From Law Enforcement to Entrepreneurship: How Kirby Lavallee Helped Build The Cake Girl

The path from law enforcement to helping build a nationally recognized bakery brand might not seem like an obvious one. For Kirby Lavallee, however, the two careers have more in common than most people might expect.

Before becoming an entrepreneur and helping lead The Cake Girl®, Kirby spent nearly a decade in law enforcement and public service. The leadership, decision-making, communication and problem-solving skills developed during that career would eventually become an important part of helping his wife, Kristina Lavallee, transform her passion for baking into a growing business.

Today, Kirby serves as Chief Operating Officer of The Cake Girl, working alongside Kristina and their team to grow the Tampa-based bakery while remaining deeply connected to the community and his roots in public service.

And increasingly, his focus is also on what comes next — expanding The Cake Girl, developing Crave’n Cups into a national dessert brand and exploring new ways to bring their products to customers far beyond Tampa.

Who Is Kirby Lavallee?

Kirby Lavallee is a Tampa entrepreneur, former law enforcement officer and Chief Operating Officer of The Cake Girl, an award-winning custom cake and dessert company founded by his wife, celebrity cake artist and entrepreneur Kristina Lavallee.

Kirby attended the University of Central Florida, where he earned his bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice. He later earned a master's degree in Criminal Justice Administration from the University of South Florida.

It was also at UCF that Kirby met Kristina.

Their relationship would eventually become both a marriage and a business partnership — although neither could have predicted just how far that partnership would go.

Kirby Lavallee's Career in Law Enforcement

Long before his days were filled with custom cakes, business strategy and bakery operations, Kirby's career centered around public safety and service.

Kirby spent nearly a decade in law enforcement in the Tampa Bay area, gaining experience in patrol, DUI enforcement, school-based policing, community outreach and investigative work.

The career taught him how to lead people, communicate during difficult situations, make decisions under pressure and solve problems when there isn't always an obvious answer.

Those skills would prove surprisingly valuable in entrepreneurship.

Running a growing small business brings an entirely different set of challenges, but many of the fundamentals of leadership remain the same: take care of your people, remain calm under pressure, communicate clearly and find a solution.

From a Badge to a Bakery

While Kirby was building his law enforcement career, Kristina was quietly building something of her own.

Kristina's passion for baking began years earlier and eventually grew from cakes for family and friends into something much bigger.

Kirby was there for much of that journey.

In fact, he was the one who started calling Kristina "The Cake Girl" — a nickname that eventually became the name of the company.

The business grew from home baking to farmers markets, festivals and local events. In 2016, Kirby and Kristina took a major leap and launched The Cake Girl Dessert Truck.

It was truly a family business.

They drove the truck, worked events, served customers, solved problems and learned firsthand what people loved about The Cake Girl.

As demand continued to grow, so did their vision.

The dessert truck eventually led to The Cake Girl's brick-and-mortar bakery in Tampa, opening an entirely new chapter for the company.

Taking the Leap Into Entrepreneurship

Transitioning from law enforcement into entrepreneurship meant stepping away from a career Kirby had spent years building.

But he also saw the opportunity in front of them.

Kristina possessed the culinary talent, creativity and ability to transform cake into art. Kirby discovered that many of his strengths were on the other side of the business — operations, leadership, marketing, strategy, partnerships and growth.

Their skill sets complemented one another.

As The Cake Girl expanded, Kirby became increasingly involved in developing the systems, team and strategy necessary to turn a creative small business into a growing brand.

The former law enforcement officer had officially entered the cake business.

And he never looked back.

What Is Kirby Lavallee's Role at The Cake Girl?

Today, Kirby Lavallee serves as Chief Operating Officer of The Cake Girl.

While Kristina leads the culinary and creative vision behind the brand, Kirby focuses heavily on the business infrastructure supporting that creativity.

His work includes operations, business development, marketing, strategic partnerships, team development, community relationships and the continued growth of The Cake Girl brand.

That partnership has helped The Cake Girl evolve far beyond its beginnings.

The company has grown from a small home-based operation into an award-winning Tampa bakery known for elaborate custom cakes, weddings, corporate events, mini cupcakes and large-scale specialty cake creations.

But Kirby and Kristina have never viewed the bakery as the finish line.

Their next chapter is about finding ways to take what they have built locally and create opportunities to reach customers on a much larger scale.

Crave’n Cups: Building the Next Chapter

One of the biggest pieces of that future is Crave’n Cups, a ready-to-eat layered cake-in-a-jar brand created by The Cake Girl.

