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

Hi Kylie, thanks for joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

Hello Kylie Creating For a Cure LLC was founded in January 2020 right before COVID-19 lockdown began. This business was dedicated to honor my dad, a now 7 year cancer survivor. As a six-year-old kid, my biggest dream was to open up my own bakery, selling cupcakes, candies, cookies, donuts, and anything sweet. When Covid began I had so much free time that I decided to found my own business selling homemade sugar cookies where all of the proceeds were donated to the American Cancer Society. The American Cancer Society supports patients research and education surrounding cancer. The money I made went directly to my relay for life team, which was a part of my high school, Grafton high school in Yorktown, Virginia by March 2021 I raised a little over $10,000 and donate it directly to my relay for life team. I am still actively involved in the American Cancer Society through my really for life team at my university, Old Dominion university. Well, being a full-time college student and being a student athlete, I was not able to donate as much money to the American Cancer Society with my limited time, but I still have been able to raise a little over $1000. The story behind my mission is my dad, he is my biggest supporter and greatest role model. My mission is to be the difference even if it seems small to help support other families struggling with their battle against cancer. The American Cancer Society is my outlet where I feel that I can make a difference in the lives of family’s who have gone through the difficulties my family has endured.

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

Starting at a young age, I remember the summer after my second grade year, I decided to bring cupcakes, cookies, cake, pops, and donuts to my camp counselors as the initiation of my very first bakery. I used to call it “Sugar is just around the corner”. Growing up, my mom used to take me to the annual relay for life events, sponsored by the American Cancer Society, which is their hallmark event. All throughout my life, my family has been affected by cancer with both of my grandfathers, passing from cancer. Even my kindergarten teacher was diagnosed with breast cancer the same year I was her student. All throughout my life for life and the American Cancer Society has been something very special to me. Ever since I was a little girl, baking has been a huge passion of mine and I have always dreamed of opening up my own bakery. Some of the things I currently make our custom sugar cookies And cotton candy. My custom sugar cookies are very special to my family as I grew up on the same recipe my mom made for me for every birthday party I had growing up. I started spinning Cotton Candy because I was inspired by one of my favorite celebrities, Emily, who is the owner of art of sucre a Cotton Candy Company founded in Akron Ohio. I now go to birthday birthday parties, bridal showers, baby showers and other events spinning cotton candy in bringing people together in a nostalgic way. I think Cotton Candy is a very relatable sweet treat. Everyone got to experience at a young age and I get to share a sweet nostalgic time with them . I believe a lot of my discipline comes from my upbringing. My parents are such hard workers and they have always inspired me to be hard-working. I remember in high school when I started my business. I would wake up every day Monday through Friday at 5 AM and start my first 100 cookies then frost the cookies from the night before, the fresh cookies set and cool down and then later that day, I would go out and deliver all of my cookies. Always been a very organized person and my Google calendar and physical copy of my calendar is the only way I can get through my day productively. The creativity side of my work comes from things that I find fun, aesthetic and beautiful. I think one of my proudest moments in my business was participating in my first farmers market selling out of all of my cookies and raising a little over $2000. I hope to one day Own my own food truck selling cotton candy, cookies, and coffee traveling all around the country and being able to share my story with more people.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Social media is one of the easiest fastest and cheapest ways to market your business. Social media is something that comes very easy for my generation and something I know a lot about because I grew up watching it. I think the biggest thing that sets a business apart is the way you make your business Look. Even when things are chaos if you look like you are put together on social media people will think that too. I also think that trying to incorporate the most trendy things on the Internet will get you nowhere if you have no passion for it. You have to be authentic and real with the content you are posting. I think my audience on social media blossomed when I reached out to other businesses getting my name out there starting pop-up events and farmers markets alongside other small businesses. Being able to communicate and fostering relationships within your community is so important. Word travels very fast and one bad encounter with someone could create a domino effect and a bad reputation. Being very careful with what you post on social media is also important making sure you are not posting anything offensive or negative. My biggest advice for anyone trying to grow their platform on any social media would be to be authentic, engaging, and organized.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I think the biggest thing that helped build my reputation within my market was my authenticity. Baking is a passion of mine and supporting an organization that is very close to my heart is evident in the work that I do. I started this business four years ago and the passion I started with is still just as strong as it is today. I remember when I first started my business within the first six months there were other individuals trying to take my creativity and portray it as their own. Within the area that I lived in, there was 3 to 6 different individuals starting their own businesses where they took my ideas and made it their own. Things as copying my branding or re-creating very similar products without any credit to me or my ideas. As this definitely made me feel upset I knew that my passion was authentic and real. And that is evident because all of those businesses I had just mentioned never made it past six months of being around. And coming up in January this will be my fifth year owning hello Kylie creating for a cure LLC. So in the end, what help me build my reputation within my market is my drive passion and authenticity within the work that I produce.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @Hellokyliebs