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

Jasmine, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Has Covid resulted in any major changes to your business model?

My business has been the most profitable since the onstart of covid. With Covid, the “stay-at-home” orders, restaurant doors closing, and a significant decrease in employment and income within the homes; brainstorming lead me to the idea of offering my cheesecakes by the slice and operating as a delivery service. What better idea to keep our customers safe at home, while we mask up, wear our gloves, and sanitize for the safety of effectively delivering yummy treats to their doorstep? It has given us an opportunity to show up and be of most valuable service now more than ever and our customers truly enjoy being able to remain in the comfort of their homes.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

Hey, it’s Jasmine the Cheesecake Crafter and Owner of Yummy Sweetcakes. Also know as the “Cheesecake Lady” or “Cheesecake Girl”.

We’re a St. Louis cheesecakery that operates as a Local cheesecake delivery service and dessert supplier for a few restaurants. Our products has Love In Every Bite!!! We provide the promise of a powerful tasting experience that your taste buds will thank us for later. Our desserts are hand-crafted from only high quality & freshly grown ingredients, as well as, LOVE. We present an array of cheesecake desserts varying from cheesecake cupcakes to whole cheesecakes. Recently, our menu expanded to add on our Vegan, plant based cheesecake line to provide a dairy- free and egg-free alternative for the growing vegan community.

God has blessed our hands and we have learned to give all praises and honor to him. Yummy Sweetcakes was founded as a means for exercising our undying Love for God as we aim to spread God’s love just one slice at a time.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

As a daughter of a hard- working, passionate self taught carpenter; I grew up watching my Dad operate his Contracting Business. This instilled in me an ambitious, entrepreneurial, and fervent mindset. So when it came to my Mom telling me I couldn’t have a cheesecake slice at a restaurant one day, my can-do attitude was activated; I was determined to make it myself. My family and friends at school made the perfect taste testers and they all loved it.

In 2007, I began selling 8X8 foil cheesecake pans in my high school cafeteria during lunch time to my classmates and teachers; with one mission in mind to provide a tasty experience while promoting Peace, Love, and God.

During this period I gained loads of retail, sales, and customer relation skills working at Corporate America jobs, one being with the McGuinness’ at Velvet Freeze Ice Cream Company. I was working full time and investing time part-timely into my passion. My operation essentially became a traditional mobile dessert business, selling a wide array of cheesecake dessert products and flavors (Cheesecake Jars, Pans, Cookies, and Brownies), I disputed everything I learned in the retail/sales industry and set out to create a curated Cheesecake Brand fused with faith to give all of our dessert cravers am avenue to experience God’s Love In Every Bite.

Year 2018 is when Yummy Sweetcakes was officially born and became a registered, trademarked business entity. In August, 2018 I baked enough cheesecakes to feed 170 guests for my husband and I’s wedding. Who does that for your own wedding, right? Our “Big Day” was the BIG push Yummy Sweetcakes needed and I’ve been full time ever since.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I have always valued having a great customer service experience. To me, a good business reputation is important and is what I aim to uphold at all times. I firmly believe “knowledge” for your business and market is the lifeblood for maintaining a reputable reputation.

To constantly learn and share your knowledge and expertise, I believe, earns a strong reputation and ultimately generates trust.

I pride myself on my altruistic personality and passion for providing a yummy, tasting experience. My slogan is “Love in every Bite” and I literally put love into everything I do, from our quality and fresh ingredients, to the prayers and words of affirmation I speak through the baking process, to my final presentation and the smiles and love we transmit upon delivery or pickup. Our customer’s interaction with us is never to be as simple as buying a cheesecake, our goal is literally to give them an “entire experience”; an experience in which we aim to be never forgotten and in hopes that we are kept in mind for their next event or craving for desserts.

Another thing we believe that has helped our reputation, is our engagment with the community. Not only does social media channels enable me to participate with my community but I also aim to attend lots of in-person community events not just to sell my cheesecakes, but to build lasting relationships.

I see no competition and love partnering, coaching, connecting and surrounding myself with other individuals, bakers and business owners. I am a firm believer that just being myself plays a huge role in enabling me to build my reputation.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.yummysweetcakes.shop
• Instagram: Instagram.com/yummysweetcakes
• Facebook: Facebook.com/yummysweetcakes4u

Image Credits
Images by “Yummy Sweetcakes LLC”