Crave’n Cups allows customers to experience The Cake Girl beyond the walls of its Tampa bakery. Designed for convenience, portability and nationwide shipping, the concept takes the flavors and experience behind The Cake Girl and puts them into a format capable of reaching a much larger audience.

Kirby has been closely involved in developing the business and growth strategy behind Crave’n Cups, including operations, distribution, partnerships and opportunities to scale the brand.

The vision for Crave’n Cups goes well beyond online shipping.

Kirby and Kristina see opportunities for Crave’n Cups to eventually meet customers where they already are — through retail stores, hotels, travel destinations, entertainment venues and other high-traffic locations.

Vending is another major part of that vision.

The company is exploring a franchise model built around automated Crave’n Cups vending locations, creating the potential for entrepreneurs to bring the brand into markets without the footprint or operational complexity of a traditional bakery.

A strategically placed Crave’n Cups machine could introduce the product in airports, hotels, shopping destinations, entertainment venues and other locations where customers are looking for a convenient dessert or something sweet on the go.

For Kirby, that is what makes the concept exciting.

The question is no longer simply, "How many bakeries can we open?"

It's also, "How many different ways can we bring the product to the customer?"

From Local Bakery to National Brand

The long-term vision is an ecosystem where The Cake Girl and Crave’n Cups can grow through multiple channels.

The Cake Girl remains the creative heart of the business — producing custom cakes, celebrations and the experiences that originally built the brand.

Crave’n Cups creates an opportunity to take that experience beyond Tampa through nationwide shipping, retail distribution, hospitality, vending and other strategic partnerships.

Vending can create another path for expansion, including potential franchise opportunities that allow operators to introduce Crave’n Cups into new markets and high-traffic locations.

Retail creates the opportunity for customers to discover Crave’n Cups during their normal shopping routines.

Hotels and hospitality can put the product in front of travelers who may have never heard of The Cake Girl before.

Nationwide shipping makes it possible for someone hundreds or thousands of miles from Tampa to experience the brand from home.

Together, those channels represent something much bigger than a single bakery.

They represent the possibility of taking a business that started in a home kitchen and building brands capable of reaching customers across the country.

How Law Enforcement Shaped Kirby's Leadership Style

Kirby still credits his law enforcement experience with shaping much of the leader he is today.

Police work teaches you quickly that plans change.

You learn to evaluate situations, communicate with people from every background, make decisions with incomplete information and remain composed when circumstances become difficult.

Entrepreneurship requires many of those same abilities.

A delivery problem, equipment failure, staffing challenge or last-minute customer change may be very different from a law enforcement emergency, but a business still needs leaders capable of assessing a situation and moving a team toward a solution.

Kirby's approach to leadership is also heavily centered around relationships.

Whether working with employees, customers, community organizations or business partners, he believes long-term success comes from genuinely investing in people rather than simply completing transactions.

Continuing a Life of Service

Although Kirby transitioned away from a full-time career in law enforcement, his connection to service never disappeared.

Instead, it evolved.

Community involvement has become an important part of both Kirby's leadership and The Cake Girl's identity. Kirby and The Cake Girl have developed relationships with law enforcement agencies, first responders, military organizations, Veterans, nonprofits, schools, businesses and community leaders throughout Tampa Bay and beyond.

Kirby also serves on the board of Stairway for Heroes, a Veteran-founded organization dedicated to helping Veterans "Fight the Fight Against the Invisible" through connection, community and meaningful opportunities.

The organization provides Veterans with positive outlets and opportunities to build relationships through initiatives including its Veteran Golf Program and monthly V.E.T.S. (Veterans Engaging Together Socially) gatherings, which bring Veterans and community supporters together to build camaraderie and meaningful connections.

For Kirby, supporting organizations like Stairway for Heroes is a natural continuation of a life centered around service and relationships.

Through The Cake Girl, Kirby and Kristina have also had opportunities to recognize military members, celebrate first responders, support charitable organizations and create memorable moments for people who dedicate their lives to serving others.

These aren't simply business relationships.

They're personal.

His years in public service gave him a lasting appreciation for those who serve their communities and country, while entrepreneurship has provided a different platform to continue supporting them.

The uniform may have changed, but the commitment to service hasn't.

A Journey Recognized by UCF

Kirby's path from law enforcement to entrepreneurship has also been featured by the University of Central Florida, where he earned his bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and first met Kristina.

