We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful KyAnna Maychelle . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with KyAnna below.

Alright, KyAnna thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

This my favorite story to tell because it shows just how much your love ones guide you even after passing over. I was going through a moment of feeling lost & at a stall with everything in my life. My mind kept pulling me back to my grandmother who passed in 2011. After years of asking where her final resting place and not getting any answers, I decided it was time for me to find her on my own. The cemetery isn’t well known & it wasn’t programmed into the GPS. I looked up her obituary, found the name of the cemetery & took the morning to find my way. As soon as I found the cemetery, my heart sank and I was overcome with emotion. I walked up and down every row until I found her husband’s headstone & there she was right beside him. I cried prayed so hard in that moment. Days after visiting her I was full of determination, motivation & I was happier than I had been in months. Then the idea of baking sweets & learning homemade came to mind, why? I watched her make all of her meals from scratch & she did it with such ease & it always tasted as if she put a little love into it. I needed and wanted to keep her name and face alive in my life and my household because she is a big part of my “why”.
Granny Girls Suite aka GGSuite got its name from Ruth G. Bonds. She was always ready to learn me something & she did. Not only did she reach me things in the kitchen but she also taught me about love, loving myself and showing what love feels like when someone truly loves you. There’s one situation that sticks with me. I’ve always been a heavier girl, growing up she made sure we went to church every Sunday. She’d go and find me skirt and dresses but there were slim to none for my size. She would take the time to sew my skirts and my dresses, she took measurements and made sure I felt comfortable & I thought I was the prettiest girl when I walked into church because my grandmother made my outfit with love. She always spoke life into me, hugged me with so much warmth and care. She’s not here to see my big moments but she’s been apart of them, she’s the reason that I’ve stepped into start my own business doing what I love.
From there I started cooking more and teaching myself how to plate professionally even buying nice plates to plate my meals on. Then my food series “Created & Plated” came along. I learn new recipes ranging from homemade doughs for breads & pastries, crusts and meals. I have a love for food, not just cooking it but cooking it to feed people. One thing on my bucket list is to be able to feed the homeless/less fortunate & it’s been that way since I was a little girl. I want to use my skills and love for what I do to help someone else & be a light for them even if it’s just for a moment.

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

Honestly, I grew up around women that worked in the food industry & also made their meals with love from scratch. I was always in the kitchen learning techniques, ingredients, cooking times and temps. My mother helped me cook my first meal when I was 7-8 by the age of 10 I was cooking on my own. My mom worked most of my childhood but she’d still come in and cook but there were times I noticed she’d be too tired to cook & I’d make dinner or she’d ask me to make dinner. I can’t recall a time I struggled or was nervous to cook, it came with ease for me. Not only did my grandmothers and mom teach me but I watched Food Network religiously, Chopped, Diner Drive-Ins & Dives, Pioneer Woman, Paula Dean, Rachel Ray, Sunny Anderson, Barefoot Contessa & many more. I also watched food competition shows & those with Gordon Ramsey. I always visioned myself working side by side with most of those women, learning from them while connecting over what we love to do.

I’m currently still learning what works best for me in order to give the best to my customers. I’ve changed my packaging and labels more times than I can count & with this business there’s going to be a lot of changes until you find the perfect product’s that works for you. When it comes to my customers & solving problems, I always ask them for their honest feedback because it helps me change what needs to be fixed. I also ask what they would like to see on the menu and if there’s any allergies I need to be aware to avoid any health issues.

What sets me apart from others is this isn’t just a way of money for me. I genuinely enjoy all things cooking and baking related. I love learning new techniques, ways to make a recipe better, experimenting with different ingredients & methods If I fail at something one time, I will go back to it until I get it right.I am willing to learn whatever it takes to be successful in my craft though I am capable of teaching myself, I don’t mind learning from others.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Two things I had to learn and it was very important that I unlearned it is you can’t please everyone & strangers are most likely to support you before those closest to you. When it comes to running a business you have to find your target audience, you’re not going to be able to please and cater to everyone, not that it’s impossible but it’s less stressful, it saves money and time. When you create your business, everything from your theme, menu, layout and prices will play a part in who you attract as a customer.
Everyone wants support in such big moments like this & support doesn’t always require money. Most times new business owners are looking to get their name out and that also requires finding your village. When I first started, my support came from my partner, mom, best friends & my aunt Lisa D. Before going public with my business, I went into with the thought of knowing it was going to take off, that’s how you should always think about yourself. I assumed due to all of the family, associates & friends I had on social media that I’d have no problem with getting my name out there. I was wrong. You can not go into something placing expectations on anyone because it will lead to disappointment. Just because someone is your family or friend they’re not obligated to support you & it does not gain you automatic support.
Be open and mindful of where your support will come from outside of your family. Strangers are most likely to carry word and spread it before anyone close to you.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Since I’ve started my baking business, pivoting has been my very best friend. It all goes back to finding what works best for you. Starting out I did cupcakes then added cookies & it became a little overwhelming. I returned to just doing cupcakes until I realized that cupcakes are your everyday sweet that people will buy then I went to just baking cookies and the change in customers and sales went up. Pivoting is not a bad thing, having to take steps back or changing your direction is needed sometimes.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ggsuitex?igsh=MXRzMng5YnJzNXU5Mw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553208954592&mibextid=LQQJ4d

Image Credits
KyAnna Maychelle