We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Vanessa Drews a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Vanessa, 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?

It was by chance, and with the greatest complement ever one could receive. I had the most amazing time working for Prince and during my time there, I would often bring cheesecakes to Paisley Park for band members and staff to enjoy. Little did I know that a certain musical Icon would find them in the fridge, and enjoy. Soon after Prince began mentioning “Cheesecake Funk” on internationally viewed, via Twitter, invitations to Paisley Park. With that genuine stamp of approval, the name was born.

In 2019, I embarked on growing Cheesecake Funk into restaurants, markets and hotels across the Twin Cities, as well as through my website. Cheesecake Funk is a dessert many Prince fans seek out while visiting Minneapolis, as well as it’s a true favorite among anyone in the Twin Cities that partakes in the cheesecake greatness.

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.

Baking is something that I’ve enjoying doing all my life. I thrive on creating flavor combinations that will light up your eyes, something you’ll want to enjoy at any gathering or celebration. I worked in the legal field as a Senior Paralegal for many years before I jumped into the role of entrepreneur and full time baker. My children were young and I made a promise to myself that now was the time to jump on opportunities to grow the brand, which meant I had to step away from my legal career. However, many of the skills I used in my career prior has helped me continue on to this day.

We all have heard the term pivot – well, pivoting is what I’ve been doing on a daily basis since the end of 2019. Continuing on through a pandemic, growing my brand to what it is today – is a true dream come true.

My goal is to create a one-of-a-kind cheesecake experience, unlike anything you’ve ever had before. I think I’m on the right track thus far – check out my 5-start Google review rating and all of the amazing joy over Cheesecake Funk!

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Resilience is a word that I didn’t consider for myself prior to 2019. Yes, I’m a strong-willed and determined woman, but growing a business and a global pandemic consuming the planet six months later – that was a trip. I took one month off at the beginning of the pandemic, and that was the last time I truly had time off. The pandemic forced me to make some hard decisions about production needs, that ultimately forced me to the the solo manufacturer of my brand. It was a decision made easily if it meant keeping my two young children, my mother, my customers and myself safe. I became the heartbeat of all things Cheesecake Funk – baker, kitchen manager, inventory manager, delivery driver, marketing/social media manager, etc. I am beyond thrilled that my business continues to grow daily, and when I tell you the level of efficiency I’ve gained by baking thousands of cheesecakes to date — bring on larger scale manufacturing in the near future!

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

I have self funded my brand since day one. Being a newly opened business, solo business owner, and woman of color, I was unable to find resources that would help fund the development of my business. Because of that, I bet on myself and vow to pay myself back one day. The daily commitment I have had ever since is make Cheesecake Funk a household name. Provide cheesecakes to anyone who loves an amazing dessert, heck, even if you dislike dessert, you will totally enjoy a slice of Cheesecake Funk!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cheesecakefunk.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheesecakefunk/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CheesecakeFunk/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cheesecakefunk
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/1CHEESECAKEFUNK/status/1174391653886562305
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/cheesecake-funk-minnetonka

Image Credits
White Chocolate Raspberry photos: Rachel Graff Photography; Vanessa Drews; Paisley Park invitation and Twitter photo/tweet, Prince.