the most eye-catching or whimsical items that we have, but they are original, straightforward, and yummy.
What do you tell yourself whenever you encounter a challenge or setback with your business?
I open my laptop and start to look for a job on Indeed.com lol. Seriously though, that's what I always do when I want to give up. Then, I will always realize that there’s nothing I’d rather be doing after looking at all the jobs out there.
So “Don’t forget why you started” would be the answer.
What is an aspect of being an entrepreneur that forced you to learn something new?
Applying for all the licenses/permits needed was definitely a forced learning experience lol. Other than that, I learnt that being able to make all the executive decisions is both exhilarating and terrifying.
If you could go back in time and tell your past self anything, what would it be?
There will never be a “right time”, stop waiting, just do it. Do it before your back starts hurting!
How has your cultural identity influenced your journey so far, if at all?
The Taiwanese part of me always shouts “you’re not good enough” “You need to do more.” “No rest until you make it.” I’d say, that while concerning, that part keeps me humble and keeps me going.
You mention that you co-own and run your business with your life partner, Josh. How do you navigate the complexities of work and personal life, and what advice would you give to any couples looking to start a business together?
Funny that. We actually met as co-workers at a patisserie job in 2014, and continued to date and work together at 2 other jobs after that. While we are able to work together, we have very different working styles and actually didn’t enjoy working together lol. However, through 11 years of being together and working at different jobs, we understand each other very well and have different sets of skills that are all very helpful in running Nekosama. Work and life balance is difficult - it just takes a lot of communication and compromise.
Starting a business together means spending a lot of time together, so naturally you will disagree on many things and argue. It will be frustrating and will inevitably affect your relationship even if you try to keep business and personal lives separate. I think the only advice I could give would be don’t start it lightly, and don’t give up too quickly.
Much of your business revolves around whimsy and fun– all wonderful elements to incorporate into a baked goods business! What inspired you to make these key aspects of Nekosama?
I think food should be fun and after all, we eat with our eyes first. However, when I started, I wanted to make sure that my baked goods are more whimsical than cute. Not that there’s anything wrong with cute things - but I wanted more, I wanted them to be funny and quirky as well.
Could you walk me through your thought process when choosing a specific popup or event to vend at?
For pop-ups, I simply reach out to shops that I feel would be a good match in style/vibe. For events, I usually check to see what kind of fees/requirements/licenses would be needed to participate, and what kind of venue (indoor/outdoor) it would be.
You’ve recently celebrated the Second anniversary of Nekosama– congratulations! What are three insights you’ve gained from running this business over the last year?
Well, the first one is that imposter syndrome is real. I’ve learnt to not look too much on social media and just focus on our own brand and products. Otherwise I get super depressed, then I feel bad about myself and start to question everything.
The second one is that taking time off is important. I didn’t take any days off in the first year - I lined up pop-ups every weekend and when I didn't have anything lined up for even just one Saturday, I started to freak out. I didn’t sleep well and was always stressed out that I almost didn’t stop to realize that I was doing something that I’ve always wanted to do, and that I should enjoy the process.
Last one is that not everyone will like you or your product, even if you’ve poured in your heart & soul and there’s nothing wrong with them. There are customers that think my hand-piped shortbread cookies are dry, and there are customers who have placed custom orders for 300 of them. Do it for the people that love your stuff!
Share another Asian-women-owned small business or entrepreneur that inspires you!
Anita Darkling - Tattoo Artist in SF!
What is the last thing you were curious about?
Why does time go by so fast when you are an adult?
What can the community help you with?
Come out & see us! And if you like what you see, tell your friends!
Alyssa walks us through her journey as a baker, and her story gives us a peek into the life of a local baker and entrepreneur. To lea
rn more about Alyssa and visit Nekosama, visit the links below:
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