We recently connected with Jennifer Joyce and have shared our conversation below.
Jennifer, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?
Baking and decorating cookies has always been a passion of mine; and I was pretty good at it. When it came time to take treats and gifts to the teachers at school, I’d usually make cookies and other treats, and the more I did that, the more people asked if I had a business. At that stage of life, I didn’t have the time to consider it. My daughters go to Christ Preparatory Academy, which has a unique schedule. From 3rd-12th grade the students attend school on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; meaning they are home on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The model requires a lot of parent involvement, especially in the younger years, but as they started to get older, and more self-guided, I realized I had more time. Maybe I had the time to start selling some decorated treats.
In the holiday season of 2020 Hot Chocolate Bombs were all the rage. I started making them and selling them. Word got out and orders came in, and in a few weeks I had sold over 300 Hot Chocolate Bombs, thereby launching Tasty Treats KC.
Jennifer, 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’m a Physician Assistant by trade, but I’m no longer practicing medicine. I now wear many other hats including that of wife, mother, business owner, baker and decorator. I’ve been blessed to make a business from my passion for baking sweets. People typically come to Tasty Treats KC when there’s a special occasion for which they need a special treat. Holidays, birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, wedding showers and grand openings are some of the special occasions for which I’ve made cookies and other treats. Life has many celebrations, and I love helping to make each one special. What my customers say sets my treats apart is that they taste delicious AND look amazing. I put great pride in making sure a treat from Tasty Treats KC is appealing to the mouth and the eyes.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
There are many lessons life and running a business teach us. It is very easy to look at other small businesses, especially in the baking world and want to compare yourself. Whether it is the amazing decorating they can do, the unique flavors they conceive, or the way they run their business, it is easy to feel like you need to keep up. With age comes wisdom is an often used saying, but rings so true. I am learning to not compare where I am in my business journey to others. I can make decisions for my business which are different than others, and realize it is okay. I’ve learned I can run my business in a way that works for my family and stage of life.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of the creative process is definitely a delighted client. The process usually starts with the client’s theme, colors and ideas. I then get to take their inputs and get creative to make a tasty creation that brings it all together. Seeing the vision in my head come to fruition is very rewarding. I love it when I can see their excitement when they first see their treats, and even better when I see them raving about it on social media!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tastytreatskc.com
- Instagram: @tastytreatskc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TastyTreatsKC
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-joyce-ttkc