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

Kiara, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?

I knew once I started my business that I wanted to have a name that was short and simple, but embodied everything that my business would entail. I liked “Confections” because I knew that I didn’t want to categorize my brand based off of just one baked good and wanted to offer an array of sweet treats. My name is Kiara, but “Kee” in short is a nickname that my family had for me growing up and over time close friends started calling me that as well. When I put the two names together Confections by Kee just sounded catchy and it’s been that way since 2018!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Kiara and I am the owner / visionary behind Confections by Kee! We are an online bakery that specializes in all things confectionary! From Classic Cakes to Signature, Cookies to Cupcakes, Gourmet Confections and Treats – the possibilities are endless.

Growing up, baking was a favorite pastime of mine. Every summer as a child I would always be front and center in my grandmother’s kitchen, watching and mimicking her every move to make sure I didn’t miss a beat while she baked. As time went on, my grandmother (who I call Mama) guided me and eventually trusted me enough to start making recipes on my own. It was moments like those where I began to grow a passion for baking, but it wasn’t until my Sophomore Year of High School after taking a culinary course that I developed an even deeper interest for this particular craft.

After High School, I went on to pursue my collegiate career at Johnson & Wales University and graduated in 2017 with an Associate’s Degree in Baking & Pastry Arts and a Bachelor’s Degree in Food Service Management. After graduating, I worked at a local bakery for a few months but quickly realized that it wasn’t all that I hope it would’ve been. Having experienced the commercial bakery setting where the cons unfortunately outweighed the pros, I took matters into my own hands and decided that entrepreneurship was the best option there was and eventually Confections by Kee was born!

One thing I am most proud of throughout this journey – which might sound a bit cliche – is the fact that I have never given up. I think many in the baking industry in particular can agree that sometimes you see the success of peers and often compare your journey to theirs. I would find myself doing this a lot at the start of my career, but I had to realize that no one’s success is the same and everyone has a story as to where and how they are in the position that they are in. I have to truly thank my family, friends, clients that have become friends, and my fellow peers in the baking community for their continued support of Confections by Kee! Every like and shared posts on social media as well as the recommendations and reviews are greatly appreciated. It feels good knowing that something that I have put my all into gets the recognition that I have always dreamed of!

Have you ever had to pivot?

I began Confections by Kee in 2018 just a year shy of graduating from college and at the start I wanted to be a one stop shop for all things confectionery. I quickly learned that I in fact cannot possibly produce as much as I originally anticipated being that I am the sole person running the operation. I took a step back and started focusing on items that clients and potential clients were asking for and have prioritized those while still being able to offer a variety of confections. At first, I felt like a part of me was letting some potential customers down because I wasn’t able to fulfill certain requests and no longer offered services that I once did before. In the end, I was able to steer them in the direction of peers in the baking community that specialized in exactly what they were looking for so it always ends up being a win, win for both parties!

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

If I’m being completely honest the best source of new clients for me has definitely been from recommendations of clients that I currently have or have worked with in the past. There are a handful of clients I have that have been with me since the beginning of Confections by Kee and their continued support has been a true blessing to say the least. Social media has also played a vital role in gaining new clientele as well so I try to take advantage of multiple platforms to reach a wider audience!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @confectionsbykee
• Facebook: Confections by Kee
• Other: TikTok : @confectionsbykee