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

Hi Sasha, thanks for joining us today. Do you have a hero? What have you learned from them?

My mother is my hero because she exemplifies what it means to be a loving, nurturing, caring, supportive, selfless, creative, ambitious, tenacious, and intelligent woman of God. Growing up, my mother lived in poverty – she was raised by a single mother along with 10 other siblings in a small dilapidated home. Although my mother did not have decent shoes to walk to school in and decent clothes like the other kids, she did not let that stop her from getting an education. My mother learned how to sew to make clothes for herself, she started working at a very early age and would hide the money she earned so one day she would be able to provide a better life for herself. As she grew into a young adult, she had a dream of becoming a business owner. While working at a hardware store, she knew exactly what she needed to do because working hard for what she wanted was nothing new to her. My mother worked tirelessly to save every hard earned penny and created a business plan. While she received very little support for her new business idea, she ignored the naysayers and opened her business in spite of the negative feedback from those closest to her. In 1987, her dream of opening a childcare center, My Second Home, was now a reality. She continued to work at the hardware store while she built her business and eventually, she was able to leave her job to focus on her business full-time. My mom was determined to prove everyone wrong who doubted her and little did she know, she was going to do just that and even more. Over the next 20 years, my mother would open multiple childcare facilities, restaurants, antique shops, become a prominent individual in Who’s Who, have articles written about her by fortune 500 companies, work with HBCU’s, and become one of the most successful black, woman-owned business owners in Georgia. As successful as my mother had become, she remained humble and never forgot where she came from. Off brand products were still her favorite, yard sales every weekend were a must, flea markets -oh yes, she frequented them often! To this day, my mother does consulting work and helps others open quality child care facilities all over Georgia. To know my mother is to love her and what I have learned from her is that in a world where the odds are often stacked against us, there are individuals who refuse to be defined by their circumstances. Instead, use them as motivation to achieve greatness. This has made a huge impact on my journey because it is a reminder that no matter where we come from, we have the power to become and do anything we want through hard work, perseverance, and faith. My mother is a true hero and her legacy will continue to inspire me and generations to come.

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

Hi, I’m Sasha, and I’m the founder and owner of Sweetie Pops, a creative and delicious dessert company. My journey began in 2016 when I made my first cake pop. As someone who has always had a sweet tooth, I was immediately hooked. What is a cake pop you ask? A cake pop is a dessert made from crumbled cake, mixed with frosting, and coated in compound chocolate. Then, placed on a stick like a lollipop and beautifully decorated with sprinkles, drizzled chocolate, 2-D edible toppings, logos, and other cool edible images. I started experimenting with different flavors and designs, and soon enough, friends and family were asking me to make treats for their events. Word of mouth, referrals, and social media helped me grow my business, and in 2019, I officially launched Sweetie Pops. Today, I specialize in creating custom-designed treats, including cake pops, baked donuts, chocolate covered strawberries, cupcakes, chocolate covered cookies, and other delicious desserts. I take pride in making quality desserts with careful attention to detail to make your treats unique to fit any occasion. Whether it’s a corporate event, wedding, baby shower, birthday party, anniversary, or just a sweet craving, Sweetie Pops has got you covered. As someone who enjoys networking with other creatives and connecting with customers, Sweetie Pops focuses on providing a personalized and memorable experience. I believe in treating people right and doing the right thing, and that’s why I pride myself on putting my customers first. The best part of what I do is seeing the joy on my customers’ faces when they receive their Sweetie Pops creation and provide feedback after their first bite. It’s incredibly rewarding to share my passion for delicious and pretty desserts with others. I can’t wait to create something sweet and beautiful just for you!

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Establishing a strong online presence has been crucial to building my reputation and earning the trust of customers. By creating a professional website, setting up a business profile on Google and Yelp, and using a professional email address, I have been able to showcase my work and connect with potential clients. As a result, I have received business opportunities from reputable companies who were impressed with my website and the quality of my work. It’s gratifying to know that my efforts to establish a strong online presence is paying off and helping me grow my business.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

I believe in staying connected with our customers through various channels, including social media and email marketing. Our occasional marketing emails keep our customers informed about new products, promotions, and events, while also providing updates on what’s happening at Sweetie Pops. We also engage with our customers online by liking, commenting, and sharing their posts to foster a sense of community and connection. By staying in touch with our customers, we can build lasting relationships and ensure that they always feel valued and appreciated.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.sweetiepopscakepops.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweetiepops_/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SweetiePopsCakePops/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sweetie-pops-smyrna
• Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/Sweetiepops