Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nikki Savella. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Nikki, 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?

The mission is to serve. Serve in all aspects that embrace our core values.

God, Family and Community.

Within every business I own, the mission remains the same. How can we share the love of God, support our family and serve our community.

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

A me akua pomaika’i na mea a pau.  With God all things are blessed.

Aloha kakou, I’m Nikki Savella, born and raised Hilo girl, Native Hawaiian Mama of 3, visionary creator of Cupcakes, BOOM! and founder of BOOM! Wahine.

Cupcakes, BOOM! provides our ‘ohana community with customizable dessert options to make every occasion memorable. In 2013, what started out as a side hustle; slangin’ cupcakes out of a two bedroom hale, quickly BOOMED! We handcraft scratch made dessert; cupcakes, macarons, Pinterest-worthy cake designs and extravagant holiday menus.  Celebrating is part of the human experience – lifting spirits and honoring important milestones.  The BOOM! Squad and I thrive in the industry of CELEBRATING.

The party doesn’t stop there, God decided to stretch me a little further and put another mission on my heart. In 2019, I was given a purpose of “BEING THE LIGHT”. It was so profound that I got a lantern tattoo on my arm to remember the calling. Fast forward to 2022, I started a community called, “BOOM! Wahine”. It is designed to inspire female Hawai’i leaders in all seasons of life. We launched the membership in January 2023 and in our first round of enrollment was able to onboard 83 women into our community. BOOM! Wahine is still in the infancy stage but we are watering and nourishing this community and looking forward to watching it blossom into all that it’s meant. to be.

Most would say I’m not qualified.  I don’t have a fancy degree nor do I have a culinary background.  But what I do have is GUTS and a genuine heart to serve my community.  I have forged a path on my own like my recipes, from scratch with nothing other than grit, grace and a whole lot of hustle.  I’ve built my brand and business from the ground up with an 8 year old, a toddler and a newborn.  My third daughter was born just 3 months before the bakery’s grand opening.  Over the last 8 years, I believe my ability to sustain a successful business and cultivate relationships is in large part due to my authenticity and relatability.  The BOSS MOM you see on social media is the same Mom with a tita bun walking around in Target with her three kids.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Living on an island, our resources are a bit more limited. So when I decided to take my baking hobby full-time, I knew I needed to get in front of my community as much as possible. In the beginning years of my business, I attended every single marketplace, craft fair, parade and community event I could get into. I chose to show up everywhere in my community. This allowed for the opportunity for me, as the business owner to start creating relationships with my clients.

After the brick and mortar was built, I spent the first few years working both in the kitchen as well as in the front helping customers. This was very unusual for customers to realize that the owner was doing double duty. However, it continued to strengthen the bond between myself, as the owner, the face of the company and my community. I’ve built my bakery business around the personal brand of who Nikki Savella is. Someone always choosing to serve from a place a love, aloha and genuine intentions. God, Family and Community always being at the base of every decision.

Throughout the years and even most recently, I continue to show up authentically on social media. Sharing with my community the good, the bad and the ugly. Bakery business life is not always cupcakes and rainbows.

Any advice for managing a team?

Managing a team has been a lesson I continually am learning about. However, through the many trials and upside down moments over the years, I’m so thankful for the lessons and grateful for the blessings that have come about from having a team.

I knew from the beginning that I did not want to do this business alone. But with no management experience prior to opening my own business, I had to learn the hard way.

Managing my #BOOMSQUAD (that’s what I call my team) is a blessing. I make sure they feel loved and appreciated for the work their putting in day in and day out for this commmunity. Again, the heart is always set on God, Family and Community and I ensure my squad understands that from their very first day. They are not just working for a regular company, they are serving a community. The community that I was born and raised in — and that 80% of the customers that walk through the doors know me personally.

My team will continue to go through highs and lows as all teams do, however — have a solid management team has helped combat those woes. They take on the responsibility of keeping morale high when I am not physically in the bakery. Everyone fully understands what the expectations are whether the boss is in the building or not. It’s a culture thing. The culture was set on good strong morals and values… and everyone is expected to embody that.

Contact Info:

• Website: cupcakesboom.com | boomwahine.com
• Instagram: @cupcakesboom @boomwahine

Image Credits
@kiikalophotography