We recently connected with Keisha Gaines and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Keisha, thanks for joining us today. Taking care of customers isn’t just good business – it is often one of the main reasons folks went into business in the first place. So, we’d love to get a conversation going around how to best help clients feel appreciated – maybe you can share something you’ve done or seen someone do that’s been really effective at helping a customer feel valued?
I’ve realized how important my customers are to my business and I never want to take them for granted. They allow me to keep doing what I love while making a living at the same time. It’s so greatly appreciated that people would trust me to create for their special milestone occasions and that is something I don’t take lightly. Out of all these amazing local cake artists, the fact that they want me to make their cakes still amazes me. To show them that I appreciate them I usually add something extra to their order, like extra decorations, extra cupcakes, a larger size, or even free delivery. I try to make each customer special by going above and beyond their expectations. The feedback I receive is that they appreciate the extra work and will be ordering with me again. I strive to make my customers feel cared for and that their cake is important to me also. No cake goes through my door unless it’s dope!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My business is named Keisha Cakes because well I’m Keisha and I make dope cakes! Not just any cakes but tasty works of edible art. I can create a variety of styles for any occasion, so whatever your hearts desire I can make it happen for your cake. This business started as a hobby and now it has led me to compete on Netflix’s Sugar Rush a few years ago. I’ve been in business for over 10 years now and have made a ton of cakes. Don’t believe me? Check out the gallery on my website. When working with food you have to love what you’re doing because it reflects in the taste and looks. Since I love working to create these special cakes my customers definitely feel the love. Art has also been a passion of mine since I was a child, so getting the opportunity to use some of those skills along with being creative is an absolute win-win for me. What’s important to me as an owner is giving people a great quality product along with a friendly, helpful customer service experience. The joy that cakes bring to people is amazing and I’m so happy I can be a part of that.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
Consistency is key. People know what to expect from me when ordering a cake. From the flavors to executing the desired design. If anything my work is improving all the time so expectations are sometimes surpassed. I take a lot of pride in my work and people take notice of that. What has also helped to build my reputation are the positive reviews from my customers. When they love their cake they tell their friends or family about my business. Word of mouth is my main advertisement, that alone has helped my business to grow. Some have even been so pleased that they share their experience of Yelp, Facebook, or Google by leaving a great review.

Have you ever had to pivot?
In business, I’ve learned to be flexible. Pivoting is just something that you have to be open to because you can’t predict the future of your business. One of the most recent pivots was when the pandemic first happened. My first thought was that no one will order a cake for a long time because it’s a luxury product and not a necessity. But boy was I wrong I just needed to pivot into focusing on selling much smaller cakes until the world started opening back up. The desire for custom cakes was still there so I just needed to figure out the best way to handle sales at that moment. Another pivot was I started to teach cake decorating classes. After the lockdown people were antsy and wanted to experience new activities so offering classes was a great idea. I’ll always be down to trying new ideas to find what works the best for myself and the business.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.keishacakes.com
• Instagram: Instagram.com/keishacakesllc
• Facebook: Facebook.com/KeishaCakes
• Yelp: Yelp.com/biz/keisha-cakes-Boynton-beach

Image Credits
Florida Digital Center
Netflix Keisha Gaines