In its alumni feature, UCF shared the story of Kirby's transition from public service into entrepreneurship and how he and Kristina worked together to grow The Cake Girl from an idea and dessert truck into the business it is today.

Read the full UCF Alumni feature: How Kirby Lavallee ’09 Baked Business Success From a Dream and a Food Truck.

From Protecting a Community to Building What's Next

Kirby Lavallee's story is an example of how skills developed in one profession can create opportunities in an entirely different industry.

He went from law enforcement officer to entrepreneur, operator and business leader — not because those worlds were naturally connected, but because leadership, resilience, problem-solving and service translate almost anywhere.

Today, Kirby and Kristina continue building together, just as they have from the beginning.

What started with homemade cakes grew into local events.

Those events led to a dessert truck.

The dessert truck led to a bakery.

The bakery helped create Crave’n Cups.

And now, the vision stretches toward nationwide shipping, retail shelves, hospitality, vending, franchising and new opportunities to bring their desserts to customers across the country.

For Kirby, there is something especially meaningful about looking back at where it all started.

The Cake Girl wasn't created in a corporate boardroom with a national expansion plan. It was built one cake, one customer and one opportunity at a time.

The mission today is bigger, but many of the principles remain the same.

Build great products. Take care of people. Create opportunities. Support the community. And never stop looking for what comes next.

Once, serving people meant putting on a uniform.

Today, it means helping build companies that create jobs, support communities and get to play a small part in some of life's biggest celebrations.

And somehow, there is usually cake involved.

Frequently Asked Questions About Kirby Lavallee

Who is Kirby Lavallee?

Kirby Lavallee is a Tampa entrepreneur, former law enforcement officer and Chief Operating Officer of The Cake Girl. He works alongside his wife, celebrity cake artist and entrepreneur Kristina Lavallee, overseeing operations, growth, business development, partnerships and strategy for the company.

Was Kirby Lavallee in law enforcement?

Yes. Before transitioning into entrepreneurship, Kirby Lavallee spent nearly a decade in law enforcement and public service in the Tampa Bay area. His experience included patrol, DUI enforcement, school-based policing, community outreach and investigative work.

What does Kirby Lavallee do at The Cake Girl?

Kirby serves as Chief Operating Officer of The Cake Girl. His role focuses on the business side of the company, including operations, team development, marketing, strategic partnerships, business development and growth, while Kristina Lavallee leads much of the brand's culinary and creative vision.

How did Kirby Lavallee get involved with The Cake Girl?

Kirby was part of The Cake Girl's journey from its earliest days. He supported Kristina as her baking grew from a passion into a business and even gave her the nickname "The Cake Girl," which eventually became the company's name. Together, they grew the business through local events, a dessert truck and ultimately a brick-and-mortar bakery in Tampa.

What is Kirby Lavallee's role with Crave’n Cups?

Kirby is closely involved in the business strategy and growth of Crave’n Cups, the ready-to-eat cake-in-a-jar brand created by The Cake Girl. His focus includes operations, partnerships, distribution and developing opportunities to expand the brand through nationwide shipping, retail, hospitality, vending and other channels.

What is the future of Crave’n Cups?

The vision for Crave’n Cups is to grow beyond nationwide shipping into a multi-channel dessert brand. Future growth opportunities include retail distribution, hotels and hospitality, high-traffic venues, strategic partnerships and automated vending locations.

Will Crave’n Cups have franchise opportunities?

The Cake Girl team is exploring Crave’n Cups vending as a potential franchise opportunity. The concept is designed to provide a more automated way to introduce Crave’n Cups into new markets and high-traffic locations without requiring a traditional bakery storefront.

Where did Kirby Lavallee go to college?

Kirby earned his bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Central Florida and later earned a master's degree in Criminal Justice Administration from the University of South Florida. Kirby and Kristina first met while attending UCF.

Is Kirby Lavallee still involved in the law enforcement and first responder community?

Yes. Although Kirby transitioned from a full-time career in law enforcement to entrepreneurship, community service remains an important part of his life. He and The Cake Girl continue to support and build relationships with law enforcement agencies, first responders, military organizations, nonprofits and other community partners.

What is Stairway for Heroes?

Stairway for Heroes is a Veteran-founded organization dedicated to helping Veterans "Fight the Fight Against the Invisible" through connection, community and meaningful opportunities. Its programs include a Veteran Golf Program and monthly V.E.T.S. (Veterans Engaging Together Socially) gatherings designed to build relationships, camaraderie and a stronger support network for Veterans. Kirby Lavallee serves as a member of the organization's board.