Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Asma Abdellatif . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Asma, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

I wanted to come up with a cute and unique name, but how do you do that when everything has been thought of already? My daughters (who are my number 1 supporters) and I were brainstorming names for 2 to 3 days, but nothing stood out to us. We wanted something elegant and sweet that showed that we specialize in mini desserts. Eventually, my eldest daughter said Tiny Tea Party and all of us thought “Yes! That’s the one!”

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

Tiny Tea Party is my home based catering business! I make mini desserts with customizable toppings and themes for any occasion as well as savory finger foods! When it comes to my work, my goal is to achieve excellence in both presentation and flavor. I started off only making mini cheesecake/mousse cups with hand crafted toppings. I quickly learned that my adaptability to different themes or ideas was something that set me apart from many other caterers. I taught myself how to create toppings for pretty much any theme! For example, I’ve made Snow White desserts, Harry Potter desserts, sugar plum princess desserts, Australian safari desserts, and many more!
Since I’m completely self taught, I’m very proud of the fact that I managed to create my own cheesecake/mousse flavors and that I quickly mastered mini cakes as well. Though my mini cakes are minimalistic, my toppings shine through as a focal point in the dessert, and my handmade mascarpone frosting balances the sweetness of the cake.
Fueled by my success, I dove into making French macarons! This was one of the biggest challenges I faced because it took me 10 exhausting tries to finally get right! I knew then that I could do whatever I put my mind to and that there’s always room to grow, so I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Tiny Tea Party!

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I started my business and all was well! I had just started to gain clientele and I was ecstatic every time someone placed an order. That’s when Covid-19 hit and everything came to a stop. When people started canceling orders I had no idea that Covid was here to stay. I was optimistic that quarantine was going to be a short period of time that would quickly pass, but that was not the case. My husband, my daughter, and I lost our jobs. It took almost a year for business to pick back up again.
Regardless, I kept posting my mini desserts on social media and I made samples for potential clients whenever I could! It felt like a miracle when cancelled orders were rescheduled and the formerly strict quarantine turned into social distanced gatherings.
After a year or so, I received the terrifying news that I had an abnormal case of retina detachment and that I needed to go into surgery as soon as possible or I might lose sight in my left eye. The tables turned and I was the one who had to cancel orders. Having to refuse orders because I couldn’t see the work that I was doing and knowing that I might not be able to continue my dream business nearly broke me.
To this day, my three eye surgeries affect nearly every part of my day, but my daughters told me it was only a matter of time before I would be able to take orders again, and they were right. Although my sight is not what it was, I am blessed because I was given the strength to continue Tiny Tea Party.

My business and I survived Covid-19, retina detachment, and eye surgery failures, so I know that nothing will ever get in the way of me and my dream!

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

Gaining a client’s loyalty in the catering industry is a challenge because most people don’t need catering on a regular basis. Business booms seasonally rather than consistently and so it’s important to make sure that the seasons are a success! The easiest way to reach clients is through social media posts reminding them that I’m here and it might be time to place an order! However, I think the strongest factor when it comes to loyalty is the flexibility and one-on-one service that I offer. When a client wants to place an order, I don’t ask them to fill out a form or choose from lists. I let each client tell me what they’d like to see and I brainstorm ideas with them until we find the perfect execution of their vision. I discuss possibilities, practicalities, and aesthetics with each client so that there are no surprises when the time comes to enjoy my desserts!
Because of this, I’ve established strong relationships with many clients who enjoy a personalized catering experience!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/invites/contact/?i=djtphllkq541&utm_content=bmiqfur
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catering.tinyteaparty/

Image Credits
Asma Abdellatif