Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dylana DeGannes. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Dylana, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Alright, so we’d love to hear about how you got your first client or customer. What’s the story?

I made my first sale about ten years ago to my hair stylist.   I think one thing that bonded us was that I would bring sweet treats to the shop to share. It was around the holidays when I brought her a piece of bread pudding for the first time, and after tasting it, I think her eyes began to roll. She said it was one of the best desserts she’d ever tasted and asked if it was possible to buy desserts from me because she wanted some holiday treats in the shop for her clients. From that sale, I gained many customers who referred me to other customers, word of mouth – and the rest is history.

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 mother and late grandmother have influenced me greatly, always baking, cooking, or preparing something in the kitchen. I didn’t realize the significance of my mother’s talents for making pastries from scratch until I saw the genuine excitement and curiosity from friendly visitors.  My mother is one of nine children who grew up in Trinidad – they had to improvise and make do with what they had.  I remember my grandmother grating a coconut and cooking it down to separate the fat to make coconut oil. She would then put the oil in a glass bottle with a sprig of rosemary – this was her hair oil; 30 years later, coconut oil is trending. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I have always valued the process and understood the importance of working with quality ingredients. I was sometimes teased for wanting everything to be “organic” or “natural” before it became popular, but I couldn’t help it; it’s in my DNA.

During my professional career in social work, I became curious about other disciplines.  I decided to formally attend culinary school, where I nurtured my love for food and deepened my appreciation for my mother’s baking skills and grandmother’s originality.  I decided I would work during the day and attend culinary school at night. At that moment, I realized my purpose.  I felt a sense of satisfaction and rejuvenation in the kitchen.  No matter how tired I might have been from my day, I was always ready and excited to learn.  I had found my God-given talent.

Although I was introduced to bread pudding in culinary school, it was long after graduating when I decided to make my first batch.  I experimented with different types of bread, dairy, and spices until I created the right consistency.  I was determined to create the perfect bread pudding, one that was not too mushy— which everyone hates.  It had to have the perfect texture; crusty on top, moist and custardy on the inside.

I enjoy hearing the nostalgic bread pudding stories shared by many of my customers.  Many refer to an aunt, mother, or grandmother that made it for them in their younger years but haven’t had great experiences with more recent tastings. This is what has fueled me to continue perfecting my craft.  I wanted to bring back that old feeling to many more people with my unique touch.  It is my desire to take prized desserts and transform them into an elevated culinary experience.

I’m grateful to have my momager and master taste-tester husband alongside me on this journey.  My mother is a natural-born hustler and baker in her own right, helping me with the detailed preparations of Dylana’s Sweet Treats.  My husband is a constant support for me, showing up to nurture my vision and help see it through.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

While social media has been an excellent marketing tool, word of mouth has been golden. My very first wholesale partnership was strictly word of mouth. I met a wonderful woman in a business course we both participated in.  We vibed with each other immediately, sampled each other’s products, and there was mutual respect for each other’s craft.  She loved my chocolate croissant bread pudding –  enjoyed it so much that when she was looking to wholesale her product, she mentioned my desserts to the contact person.  To this day, I don’t know what she told him, but whatever it was, he became a believer and called me a few days later to place an order. That was in 2020, and I still partner with him today.

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

We are taught that we should be prepared when an opportunity presents itself, not only being prepared in skill but also being prepared in mind.  I believed that in order to present my business to the general public, everything needed to be perfect.  I discovered that being prepared in mind doesn’t mean knowing everything but instead having the mindset to deal with the many challenges and experiences that come with entrepreneurship. I remember being given the opportunity to participate in a Mother’s day pop-up for the first time. I came up with every excuse not to participate; it was not that my skills weren’t on point, but instead, I feared putting myself and my products on display.  I overcame my fear by stepping out on faith even though everything wasn’t “perfect” I’m grateful to have a village that supported and believed in me when I doubted myself at times.  I have learned that preparation is not perfection.  As you face each obstacle and challenge, you gain the confidence needed to keep going and glowing!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.dylanassweettreats.com
• Instagram: @dylanassweettreats

Image Credits
Katherine Rengifo
Chris Valez
Jamel McAllister