We recently connected with Crystal Cromer and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Crystal, thanks for joining us today. How do you feel about asking friends and family to support your business? What’s appropriate, what’s not? Where do you draw the line?
For years I brought all treats and desserts to family and friends’ gatherings before it became a business. Deciding to sell cake pops was to help my household financially, but friends and family continued to expect there treats for free. This was my second income so helping me make more money was not a priority for anyone but me.
Crystal, 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?
For years I brought all treats and desserts to family and friends’ gatherings before it became a business. Deciding to sell cake pops was to help my household financially, but friends and family continued to expect there treats for free. This was my second income so helping me make more money was not a priority for anyone but me.
How I got into my industry? I am a mother of 3 and a wife, my children are the reason I started my business. As my children got older they started to ask for different treats such as cake pops and character cakes for their birthday. I began to watch you tube videos and read books on creating what ever they wanted because our budget would not allow me to order from custom bakers. During this time my husband lost his job of over 12 years our finances had drastically changed. I had been working in education for years and bringing the cake pops, cupcakes, and cakes to work events, when a coworker suggested that I sell my cake pops. From them my cake pops business went from a side hustle to my main source of income full-service home bakery custom cakes and treats.
Crystal’s DC Pops is a custom design home bakery. The DC stands for Delicious Cake in Crystal’s DC Pops. I specialize in designer and character cake pops and cakes. I also make chocolate dipped treats including Rice Krispie treats, Oreos, strawberries, pretzels, marshmallows. Cakes are made with custom design or bakery style but all are made when ordered on my website. I can create cakes and cake pops for any theme or design. I provide delivery in the Dallas/ Ft. Worth area for Birthdays, Weddings, Baby showers and all other events. I also make custom cake toppers and cupcake toppers, on my online store I now sell edible images.
I love to create for children and I think this sets me apart from other bakers. As a educator of over 15 years when I am creating for children those experiences help me to create something that I know they will love. I am able to take the theme and create cake pops, cupcakes, and cakes that will bring joy to them.
I am most proud of my client and customer satisfaction rate. I have remained of 5 star rating on google and Facebook since 2017. I take pride in providing an easy and effective experience from the time clients contact me to delivery or pick up. My business has grown tremendously over the last 3 years even with Covid and I have continued to provide great services including taste quality, communication, and designing with the newest trends. All of my cakes and treats are made creatively with love and the clients desires in mind.
How did you build your audience on social media?
I have been posting on Instagram and Facebook since 2016. I started by posting photos of my work and gradually began making videos of me creating and designing the cakes. My social media audience consist of mostly clients and other bakers. The more videos I create the more social media followers start to follow my page and share my page. It has been slow motion for me because I am not a person that does many lives on social media, I am sure this is holding me back.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
I will share my story of when I recently decided to leave my full time job to grow and focus on my business. I noticed that my income in my career as an educator has stayed in the same net bracket for 5 years, but my baking business revenue had grown rapidly over the last 3 years. I prayed many nights about the decision to leave my job and focus on my business and in so many ways God told me that I was ready and he had prepared me for this challenge. I have now been without my steady paycheck for 6 months and living off of my business revenue and savings.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.crystalsdcpops.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crystals_dc_pops/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CrystalsDCPops
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxzIIbmjW8oma2qTDav6Ttg/featured
- Other: https://linktr.ee/crystalsdcpops
Image Credits
JDP Photography Studios , Bakery Head shot