We were lucky to catch up with Sarah Chisholm recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Sarah , thanks for joining us today. Taking care of customers isn’t just good business – it is often one of the main reasons folks went into business in the first place. So, we’d love to get a conversation going around how to best help clients feel appreciated – maybe you can share something you’ve done or seen someone do that’s been really effective at helping a customer feel valued?

There’s this story that comes to mind that highlights our company’s approach to customer service.
I received a very angry email via the contact-us form on our website from someone who went to a bakery with a similar name to Wild Rye. They expressed their frustration with the pastries they bought and really let their frustration be known.

Now, I knew that this was a wrong-number sort of situation, but I like to look at things like this as an opportunity. Disgruntled customer? Here’s my chance to win them back, win them over, and hopefully make them a customer for life. We treat every email like a chance to win a customer for life, and I treated this one the same.

I replied to this email, let the gentleman know that he had the wrong business, but that it sounded like he could really use a pick-me-up and that I’d like to send him a cake and frosting on us. Something he could make in his home and trust that it would not disappoint him on quality or flavor.

He obliged me. We sent out a goodie box of our chocolate cake and peanut butter frosting, and he’s been a customer of ours for three years now. You never know when you’ll get an opportunity to make someone’s day better or make a sale. If I can do both at once, it feels like a meaningful win.

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’m Sarah, a former ballerina turned pastry cook turned pastry chef, and the founder of Wild Rye Baking in Phoenix. I built this company because I wanted the ease and nostalgia of a box with the flavor and feel of something you’d be proud to share with your favorite people.

We make signature baking mixes like cakes, frosting, pancakes, and now cookies. Every recipe is chef-developed, obsessively tested, and designed to be simple to bake with beautiful results. You add three ingredients, the mixes come together in a bowl, and the whole experience from start to finish really does feel quite magical. I wanted people to love their experience baking with Wild Rye.

The problem we solve is that nearly all boxed mixes ask you to trade quality for convenience. I won’t. Our sourcing is thoughtful, our flavors are exciting and comforting, and our instructions are clear. With us, you’ve got this. If you are a busy parent, a new baker, or the person who loves to host and wants a guaranteed win, we’ve got you. And a cake mix like ours just didn’t exist before.

I’d like to think that our hospitality sets us apart. We treat every customer like a guest, and we want them to feel warmth and connection to our brand. The mixes speak for themselves, because they really are the best baking mixes you’re ever going to find, but I want your experience interacting with us, the people behind the brand who answer your emails and ship your orders, to feel personal and meaningful.

I’m proud of so much when it comes to Wild Rye. The thing that gets me every single time is when a customer sends a message saying they felt the magic with their family. It all started for me as memories with my family in the kitchen, celebrating life, and when that is echoed back to me now, I could not be more proud that I gave all that I did to bring Wild Rye to life. And we’re just getting started.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I come from the world of professional ballet. It is a perfectionist’s paradise. As a founder, I’ve learned that you are not going to love every iteration of what you put out, and that action takes you farther than tinkering endlessly behind the scenes ever will. I’ve learned to say yes and figure it out as I go. That was a very hard lesson for me. If I’m unhappy with a first version, I know that I’m learning and growing. I fix what I can and keep moving.

I’m committed to never stopping the search for improvement, and to being okay with imperfection as I go

Any advice for managing a team?

I always bring it back to the customer experience when we’re in the weeds as a team. When things are busy and tiring and stressful, it’s easy to be worn down by the to-do lists and forget that we’re doing something that actually makes people happier.

We’re selling cakes. We’re making people’s days!

I also commit to being locked in on the day-to-day when the work is overwhelming. I’m happy to be in the kitchen sweeping floors, answering emails, and mixing cookies if that’s what’s needed. We’re all in it together, and we’re making something good. If I can remind the team of that when things feel hard, we can usually get right really quickly.

A dance party, some good music, and a tray of cookies can also go a long way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://wildryebaking.com
• Instagram: @wildryebaking
• Facebook: @wildyrekabaking
• Linkedin: Sarah Chisholm
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYsmPl8bCEbt_dt79ZpAdXA

Image Credits

Elvis Minaya
Neal Mei Photography