We recently connected with Raina Shults and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Raina thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s talk about keeping costs under control when growing. How have you managed to keep costs from getting out of control?

Cost is a huge factor in a small business’s success. This can be especially tricky in the food industry because you have to factor in variable ingredient costs, expensive commercial equipment, and high labor costs.

I have a multi-faceted strategy for keeping costs low during Sprinkle Me Sugar’s start-up phase. This has allowed us to build the essential capital we need for growth. First, we have kept our baking operations in my home kitchen as long as possible. The cottage kitchen laws in Tennessee allow cottage kitchen bakers a lot of freedom to grow their businesses in this way. Second, I have utilized a vending machine to expand our retail footprint and increase sales without increasing our labor costs. Lastly, we have applied for and received several grants that have helped us grow faster without using all our capital.

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

Baking is a part of my DNA. I have been baking desserts since I was five years old. I fell in love with French macarons on an anniversary trip to Paris seven years ago. Our last day in Paris, we discussed how we would love to bring a taste of French cuisine and culture back home to Tennessee.

Months after our trip to Paris, we had twin boys and I became a stay-at-home mom. I started baking from home as cheap therapy to help me through my struggles with postpartum depression and anxiety. I baked, and baked, and baked. I started a small baking business from my home–baking cakes, cookies, hand pies, tarts, pies, decorated sugar cookies, and macarons. Then COVID hit, and I became pregnant with our third son, so I closed the business. In the spring of 2023 we moved our family back to our home in West T, and I re-opened Sprinkle Me Sugar as a French macaron shop in Downtown Jackson at theLocal.

Our macarons are more than just a pastry or a simple sweet treat. Our macarons are a sensory experience. They are crafted from the highest quality ingredients and feature unique flavor combinations, My favorite flavor is blackberry lemon lavender. It features lavender baked into the macaron shell, a blackberry ganache, and fresh lemon curd. We change out our flavors monthly and curate them based on an overarching theme. Our macarons are an experience that begs you to slow down and savor the present moment.

We also have the first exclusive macaron vending machine in the U.S. It is located at Catbird Studios in Jackson, TN. The machine was made by Byte Technology out of California, and the encasement for the machine was crafted by a local woodworking business called Earthborne Goods. Even though our vending machine is convenient, it is crafted to look like a French patisserie and is about creating an experience.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

When I first started my business in 2018, I made many mistakes. During those first two years, I didn’t make a profit I racked up debt, and I never said no to customer requests. I felt intense relief when I closed the business, and I never imagined I would start another baking business. I was incredibly burned out.

When the opportunity to re-open Sprinkle Me Sugar appeared in the spring of 2023, I realized I had learned so much from my previous failure. I knew that this time I needed to focus on the one thing that truly made me stand out as a baker–my flavor combinations and French macarons, I needed to narrow in on a niche market, and I needed to control my expenses.

When I implemented those three things, business exploded despite the challenge of reopening in a completely different market.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

When I re-opened Sprinkle Me Sugar in West Tennessee, my social media audience was primarily customers from Middle Tennessee. I felt like I was starting again at zero.

I began by regularly posting reels and stories featuring my macarons. Then I began engaging with other local businesses and their content. The more I engaged with others, the more my following grew.

For anyone just starting out, my biggest piece of advice is to be consistent. Keep posting even when you don’t feel like it. Keep posting when you don’t see the engagement that you want. You will only get better if you keep showing up consistently and engage with your audience.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sprinklemesugar.com
• Instagram: https://instargram.com/sprinkle.me.sugar
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/sprinklemesugarbakery
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raina-shults/

Image Credits

Nick Gutierrez, B3 Creative Agency