An in-depth feature in the Star-Tribune in Minneapolis-St. Paul on Marie Porter, (pictured) who began a business in 2007 as a wedding cake baker and won a trophy for "Excellence in Cake Design" at October's Twin City Bridal Association's ICON awards program.Here's what she had to say about her Asperger's diagnosis:
Porter also concluded at an early age that her future was in entrepreneurial pursuits. She was, in her words, "totally unemployable." She attributes that to a Type-A personality, a short attention span and a diagnosis, much later, that she has Asperger's syndrome. Common symptoms in children with
Asperger's include difficulty making friends, eccentric or repetitive behaviors, a limited range of interests and exceptional skills in particular areas such as music or math.
Porter said she has what she termed a "good case" of Asperger's, because she is more aware of it, which has made learning to live with it easier. In her case, that meant recognizing that she was not cut out for the corporate workplace.
"I've got too much attitude for them to deal with," Porter said. "I'm really nice to my brides and I think I've got really great customer service. But I'm really insubordinate when it comes to anything else.''
