We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Christie Gilkes a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Christie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?
When I sit back and think about my why, I’m humbled by my journey and the progress I’ve made. However, my business idea was something I planned to do when I retired. But, as life changes, you pivot! The idea took a while to come to fruition. All that changed when I became a single mom by choice and in the middle of a career change at the time into the healthcare field, leaving a field where I was paid well to take a whooping $7.50/hr. I had to quickly figure out how to make ends meet. Instead of wallowing in the situation, I started to think about what skills I had to create additional income.
So, I decided to take my hobby and turn it into a viable side hustle and then formal business operations. That refined idea took a while to shape. But I decided to utilize my cultural upbringing, hailing from St. Thomas, USVI, and growing up in the DMV region to create remixed classic, global, and tropical flavors. Offering artisan decadence you can eat, smell, or wear. In summary, my business idea came from creating an opportunity when faced with a difficult situation. It took me some time to refine this idea, but eventually, it took shape and became Sweet Intuition.
Christie, 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?
At Sweet Intuition, our vision and mission are centered around promoting food diversity and cultural representation through the universal language of dessert. Our goal is to create a space where everyone can come together and celebrate their differences while enjoying delicious treats that showcase the flavors of different cultures. We believe that impact is everything, which is why we are committed to making a positive impact on our customers, our community, and the environment. From sourcing our ingredients to packaging our products, we always strive to use sustainable and ethical practices in all aspects of our business. We believe in giving back to the community and supporting local organizations that align with our values.
Our mission is to introduce new and exciting flavors to the dessert industry that people have never tasted before. We believe that by doing so, we can help bring people together and create a more inclusive society. We are committed to using sustainable and locally sourced ingredients whenever possible to reduce our carbon footprint and support local businesses.
At Sweet Intuition, we are passionate about promoting food diversity in dessert form. We believe that desserts have the power to tell a story and represent the diversity of our community. Our mission is to create delicious treats that not only taste great but also showcase the flavors of different cultures.
We offer a wide variety of products to satisfy every sweet tooth. Our cake jars are one of our many unique and popular items that come in a variety of flavors. Some of our most popular flavors include USVI Vienna Cake in a Jar and Mango-Strawberry Shortcake, just to name a few. These jars are perfect for those who want a delicious treat on the go or for those who want to try a variety of flavors without committing to a full-sized cake.
Our pies are famous for their Apple Soursop filling, also known as Tropical Sunshine. In addition to our products, we also offer custom cakes. Our talented bakers can create a cake that perfectly matches your vision, whether it’s for a wedding, birthday, or any other special occasion. We work closely with our clients to ensure that their cake is not only delicious but also visually stunning. Global desserts like red grout, and dum bread just to name a few.
Our pastry & dessert selection is also quite impressive. We offer a variety of pastries, from dum bread to more unique options like matcha cream puffs. We also offer seasonal treats and limited-time offers like our small batch flavor profile Mango Jalapeño. Keep an eye out for our special holiday-themed products and collaborations with other local businesses and farms.
We believe that by promoting food diversity and cultural representation, we can help break down barriers and create a more inclusive society. At Sweet Intuition, we are committed to making a positive impact on our customers, our community, and the environment through sustainable and ethical practices.
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
Starting a business requires a lot of hard work and dedication, and one of the most challenging aspects is funding your venture. How you will fund your business venture is a common dilemma for many small business owners. When it came to funding our business, I knew that we needed to start small and grow over time. By working my full-time job while also saving money on the side, we were able to slowly put together the capital we needed to start selling our products. We also looked into different financing options, such as small business loans and crowdfunding, but ultimately decided to self-fund our business. As the owner and foundress of the company, I firmly believe that you should invest in your own business before asking someone else to invest in your brand. I believe in my team and I’s capabilities and my vision for Sweet Intuition, so to self-fund my business was a no-brainer for me.
This decision allowed me to build some sweat equity before seeking outside funding. It also helped me to understand the importance of not burning through my own money and being strategic about when to seek funding. In conclusion, starting a business requires a lot of hard work, planning, and preparation. Funding your business is just one aspect of the process, but it is an important one.
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
When it comes to growing our clientele at Sweet Intuition, the most effective strategy has been word-of-mouth marketing. We believe that our customers are our best advocates, and we strive to provide them with the best possible experience every time they order from us. Our dedication to quality and customer satisfaction has helped us build a loyal following of customers who love our products. While word-of-mouth marketing has been key to our success, we also utilize social media to promote our business. We have an active presence on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and new to TikTok, where we share photos of our products and engage with our followers. This allows us to showcase our products and reach a wider audience. We also offer special promotions to our social media followers, which has helped us attract new customers and retain existing ones.
At Sweet Intuition, we believe that transparency is key. We want our customers to know exactly what they’re getting when they order from us. That’s why we always list all of our ingredients and nutritional information on our website and in-store signage. We also welcome any questions or concerns that our customers may have about our products or processes. By being transparent and open with our customers, we hope to build trust and loyalty with them for years to come.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sweetintuitions.com
- Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/sweet_intuitions
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CakesSweetIntuition/
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/chrissy-c-sweet-intuition006359199
- Other: www.tiktok.com/@sweet_intuition