Buckhead bakery creates jobs and independence for young adults with autism:

Every day at a Buckhead bakery, customers stop in for cakes. Many leave with something more.

When Vance Canell greets guests at Nothing Bundt Cakes, he does so with a smile, a warm welcome and a sense of pride that has grown over nearly a decade on the job. For Canell, who is on the autism spectrum, work has become more than a paycheck. It's an opportunity to build confidence, connect with customers and give back.  

"I'm someone who really loves working," Canell said.  

He says the job has changed the way he sees himself.

"It makes me feel great because I'm spreading that kind of passion and energy to other people instead of just keeping it to myself," Canell said. "I want to be more of a giver, not a taker."  

That sense of purpose is exactly what franchise owner Gloria Mattei hoped to create.

After her son Adrian was diagnosed with autism, Mattei began thinking about what his future would look like once he entered the workforce. She worried a traditional corporate environment might not provide the support he needed to thrive.  

"When my son was diagnosed with autism, it was in the back of my head, 'What can I do?'" Mattei said. "My whole purpose — and my husband's purpose — has been that he needs to be as independent as possible because I'm not always going to be here."  

Mattei ultimately left a 16-year career in corporate America and opened one of Georgia's first Nothing Bundt Cakes franchises. Her goal wasn't simply to own a business — it was to create a place where her son and other neurodivergent young adults could develop workplace skills that foster long-term independence.  

Today, the bakery partners with Lionheart Works, a vocational training program that helps young adults with autism and other neurodevelopmental differences prepare for meaningful employment. Participants receive coaching and on-the-job experience designed to build confidence and workplace skills.  

"That is something that every parent worries about — how their child is going to be when they're an adult," said Tracy Burke of Lionheart Works.  

Burke said the organization helps participants find jobs in the community while providing support throughout the employment process.

"We help them select and find and coach them for employment in the communities," she said.  

For Adrian Mattei, the experience helped prepare him for the next step. He now works at Kroger.

"Technically, I'm working at Kroger because I'm doing good at the moment," Adrian said.  

Inside the Buckhead bakery, success isn't measured only by the number of cakes sold.

It's measured by growing confidence, lasting job skills and expanding opportunities for young adults who are often overlooked in the workforce.  

For Canell, the opportunity remains deeply personal.

"Gloria is really the one who gave me this job and this opportunity," he said, becoming emotional. "She's amazing. She's the one who got me this job."  

The bakery continues to partner with Lionheart Works, helping more young adults with autism and other neurodevelopmental differences gain the skills they need to pursue meaningful employment and greater independence.