We recently connected with Jasmine Ferrell and have shared our conversation below.
Jasmine, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. The more we talk about good leadership the more we think good leadership practices will spread and so we’d love for you to tell us a story about the best boss you’ve had and what they were like or what they did that was so great?
I currently work a full time job (in addition to running my business) and would say my director has been one of the best bosses, if not the best boss, I have had. There’s not really one specific story that describes why he’s been a great leader for our office, but instead, many qualities that distinguish him from other bosses I’ve had. I believe when it comes to leadership it’s important for your staff to have someone that advocates for them, understands we all have life issues that may arise, and allows their staff to express themselves without judgement. He always has the utmost confidence in my ability to figure things out or solve a problem, even when I may not myself, so I appreciate the faith in my work ability. One of the main reasons I have continued working in my current position while running my business is because my director has made our office a good work environment and though I often tease my office about my limited days once my business expands, I know there’s still that support there for me to succeed in my current position and future endeavors. I’ll make sure to send plenty of desserts during the holidays once I get to that point.
Jasmine, 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?
I started The Wild Flour as a way to introduce uniquely crafted desserts that anyone of any diet can enjoy, utilizing fresh, high quality ingredients. I grew up watching my grandmother cook and helping her in the kitchen, so cooking and baking has always been something I enjoyed and loved to do, therefore it only made sense I would continue this into my entrepreneurial endeavors. The sustainability aspect of my business stems from my interest in nature, as I studied Wildlife Ecology and Conservation in college. I knew if I was to start a business that would eventually produce large quantities of product, I had to make sure I could put efforts into being a sustainable brand. I am proud of this aspect of my business and the fact that I can create deliciously decorated treats utilizing fresh, seasonal ingredients, dyeing my frostings and chocolates naturally with vegetable powders and practicing sustainable measures when baking. I want my clients to know that I spend a great amount of time perfecting recipes to replicate those flavors they’re used to in vegan form and that my brand stands on it’s principle to make all efforts towards being an eco-friendly business.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
I started building my audience with the help of one of my best friends. She helped run the social media pages for a dog rescue in Austin and would give me tips on engagement, growing my audience, and posts ideas. My main focus for building my audience was to show each of my cookie and pie flavors and give a small backstory or description of the flavor, some of the key ingredients used to make that product special, and what may have made it unique. I also made sure to post on my story regularly “behind the scenes” content because I believe transparency is key to building a loyal customer base. To anyone starting out I would say connect with other business owners and do your research on what your audience is looking for in your business. I would also state that it’s very important to stay true to yourself and your brand. Every strategy won’t work for every single person or business.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
I think being transparent about ideas, the direction of my business, the mission, and any struggles I face, with my customers and followers is important to the reputation of my business. Posting my behind the scenes snippets, and conducting story polls and questionnaires about product ideas, relate to my customers that I am crafting treats for them, with them in mind by taking the feedback they provide. I try to disclose ingredients used and packaging information so that my audience can see I am making all strides I state in my mission for my business. Consistently providing quality products and information about my products has definitely helped build my reputation in my business field.
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