We were lucky to catch up with Andréa Johnson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Andréa, appreciate you joining us today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

My company is named after my daughter! Karmalita is her nickname. I’ve dreamed of owning my own bake shop since childhood, but I never really believed it would be possible until my daughter asked me one day: “Mommy, when are we gonna open our bakery?” The fact that she picked up on my desire to do so, and believed I could, when I didn’t, really gave me the confidence to try. She’s my inspiration in many ways, so it was a no brainier to name my business after her.

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

I am a self taught baker & confectioner. Baking began as a hobby for me in middle school, and I’ve been exploring the world of desserts ever since. As I got older I realized there was so much more to baking than the traditional cakes and pies. Candy making, and other more intricate processes caught my eye.

When my daughter, Karma, was in preschool, I worked with her to make marshmallows from scratch for her teachers. We both enjoyed the process and outcome so much, I continued to make them. At first I didn’t think it made sense to base my business around marshmallows, but I really was growing tired and stagnant with cakes and cupcakes. I felt pigeonholed into a certain category of baked goods that were expected of me. In 2019 I rebranded my home bakery business and focused on marshmallows!

Karmalita’s is a handcrafted marshmallow and marshmallow confection busines operating in RVA. I create small batch marshmallows in both traditional and unique flavors and marshmallow themed desserts, including artisan craft s’mores at markets and events.

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

Building relationships with other entrepreneurs! So many times I have been invited to be a part of something, or even interviewed in this case, because someone else has mentioned my name or business. I am very grateful for that.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Hands down, markets and pop ups are my best source. Word of mouth in the small business and culinary worlds tends to outweigh any other traditional form of marketing. We are a very visually stimulated culture, so seeing is believing.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://karmalitas.square.site
• Instagram: @karmalitas.rva
• Other: @Karmalitas on TikTok

Image Credits
By Jacqui Photography