We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Gabby Emslie a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Gabby , appreciate you joining us today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

In 2020, when Covid started and everything shut down, I was forced to make some hard decisions regarding my future. I decided to homeschool my daughter, who was 6 at the time, which meant I had to quit my job. I had worked at a bakery for the past 6 years, and leaving was not easy – I wasn’t sure what I was going to do for work. Luckily, my partner Beck was there to support me through everything, and I was able to homeschool full-time while also figuring out what to do about my income.

Because I’ve always been a baker, and had so much new free time because of the shutdown, I was doing a lot of baking at home. Donuts have always been one of my favorite treats, but I had never made them at home. I was always a little nervous frying things, but this was my chance to learn! I tried tons of different recipes until I created one that I loved. My small family of 3, however, could not eat as many donuts and I was making – especially with my daughter at her dad’s house half the time. I had the idea to start making and selling my donuts to friends around the community. I started Rosy’s Donuts, named after my daughter, as a delivery-only donut service. It was a risk, deciding to start a small business during the pandemic, but after all the tough times we had already gone through, I had confidence and a “let’s just try it and see” attitude. Making donuts regularly was something I could do from home, deliver safely with no contact, and do whether my daughter was home or not.

Today, Rosy’s Donuts is doing great! We are still a delivery donut business, but now also have many pop-up locations such as Howl Coffee, many local markets, and even our own front porch! We’ve been lucky that our little Cottage Foods business has survived, all thanks to the amazing support of the community, and of course my family who has supported me from the start.

Gabby , 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?

My name is Gabby Emslie, and I have always been a baker. Since I was little, I taught myself to bake, and it was the natural career choice when it came to getting my first jobs. My donut business, Rosy’s Donuts, is an extension of my love to bake and my love for my daughter, Rosy.

We make fresh, homemade donuts on the weekends, with permanent and rotating flavors. I love coming up with new flavors each week – it lets me be creative and make something tasty that I hope others with enjoy as well! I think we are unique in the fact that we are a delivery donut business. Who wouldn’t want donuts delivered to their door?! We also offer gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan donut options that are delicious so everyone can enjoy!

I am so proud of myself, my daughter, and my partner for believing in this business and keeping it running smoothly and successfully. We have so much room to grow, and I can’t wait to do it together – it makes Rosy’s Donuts special to me because I can share it with my family. I also hope our community knows how much we love and appreciate them!

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

The most effective strategy for growing our client base, in my opinion, is being friendly and loving toward our community and everyone we meet selling donuts. Without them, we wouldn’t have a business! Every person that buys a donut feels like a friend to me – I love sharing my sweets with them and getting to know them.

Marketing online has also been important for growing our business, and luckily my partner Beck takes care of that role. Beck is great at taking photos and posting content – I just make the donuts!

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

I think consistency has helped build our reputation – people know where to find us, what flavors we always have, and that our specialty rotating flavors are fun and worth giving a try! My goal has always been to keep getting better. I strive to make better donuts every time I make them, and I hope our community and clients can taste the love and effort in each donut!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @rosysdonuts
• Facebook: facebook.com/rosysdonuts
• Other: Review us on Google @ Rosy’s Donuts!

Image Credits
Beck Ceron