Pursuing entrepreneurship ‘On A Whim’

Meghan Diemel

Contributor

January 26, 2026

FRANCIS CREEK – Sometimes in life and in business, the path toward success finds us when we aren’t looking for it.

Erin Propson, owner of On A Whim Sweet Treats LLC, said she began her foray into entrepreneurship thanks to that sweet touch of spontaneity following a family wedding – and she continues to experience growth with her young business heading into 2026.

Propson – who owns the business with her husband, Jeremy – said her dream began to take shape after she baked a small cake and cupcakes as a surprise for a family member’s intimate wedding reception.

Up to that point, she said baking had never held much significance in her life – with her family mostly using boxed mixes and only occasionally baked cookies. 

Riding the sugar high of the praise she received for her wedding reception treats, however, Propson said she found herself debating on the road trip home whether baking could become a career. 

“We were on our way home, and it was a four-to-five-hour drive – [the wedding] was in Iowa,” she said. “[I said to Jeremy], ‘Should we try to do this thing?’ And [he said], ‘Well, I mean, if you want, go for it,’ and he supported me with it.”

From there, Propson said she jumped headfirst into starting the business.

She said her mother weighed in on the name, knowing there was only one moniker that fit the circumstances surrounding the bakery’s beginnings.

“My mom said, ‘Okay, well, the name of your business has to have “On A Whim,” because you’re doing this all on a whim,’” she said. “It just kind of unfolded from there.”

Finding a home in Francis Creek

Propson said she launched her entrepreneurial journey around 2018 as a cottage food baker, making cupcakes from home.

The first few years, she said, were spent experimenting with cupcake flavors until the summer of 2022, when she started selling at farmers’ markets and exploring new menu items.

During the same year, while she was on maternity leave with her daughter, Propson said she decided she wanted to see how far she could take the business.

“Then this opportunity came up here for the storefront, and I went back and forth with it, and we decided to do it,” she said. “We were going to give it a go.”

Located at 205 South Packer Drive, Propson said the building had been home to a bakery for several years before her family purchased it.  

Just minutes from their home, she said the space offered proximity as they raised their two children, who were two years old and nine months old when the storefront opened – a daunting undertaking for any working parent, particularly one launching a business.

“It was an interesting experience, doing it with a nine-month-old and a two-year-old…,” she said. “I had the opportunity to spend all that time with my kids [at the bakery], which was great. They’re growing up here – my daughter took her first steps here.” 

Propson said though it was a significant learning curve for her, opening On A Whim allowed her to try new things and take on new challenges, something that was “kind of amazing.” 

Opening the new business in Francis Creek, she said, was also a blessing.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better small town to open up in, because the town has been amazing,” she said. “They have been so welcoming, and I’ve met a lot of amazing people through it here. [It was a] little stressful, as all new businesses are, but [it’s been] fantastic.”

Focusing on her baking strengths

Despite the steady stream of over-the-top dessert tutorials delivered by bakery-friendly algorithms, Propson said she has remained focused on her strengths.

For example, royal icing cookies are not her forte, and she is happy to refer customers to other bakers in the area who specialize in them.

She said she’s entrusted the cinnamon rolls and cheesecakes to her husband, whose patience makes him well suited for the more time-consuming work they demand.

“I have a really good relationship with the previous owner of this bakery, and one of the pieces of advice that she gave me was, ‘You can’t do everything, so be great at a few things and make that amazing,’” she said. “That really stuck with me, and that has always kind of come into my mind, because that’s true – we can’t do everything.”

Each week’s offerings at On A Whim, Propson said, are a feast for the eyes.  

Savory puffs in flavors such as smoked Gouda, salami and pesto – her favorite – she said, share the spotlight with quiches made from scratch, their crusts also forming the foundation for a variety of pies. 

In addition to a plethora of cupcake and cake options, Propson said the bakery also sells homemade brownies – from the classic chocolate frosted option to cookie dough, peanut butter cup and many more.

Cookies, she said, range from classic sugar and chocolate chip to more inventive flavors, such as s’mores, caramel toffee, butterscotch fluff and sea salt turtle.

