We were lucky to catch up with Leya Abdulla recently and have shared our conversation below.

Leya, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

The journey of owning a small business bakery initially started with an idea. My initial idea for having this bakery was to cater to those who wanted personalized gifts for any occasion they were celebrating. Although it seems like a simple idea, there were many steps I had to follow to get my business onto its two feet. The very first step I had to take was to find a name for my business, something that would stand out from the rest, this process took some time. I also had to find a logo to brand my business which was another difficult task, however, I liked the creative aspect of making it my own logo. I initially started small with only having cupcakes and chocolate-covered strawberries on my menu. I created a price guide so my customers and I could follow and an Instagram account so I could promote the desserts I made. On the more business of things, had to calculate a good price for the items on my menu considering the ingredients and packaging that I needed. This took a lot of time and research. One of the most important parts of making this idea a reality was to gain customers. To do this I knew I had to promote and share my work. In the beginning, I made cupcakes and chocolate-covered strawberries which I gave to neighbors, family, and friends. By doing this, more people would know I was starting a business and it also allowed me to take photos so I could promote my talent and creativity on Instagram. As time went on, I began to gain customers, and they would request items I didn’t have on my menu, however, I took this as an opportunity to grow my business further. Eventually, I created a website with my menu, order instructions, policies, and an order form where customers can place their orders with ease. I’m now at a point in my business where I can step back and look at the journey this one little idea brought me to and I’m thankful that I put my dedication into making this business where it is today.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers?

I am a small business bakery owner. I got into an interest in baking at a young age and this brought me to the desire of creating a small business for myself where I can continue making creative desserts at the request of my customers. I sell many desserts such as cupcakes, chocolate-covered strawberries, gift favors, gift boxes, smash-able hearts and bears, cookie decorating kits, and hot chocolate bombs. I also create additional desserts at my customer’s request but only if I have the ability to create them. For my customers that are having difficulty deciding what exactly they’d like their order to look like I am able to provide them with ideas and example photos of what they’d ideally want. I am most proud of the connection that I am able to build with my customers merely by working with them to create personalized desserts. Furthermore, I’m most proud to see the reaction on my customer’s faces when they see their order. I am always pleased to gain new customers and bring their visions into reality as best as I could.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Building my audience on social media has been a challenging task that I am currently still trying to improve. I started by creating an Instagram account to follow my family and friends where I’d post my products onto. As time went on I gained followers and started to build my audience on the platform. My main advice for those wanting to build an audience on social media would be to consistently post and to have interactive posts when you can. This will help your audience engage with your content. It’s also important to understand that building an audience takes a lot of time and is always a work in progress.

Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?

I experienced a breaking point in my business at the beginning of 2021. During this period I lost motivation to create products as I wasn’t getting as many orders as I’d expected. This time was a pivoting moment in my business because I had to take a step back and evaluate what I wanted out of my business. I knew I wanted to continue pursuing my small business therefore I knew I had to make some adjustments. During this small break, I researched how I wanted to present my brand as well as how to acquire a consistent flow of clients and orders. I also created new products and a revised logo to make it feel like a fresh start. This made me feel ready to get my business going again and since then I’ve never taken a break from making orders for my customers. I truly feel like I’m at a steady point in my business flow.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thesugarboxtampa.wixsite.com/thesugarboxtampa
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesugarbox.tampa
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/pages/category/Bakery/thesugarbox.tampa