We were lucky to catch up with Jasmine Bivins recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Jasmine thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So, let’s imagine that you were advising someone who wanted to start something similar to you and they asked you what you would do differently in the startup-process knowing what you know now. How would you respond?

If I were starting over, I would make sure I have certain aspects and ideas in place before trying to launch. It’s difficult to always know what’s ahead of you once you decide to put your brand out in the world, but once it’s out there, you learn what you should’ve done differently. I’m grateful to everyone who has been lenient and understanding through every step of the way and there are others who may not share that same understanding, but I think it’s important to always be open to learn and adapt.

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

I have many stomach problems, so many that it seems never-ending at times, and because of these stomach issues I decided to try to create a space for vegan and gluten free pastries. I’ve been baking since I was a child and I’ve never been scared to get experimental in the kitchen with flour and baking soda and chocolate all over the place in order to create whatever pastry I might have in my mind that day. I’ve always been business oriented and had a magnetic attraction to marketing. I decided to combine all of those aspects into one thing and that thing became: Alt Bakery. I’m constantly working on more products, but for now we carry an assortment of cookies, pastries, and muffins at the moment. I wanted to create baked goods and treats that are vegan (and soon gluten free) that taste delicious like the real thing, but without compromising flavor or integrity of the product. I want my products to stand on their own and above the rest whether they are vegan or not. What sets me apart from others is the fact that I’m after great tasting treats no matter how many times I have to go back in the kitchen and figure it out. I care about every single product I put out even if it takes me years to create what I feel is acceptable to be represented at Alt. My main goal is not profit, my main goal is sharing what I’ve created with the world and that they enjoy it as much as I do. The main thing I want people to know about Alt Bakery is that you’re going to receive the best of the best no matter what and you can always count on my integrity.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I don’t have much of an audience on social media and I think that reflects on the fact that I’m not really on social media much personally. So I didn’t realize how much work it takes and the consistency and dedication day to day that’s necessary to really build a good audience on social media. Working with local businesses that a featured my products and networking has brought me a long way and I still have a long way to go to build my audience, but I’m very excited to do so.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I was evicted from my apartment last year and I had to move back home and close shop. It was a humbling experience where I had to rethink and reevaluate everything and every action that got me into that predicament. I had to prioritize my life by the things that actually mattered and how to move on to the next step. Eventually after getting on my feet again, I took all that I had left and moved to another city, a bigger city where I didn’t know anyone. I searched high and low to be a vendor at anywhere I could get my foot in the door which led to opening my first wholesale account. I started to network with others and started the process of more accounts and the story continues from there. I had to sell all my furniture and let go of many aspects of my life and I didn’t know which way was up for a while, but in the end after I took that leap of faith, it was worth it.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.altbakery.com
• Instagram: @altbakery
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/altbakeryllc

Image Credits
Jasmine Bivins