We recently connected with Alyssah Jillett and have shared our conversation below.

Alyssah, appreciate you joining us today. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?

Starting Cookies & Crumbles Bake Shop is one of the best decisions I have made. It started with watching some videos of people decorating sugar cookies and I thought to myself, I bet I could do that! So for my birthday in 2019, I purchased some basic supplies and began practicing! The original plan was to stick with decorated sugar cookies only, but as requests for cakes began to trickle in, I decided to give that a go as well. I believe completing my certificate in Patisserie and Baking from Le Cordon Bleu really gave me a strong foundation. Being a business owner’s daughter also gave me insight on how to run a business and be successful! With family and friends being my first customers, they played an intricate part in getting my name out there! Over time, that customer base grew and the continued support from the community has been an absolute blessing. On occasion I wonder what it would be like to go back to a regular 9-5 job, but the thought is fleeting. Even though my hours are considerably longer than that, I truly enjoy what I do and wouldn’t change a thing!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Hello! My name is Alyssah and I am the owner of Cookies & Crumbles Bake Shop. I’ve always had a passion for baking, whether it was making chocolate chip cookies with my mom or baking brownies with my cousin! It never really occurred to me that I could run a successful business doing what I loved. I had always worked a regular 9-5 job most of my life, but when I discovered Le Cordon Bleu in Austin, I realized that’s what I was meant to do. I completed my certificate in Patisserie and Baking in 2010. While I didn’t jump right in to opening my bakery, I started to pave the way and soak up as much knowledge as I could from my internship and other baking jobs. I took a pause to get married and have a couple kids! After some late nights watching videos of people decorating sugar cookies, I decided I could do it too. And that’s where it all began.

Cookies & Crumbles Bake Shop offers hand baked and crafted decorated sugar cookies, cakes, drop cookies and any other sweet treats you can think of! The most fun for me as a creator is when a client comes to me with a color scheme or theme only, no pictures and lets me design something completely unique for them. It is both terrifying and exhilarating! I also bring another layer of design with the addition of custom 3D printed toppers and cookie toppers.

My main goal as a baker is to create something that is not only delicious but also stunning and one of a kind.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Social media has played a large role in building my reputation within the bakery world. Interacting with customers, responding to their messages quickly and positively really shows how much you care about them and your business. Another key component is delivering consistently amazing products. People notice things like that and they will talk and share things they like. Creating unique cakes and cookies that also taste great help build my reputation for me.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

Keeping in touch with my customer base is something that I honestly wish I had more time for! Being a one-woman show, the roles I have to play in my business can be overwhelming at times and certain things take a back seat. I primarily keep up with my customers through social media as well as an email list. Posting my creations and staying active with presales and giveaways allows customers to engage in the online community with me. When you have a sense of community and a feeling that someone actually cares about you as a customer (which I do!), you are likely to continue to support them.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.cookiesandcrumblesbakeshop.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/cookiesandcrumblesbakeshop/
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/cookiesandcrumblesbakeshop

Image Credits
Headshot by Samantha T Photography