We recently connected with Brandi Allaway and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Brandi, thanks for joining us today. Covid has brought about so many changes – has your business model changed?

COVID-19 has changed my business model tremendously. First just let me be brutally honest, when COVID-19 first happened I instantly panicked for my business. How was my business going to be “pandemic proof”? A large amount of my business’ income comes from my dessert tables & how was I going to make up for that loss with the governor shutting down all event spaces, halls, and venues. I had several events get cancelled. I had already prepared for 2020 to be “Our Year” & the pandemic happens. What was B.Creativ Confections going to do to stay afloat and stand out?

After much thought and research (with all the extra down time I had, since we were on lock down), I knew dessert tables would definitely be on hold until this was over so I decided to promote my treats only, per the dozen on social media with contactless delivery. Sure enough, it worked out pretty well. I’d learned that the big parties were no longer, but the intimate “at home” gatherings still were happening. My customers were still celebrating their milestones, but at a smaller version. Due to COVID-19 B.Creativ Confections were forced to try other things & offering new product to maintain revenue. We offered holiday baskets and treats on the holidays like Mother’s Day, Fathers Day, Sweetest Day and hot cocoa bombs for the Christmas/winter season.

COVID-19 also forced me to change the suppliers that I use. A couple suppliers were overseas and a few orders were stuck in transit due to the pandemic. I had to start purchasing my supplies from local suppliers. I also had to order product well in advance because of the delivery delays caused by USPS.

I used the internet to my advantage, more than ever, during COVID-19. During the lockdown, our phones, tablets, iPads etc. were our best friends, almost glued to our hands. Therefore, I ran ads using visual content of my product to promote my business in a local magazine and on all social media platforms to help engage with current and potential customers.

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

My name is Brandi Allaway, 32, of Grand Rapids, MI. I own an in home dessert shop that offers a wide variety of chocolate covered treats and dessert tables. I’m a self taught treat maker. We started out as B.Creativ Event Decor & Design. In 2012, I did my first dessert table, my second & third dessert tables were in 2014 & they were all for weddings. In 2016, business started to take off. Not only was I getting booked for dessert tables but for many other DIY projects including event centerpieces, party favors, custom tshirts, wine glasses etc. Pretty much anything creative you saw on Pinterest, I was getting booked for. I was so appreciative of the support I was receiving it took a few years for me to realize that it was best to narrow down the focus of my business. In 2018, I realized it was hard for me to even pin point the peak times of business or to easily make a 100% profit on anything because I was offering so many different services. So I chose to eliminate everything else & only offer treats & dessert tables. At that point, I researched, studied the new trends, invested in my brand. Thus, I changed the name to B.Creativ Confections. Last year 2021, I became a treat instructor where we host treat making classes starting at ages 10 & up. And here we are today still focusing on “wow-ing” our customers with jaw dropping treats and premium dessert tables for all events and occasions. I am known for the best detailed treats and dessert tables in Michigan. I am most proud of my growth. My treats were very simple in the beginning, with just different colors & only offering a small selection. I initially only offered chocolate covered strawberries, apples, pretzels & rice  krispie treats. I now offer those, in addition to, chocolate covered pineapples, cake pops, donuts, cheesecake shooters, and hot cocoa bombs too. My creativity & intricate detail I put into making my treats and dessert tables look and taste the best sets me apart from others.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I built my presence on social media through the photography of my product and my consistency. As hard of a job it is to wear several hats as a business owner, being the social media manager is the most tedious. I make sure I post weekly ( if not more) on all social media platforms. I make sure I capture great portraits of my product to grasp the attention of my followers. My advice to anyone starting to build a social media presence is to simply START! Most entrepreneurs are looking for everything to be perfect from the logo to the post to the photos & that’s just not how it works. The “perfect look” comes with growth and there’s no room to grow if you don’t start. Create the page, make posts, and stay consistent!

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

There are 3 main components that helped build my reputation within my market, which is the creativity, the detail, the presentation! These 3 components set my treats apart from the rest. The creativity is shown through the colors and toppers I use to effectively match the treats and tables with the theme or color scheme of the event. The detail of the overall look, near or far, including the straws, bows, and chocolate drizzle give the complete look! The presentation I provide is always a conversation starter. My treats and dessert tables are always the main attraction at any event!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.bcreativconfections.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/bcreativc/
• Facebook: www.Facebook.com/bcreativc
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/bcreativc/
• Twitter: www..twitter.com/bcreativc
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC_HNoLKrJdyFh9IPdvt4Cpw
• Other: https://linktr.ee/Bcreativc?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&ltsid=6207254a-5cf2-452e-9076-4ddc2d797163

Image Credits
Rich P Photography