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

Hi Sharonda , thanks for joining us today. Alright, so one thing we think people don’t talk about nearly enough is investments – either time or money. What’s one of the best or worst investments you’ve made and what did you learned from the experience?

As a bakery owner the most nerve wrecking thing is delivering a cake and making sure it gets to its destination in perfect condition. Temperature plays a major roll in cake delivery because icing base is butter and butter melts easily, so in the winter we are delivering cakes freezing cold because we DARE NOT turn on the heat in out delivery vehicle and risk the cake melting, even if the cake box has dry ice or ice packs we are still not taking any chances .In the summer we are trying to make sure not one ray of sunlight hits the box, because the Texas heat will melt a glacier, so just imagine what it will do to icing. We also drive extra careful because, its cake and cake is delicate, so we drive a little slower trying to avoid dips and bumps in the road. When you finally make it to your destination, you say a quick prayer before inspecting your cake and taking it into the venue to set up. If the cake arrives perfect you still do not breathe a sigh of relief until that baby is set up and you get your final photo. Well I got tired of my blood pressure rising due to the stress of delivery, so I invested in a Cake Safe! OMG, it is the best invention anyone has made in the cake world. It is insulated and the design ensures that your masterpiece will arrive in pristine condition and you do not have to suffer getting it there. I plan to buy all sizes!!

Sharonda , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am the proud owner of Bakers D’lite Inc. My story is not a typical story, as owning a bakery was never on my radar. I was writing a cookbook to pay homage to my late father and as I would share photos (teasers) online, I started getting questions asking if I will be selling the items that I was posting. My answer was a FIRM NO! I had no desire (that I realized at the time) to sell baked goods or anything food related. Well as the months went on and I keep getting asked the same question, I went to God in prayer and with the support of my husband, family and friends, Bakers D’lite was born. My grandmothers maiden name was Baker so I wanted to definitely incorporate that. Now the real problem was that I had ZERO training in treat making. I went into this business blindly on a hope and a prayer that God will give me what I needed to succeed. Well He absolutely did. I trained myself and never turned down an order. I never knew I had this talent and did not think in a million years that it would be my business and that I’d be this successful in it. I am proud that I took a leap of faith and stayed the course. I always tell anyone that I come in contact with that has a desire to become an entrepreneur to first go to God in prayer so that He may give you direction, find your niche and stay the course. Always be willing to grow and learn and never ever give up on yourself.

Alright – let’s talk about marketing or sales – do you have any fun stories about a risk you’ve taken or something else exciting on the sales and marketing side?

I once received an emailed soliciting my services and the email said it was from Target. I thought it was a scam so I dismissed the email. Well over the next week, that email kept crossing my mind so I decided to respond and ask probing questions, because in my mind, why would Target be reaching out to my bakery when they have an inhouse bakery. Well it was not a scam and in my talks with the District Manager, Target was building community relations by supporting other minority small businesses. Answering that email opened a great relationship between Bakers D’lite and Target and I have provided hundreds of treats for several events/celebrations they have had.

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

The best source of new clients for me has been word of mouth. I advertise using several platforms (Google, Email, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn etc.) however a majority of my new customers are from referrals, so it is so important to make sure that client retention is a top focus in your business. You want to not only get that one order from them, but you want them to keep coming back and refer a friend or two. The way to make sure that your have high client retention, is to make sure you have awesome customer service. Small businesses get a bad reputation due to the lack of customer service skills. One disgruntled client can cause you to miss out on 10 new clients.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.bakersdlite.com
• Instagram: @BakersDlite
• Facebook: @BakersDliteInc
• Linkedin: @Bakers Dlite Inc
• Yelp: @ Bakers D’lite
• Other: email: [email protected]