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Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service

Diederich College of Communication, Marquette University


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You are here: Home / News / Community / As a teen, he was forced to bake. Now it’s his passion (and business).

As a teen, he was forced to bake. Now it’s his passion (and business).

September 30, 2019 by Ana Martinez-Ortiz Leave a Comment

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When Alan Goodman was a teenager, he once told his parents he was going to study at the library when he really was headed to the park to play basketball.

“When you have a good dessert, it changes the energy of the room,” says Alan Goodman, the owner of A Goodman’s Desserts.  (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)

Eventually his lie caught up to him and he was grounded. 

As part of his punishment, Goodman had to help his mother and godmother with cooking and baking. Soon after, what started as a punishment turned into a passion. 

Now Goodman is the owner of A Goodman’s Desserts, which took first place last week in the Rev-Up MKE small business competition.

Using family recipes along with some of his own creations, Goodman started the business in 2018 selling homemade cookies, bread pudding and cakes. 

His delectable treats soon became a hit among families and friends, and through word-of-mouth, his business began to expand. 

“When you have a good dessert, it changes the energy of the room,” said Goodman, who lives in Lindsay Heights with his wife and three children. They moved to Milwaukee 14 years ago.

The road to Rev-Up MKE

When farmers market season began, Goodman signed up for the Near West Side Farmers Market, and it was there that he first heard of Rev-Up MKE. 

Several days before the deadline, Goodman submitted his application, and a few days later, he learned he was a finalist.

  • On Tuesday, Sept. 24, Rev-Up MKE held its fourth annual “Shark Tank”-style competition. (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
  • One of the finalists, Drift, a food truck that features New Zealand comfort food, was open for business during the event. (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
  • Rev-Up MKE’s live pitch event is open to all Milwaukeeans and includes free food and drink. (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
  • Keith Stanley, executive director of Near West Side Partners, said Rev-Up MKE wants to expand the type of applications it receives. (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
  • Bridge the City hosts and masters of ceremonies, Ben Rangel (far left) and Kyle Hagge (far right), host a brief podcast on stage featuring past winners. (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
  • The judges panel included Pete Cooney (fourth from left) the 2016 winner and owner of Pete’s Pops. (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
  • The Farmers Kitchen hands out samples of its freshly harvested honey to the judges. (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
  • Alan Goodman tells the story of how he learned to bake from his mom and godmother. (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
  • Audience members line up for a free popsicle from Pete’s Pops while waiting for the judges to announce the winner. (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
  • Funky Fresh Spring Rolls, the runner-up and crowd favorite in 2016, serves its infamous spring rolls during the break. (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
  • The group, INPOWER, was voted crowd favorite and runner up by the judges. (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
  • Alan Goodman owner of A Goodman’s Desserts is named the winner of Rev-Up MKE 2019. (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
  • A Goodman’s Desserts, which features Goodman family recipes, began in October 2018. (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
  • In a surprise twist, the judges awarded Ensure Transit third place with a $2,000 check. (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)
  • Triciclo Perú MKE won the Alum of the Year Award, a new award worth $5,000 that was announced the night of the event. (Photo by Ana Martinez-Ortiz)

Keith Stanley, the executive director of Near West Side Partners, said the competition began as a way to honor and recognize the history of entrepreneurship in the neighborhood. 

Twenty-six new businesses have come to the community, and many are there because of Rev-Up, Stanley said. 

“Those places are now the lifeblood of the community,” Stanley said. 

As part of the competition, the finalists spent weeks prepping for the live-pitch event. They met with mentors, attended workshops and practiced their pitch. 

Goodman said the prep work helped him when it came to deliver his pitch. It didn’t hurt that he also had a solid business plan thanks to his two degrees in finance. 

As the winner, Goodman received a $10,000 check from WaterStone Bank. In addition, as the winner, he will receive $25,000 in in-kind services that include bookkeeping, payroll and benefits as well as a free legal audit.

He plans to use his winnings for strategic marketing and look for a bigger kitchen space.

 “I’m a legitimate business and winning a pitch contest proved my legitimacy,” he said. 

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Filed Under: Community, Economic Development, West Tagged With: 2019, A Goodman’s Desserts, Alan Goodman, Lindsey Heights, Near West Side Partners, Rev-UP MKE, winner

About Ana Martinez-Ortiz

Facebook |  Twitter | More stories from Ana

Ana is the community engagement reporter and beat reporter for neighborhood groups and nonprofits. As the community engagement reporter, Ana is known for writing five things to know/do for the week and weekend, how to articles and spotlight articles. Ana attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and graduated in 2017 with degrees in Spanish and journalism.

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