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

Shonnika, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you come up with the idea for your business?

How did this all begin? Well, as a child i wanted to be a music teacher. I even started college to study music education after graduating high school, but that dream wasn’t happening fast enough for me! so after considering 5 different careers my older sister asked me “What could you do every day for the rest of your life?” Without hesitation I replied “Cook”. She told me that’s what I should pursue, so i enrolled in culinary school a few months later. I initially wanted to be a savory chef, but after my first Introduction to Baking and Pastry course I feel in love with the world of sweets and never looked back!

After my first week of culinary school the name “Synergy Sweets” was born. It wouldn’t be until 2022 that I quit my job to pursue this dream fulltime. Every day since I’ve been living my dream come true!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Heeeey y’all! I am Shonnika Denise, and I’m the owner of Synergy Sweets! Cooking has always been my happy place, but in 2013 I enrolled in culinary school to pursue my passion for cooking. I set out to be a savory chef but after my first Introduction to Baking and Pastry class I ditched the chicken thighs and traded them in for cheesecakes and cupcakes! After graduating culinary school, I worked in various capacities from custom decorator to pastry chef. I enjoyed being able to create in the ways that these jobs allowed me, but I wanted more. I wanted the freedom to explore different flavors and textures, all on my own and on my own terms. Thus, Synergy Sweets was born.

Synergy Sweets is an award-winning bakery that provides their clients with “Something sweet to sweeten your day”. Whether you’re in need of a dessert table for a baby shower or you’re simply in the mood for a slice of cheesecake, Synergy Sweets has you covered! Our mission is to spread happiness through our sweets, because nobody is ever sad while eating desserts, right?

What sets us apart from other bakers/bakeries? I’d have to say our take on flavors is really unique. Although you can expect to see familiar flavors, we love to experiment with different flavors and textures to create the perfect “Synergy” for those who are bit more adventurous. Trust me! We have something for everyone!

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

Social media has introduced me to many of my local clients! If i had a dollar for every time I’ve heard ” I saw your video on social media” or “My friend sent me your video on social media!” In this day and age social media plays a huge role in your customer base. It’s very important to show up on social media and to engage with those that are engaging with your content. Make your customer base feel important and let them know their opinion matters to you. Hear their thoughts and cater to THEM. I try my best to respond to every comment someone leaves on social media and every DM. Someone took the time out of their day to engage with me regarding my product. I’d be doing my business a disservice to ignore me.

I’ve also competed in and won two local dessert competitions (Dessert Wars- Tampa) Those competitions afforded me the opportunity to get in front of my exact target audience (dessert lovers in the Tampa area)! I was able to meet many potential clients face to face and get real feedback from them and answer any questions they had on the spot. It was my favorite part of the competition. I have to say, Dessert Wars was a great source of new clients for us.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

All in all, having a great product is important, but customer service is the most important to Synergy Sweets. We want everyone that experiences us to feel special and respected. Whatever we can do to make that happen we want to know. Our customer base is the reason I’m living out my dream and I appreciate every one of them. Reading reviews speaking on our professionalism and how we make our customers feel is just as important as hearing they loved the slice a cheesecake!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.synergysweets.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/synergysweets/?hl=en-gb
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/synergysweetsllc

Image Credits
Photo Cred- Black Everest Production (the first 6 images) The 2 pink cakes were taken by me.