Jeremy’s cheesecakes, Propson said, come in flavors like Biscoff, Butterfinger, Black Forest, chocolate raspberry and even Baileys Irish Creme, while their dessert bars tempt with names such as Break-Up Brownies, Better Than Snickers, 7 Layer and Kit Kat. 

The bakery’s cinnamon rolls – a customer favorite – she said, are offered just once a month due to the time and effort required to make them. 

Preparing the frosted pastries, she said, means both she and Jeremy must start at 3 a.m., often necessitating an overnight sitter for their children, now five and nearly four years old.

That, Propson said, is just part of the reality of owning a bakery.

“It’s not just the prep, but even the backend work,” she said. “I feel like that’s something that isn’t thought about – like the menu planning, responding to the emails, the inventory, making sure everything is set for that. I think between prep and the backend work that you don’t see, it definitely is a marriage to the business.”

Giant cookie sandwiches, French toast bake, coffee cake, muffins, savory offerings, Danish pastries and scones, Propson said, also make weekly appearances on the menu.

Much of her focus, she said, is on the bakery’s donuts and her now-famous peanut squares.

Popular with both fans and herself, Propson said the peanut squares have become a staple, while her donuts have earned her local recognition.

These creations, she said, represent the evolution and experimentation in baked goods that have shaped the business since its early days.

“I’ve been nicknamed the ‘Bougie Donut Lady’ at a couple of factories, and I think it’s so fun,” she said.

Donuts, Propson said, became a canvas for her creativity – dressed up to look as beautiful as they taste.

“I love to put gold flakes on my donuts or jazz them up and make them pretty,” she said.

Propson said these glammed-up creations were added later, as the bakery’s menu evolved from its simpler beginnings.

“I look back to the products that I started with, compared to what we do now, and it’s a night-and-day difference,” she said. “It might be some of the same things, but it’s definitely changed.”

On A Whim is open from 6 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Thursdays and from 7 a.m. until noon on Fridays and Saturdays, featuring a rotating weekly menu that Propson said allows her to stay creative and keep customers engaged.

Friday hours were recently extended to 5 p.m., a change she said she credits in part to her bakery team. 

“I’m grateful for my team,” she said. “I’ve had some amazing help in [the bakery] over the last two years.”

Expanding footprint

As a mom of two, Propson said it was important to her to create a space welcoming to all, including families with young children. 

Seeing how few places accommodate children – and their parents – during their formative years, she said she wanted to make On A Whim a place where parents can feel comfortable bringing their kids.

“I’ve had kids here who are having a bad day, and I’ll happily go sit on the floor with them, and we’ll work through it, then they get a cookie and they’re off on their way – and that’s just how it should be,” she said. “I always hope that by me giving that grace to other parents, that one day I’m going to be somewhere, and my kids are going to be having a rough day, and I’ll be given that same grace.”

Current seating includes a four-top, a two-top, a loveseat and seasonal options – however, Propson said a current remodel will expand the bakery’s footprint.

On A Whim’s coffee offerings, she said, have been so successful that the bakery is now moving toward a coffee shop-bakery model

Building on that momentum, Propson said from May through September, On A Whim hosts monthly Sunday markets, featuring 14-17 vendors with everything from handmade treats to unique finds. 

“It’s a blast,” she said. “We do our cinnamon rolls on those days, and I try to rotate out my vendors, too, so all the vendors [who] want a chance to set up out here get a chance to show off their amazing products.”

Creating a welcoming vibe for all

Propson said she treasures the freedom that comes with entrepreneurship, which allows her to manage work and family life and connect with new people, seeing firsthand the delight their products bring.

“One of my favorite things is getting to do a wedding, then getting to do the baby shower and then the first birthday cake – getting to watch people grow,” she said. “I think getting to grow with them is just so fun.”

Though she loves sharing beautiful things with people – a sentiment reflected in her bakery products – Propson said she is even more committed to creating a warm and welcoming space for everyone.

“I hope people gain from us a welcoming feeling,” she said. “That if they’re having a bad day, they have a place to go to talk to somebody. If they have great news, they get to come in here, grab a cup of coffee and tell me everything about it.”

Head to onawhimsweettreats.com for more.