We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ms. Bobbie Johnson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Bobbie below.

Bobbie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Parents can play a significant role in affecting how our lives and careers turn out – and so we think it’s important to look back and have conversations about what our parents did that affected us positive (or negatively) so that we can learn from the billions of experiences in each generation. What’s something you feel your parents did right that impacted you positively.

While my parents did many things right in my eyes the one thing that impacted my life and career was seeing them both run small businesses. My mother and her good friend owned a shoe store in the local flea market. I was most excited to inventory the shoes, stack them neatly, and even tried on a few when no one was looking. I spent a few weekends in the flea market helping with sales and got to go on runs to the local beauty salons to display and sell the shoes. Seeing these two ladies run their shoe business and hustling was intriguing and I was proud of them.

My father, who is retired from the U.S. Army, started an HO Slot Car Racing business. He had a huge electric track in a trailer and guests would pay for an opportunity to drive a car using a handheld remote. Now this was cool and the kids’ faces would light up. Some adults joined in while others just raised a curious eyebrow and kept walking. I remember going to car shows and races with my dad and the track. My job was to put cars back on the track if any went too fast and flew off. I enjoyed my job and being around my dad, who I’m so proud of to this day.

Seeing them both run small businesses has always sat in the back of my mind. In Fall 2023 I decided to start a mobile cotton candy business in Fayetteville, NC called Sweet Carolina Delights. Mainly because I want my daughters to see the ups and downs of running a small business and know they can run one as well at any point in life. While it may be a scary path it’s one that they’re more than capable of conquering. I’m a proud Autism Mom and it’s critical that she believes in herself and knows that she too can take on anything and be successful. Not to mention, I will always be there with my mom’s cape to cheer them on their journey.

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’m a North Carolina born and raised mom of two beautiful girls dedicated to family. Sweet Carolina Delights came about as I was thinking of something I could do with my daughter. We tossed around the idea of face painting because I used to draw a lot and her artwork is great. While face painting, we thought about selling containers of cotton candy. The thought of painting a child’s face and possibly being sneezed on made us laugh and think of alternatives. So, we decided to remove the facepainting and explore selling cotton candy and bam, Sweet Carolina Delights was soon created.

Sweet Carolina Delights is a mobile cotton candy business that specializes in hand spinning cotton candy live at public and private events and providing cotton candy party favors, such as 16 oz and 32 oz containers, push-up pops, cotton candy cakes, and cotton candy glitter clouds that make beverages shimmer and sparkle. A fan favorite is our Pickle-Rito, which is a whole dill pickle wrapped in cotton candy with the option of a topping or two or none at all.

What problem(s) you solve:

Preparing for the big day of an event can be exciting and stressful for the host. Sweet Carolina Delights eliminates the need to rent the equipment, spin cotton candy, clean up, then stand in line and return the equipment. Instead, we bring the equipment, spin/provide the sweet treats, deliver amazing party favors, can decorate a sweets table, and clean up after. Providing a stress-free experience for the party host and guests.

We stand out by offering a range of flavors, flavor combinations, and even adult cocktail inspired flavors for adult events.

I am most proud of the level of dedication that has been put into the business and support. When I ask friends and family for help, they show up and do not disappoint. I come from a big family and it’s awesome to be able to call up an aunt or cousin for help when needed. Our logo and business embody family and is a reminder of the hard work those before us have put forth from my Grandaddy TR Jones Jr, Grandma Gladys, Grandpa Robert, and Nanny Barbara.

I am also proud of my community and the resources that have been made available to entrepreneurs at no cost, such as the Fayetteville Technical Community College Small Business Center, the North Carolina Small Business Center Network, and the Fayetteville-Cumberland Regional Entrepreneur & Business HUB. These resources have put this business in a position to be successful beyond measures and I am beyond grateful.

Another proud moment was being hand picked to participate in Dessert Wars, in Raleigh, NC on April 6, 2024. Dessert Wars is the largest dessert festival/competition in America and we’ll be there, then on to the championship round. Come check us out.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Sweet Carolina Delights is still a very new business and growing. The best source of new clients has been social media. I spend a lot of time researching events in my community and surrounding areas. I literally email and DM event coordinators and party planners to introduce our business and I ask to be their cotton candy vendor.

Since we are so new, we go to just about any place that opens their doors to us. A gym may not seem like a typical place, but Fit 4 Life on Fort Bragg Road in Fayetteville, NC has been an awesome place to showcase our business. It’s the networking for me; meeting a realtor who shows interest in having us at an open house or a photographer who snaps and posts a few photos of our business or the daycare staff who loves our Pickle -Rito.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I have had to unlearn the thought of taking on things that are not in my area of expertise. I’m great at organizing, learning, and tracking business expenses but I am not a bookkeeper, a CPA, or a lawyer. I was recently accepted into the Duke University School of Law, Start-up Ventures Clinic working with a student-attorney on trademark and liability within our small business. I’ve learned to hand tasks over to the appropriate experts to ensure success. I still do my due diligence to be knowledgeable but I welcome the experts and allow them to lead.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweetcarolinadelights/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sweetcarolinadelights
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@sweetcarolinadelights?_t=8iw4qzlUyvD&_r=1