Alright, Alyssa thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?
Well, I’ve always had an interest in baking and I made things here and there for friends and family members. They were always telling me that I should sell my products. I was constantly watching videos online and on social media of other bakers and trying to keep up with all of the trends. Seeing all of the amazingly talented bakers in my area, I thought to myself ‘I can’t compete with that.’ One day though, after enough persuasion from those close to me, especially my very supportive husband, I decided to give it a try. I mean, what’s the worst that could happen, right? So, I got to work on figuring out a name. I went through many names and nothing really stuck. Nothing sounded right. Then, my daughter, who was almost 5 years old at the time, suggested Freckles. Freckles is a nickname that my husband has had for me since we started dating and it was perfect! So Sweets by Freckles was born. Then, I started my Sweets by Freckles Facebook page in May of 2019. I immediately had orders every week from friends, family, and new clients. I even had the opportunity to help out with a youth fundraiser for my church. My first order outside of friends and family was a bright and colorful princess cake, using different piping tips for different textures and designs with matching cupcakes.
Alyssa, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I started out by watching those around me bake things, especially during the holidays. Once I was old enough, I would ask if there was anything that I could help out with and eventually I had my own things to bake for special occasions. I took cake decorating classes at my local craft store to get me started on cakes. Then I looked to YouTube and social media to see what was new in the industry. I have always been a creative person, thanks to my mom, so cake decorating came naturally for me and I fell in love with it.
I specialize in custom buttercream cakes, cupcakes and decorated sugar cookies. I love the reactions from clients when I send them pictures of their finished orders. My favorite thing is receiving pictures from my clients, which are mostly children, and seeing how their custom cake just light up their faces!
My clients tell me that my many cake flavors and fillings is one way that sets me apart from others. To me, I love having options. So I thought, why not offer that to my clients? Whether they’re looking for the classic vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream or they want to venture out and get a peanut butter and jelly cake, I’m here for it! I love getting creative with flavors as much as the design elements.
My number one goal is to make my clients happy. I want their dream cake, cupcakes, cookies, etc. to come to life and I try my best to make things as perfect as possible. Just ask my husband and kids! They are always there, watching me take my time as I make my clients special orders come to life. I want their experience to be stress free and love their final product. I want them to know that I take my role in helping them celebrate their milestones very seriously. I am honored to be a part of so many celebrations year after year and I hope to continue this tradition.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
I seriously have the best clients! They are what keeps me going. Word of mouth from them just keeps growing my business with every birthday party, baby shower, wedding, etc. I am constantly getting new messages from people who went to a party, tried my cake, and had to order one for themselves. My Facebook page does a lot more than I ever thought it would. I have very loyal clients, followers, friends, and family that share everything I post. So that really helps as well.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
I feel like kindness goes a long way. Being understanding when situations arise and helping clients figure things out is a big deal for me. I think my clients can tell that I care about them more than just their orders. I pray for them when I hear about them going through certain situations, big or small. Without my clients, I wouldn’t have this job that I love! So I feel that it is important to get to know them and be personable.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/sweetsbyfreckles?igshid=MzMyNGUyNmU2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sweetsbyfreckles?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Other: [email protected]