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

Alright, Nour thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Day to day the world can seem like a tough place, but there’s also so much kindness in the world and we think talking about that kindness helps spread it and make the world a nicer, kinder place. Can you share a story of a time when someone did something really kind for you?

As a food business in North Carolina, it is required to conduct business in a certified kitchen. After a long search I found a space that was clean, safe, and highly talked about. It was so highly talked about and used by many businesses, I was put on a waitlist for 1 year. After that year, I finally was able to test bake in the kitchen. 4 months after many failed batches had gone by, I decided to withdraw from the commercial kitchen. I started another search, asking bakeries for a space in their own kitchens. It wasn’t until an old family friend found out about my struggles that he offered his family’s restaurant kitchen for me to bake in. So for 6 months in 2022, I was able to bake in a commercial kitchen, test out new flavors, sell to customers all while searching for my own kitchen space. If it weren’t for the generosity this family showed me, I don’t think I would be here today sharing the story. The experience allowed me to see what customers liked and what they could do without. I am forever thankful for the opportunity to have been given space to bake macarons even for a little while.

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

My story begins in high school. My plan then and for the next five years was simple: graduate college with an Accounting Degree, and open a bakery. If the bakery did not succeed, I would have something stable to fall back on. This was the only way I could make my dad agree to let me open a bakery. In high school, I found myself in the kitchen every weekend baking for my family and friends. At the same time, as a freshman, I joined the photography club – started by taking photos of everything around me – landscapes, nature, random objects in my home, and even the baked goods I made every weekend.

My photography business was growing to the point where I was shooting weddings and traveling out of town. I was enjoying this side hobby, content with my work. Honestly, my original plan to open a bakery after college wasn’t on my mind anymore. It slowly started to change in 2020 because of the pandemic – no one was booking shoots anymore. I had more time to myself; I started watching baking shows and tried my hand at making macarons, a french pastry. I turned baking macarons into a new business idea – to one day launch a high-end online and wholesale macaron shop in the Triangle. I wasn’t reminded of my original goal after college until I was asked to speak at an event early 2022.

That’s how Le Petit Amour was born in 2020. Le Petit Amour (Little Love) specializes in the French macaron and will run as an online and wholesale shop; no storefront yet! You’ll find flavors like chai and pistachio. The goal is to offer these macarons to local cafes in the Triangle and connect with local realtors in the area to offer Le Petit Amour as the newest closing gift idea.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

You will try to search for the best method to build your audience and it might not always work. Being true to yourself and honest with those on your social media is what matters. Take good quality images, give your audience content that they can benefit from, and choose a specific market to speak to.

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

Word of mouth! Even though I have built a large following on social media, that does not always mean I can reach every person in the area. Word of mouth as been a huge blessing. When one person shares a positive story about Le Petit Amour, or how much they enjoyed the flavors, it allows for a different generation of people to learn about the product that I offer and continue to come back.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lepetitamourdesserts.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/LePetitAmour_Desserts/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LePetitAmour.Desserts/

Image Credits
Macaron photography: Nour (Me! of Perfect Moments Photography) Portrait image: Studio ARAY