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

Suzie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?

My story was inspired by an upbringing in Kentucky where baking was a regular activity. I carried this on into college in New York City, where I found comfort and appreciation in creating delicious baked goods to share with friends. It was certainly a way I found to cope with stress or anxiety. So, when I heard about an apple pie baking competition at a local restaurant in Brooklyn (Enid’s), I was all in. I entered about 5 different years, and won 2nd place two years in a row. This was a funny coincidence that made for a great name. I started 2nd Place Pie a year and a half ago, as I was figuring out my leave from the film industry. Thinking back on my past, and the pie competition really gave me confidence in my baking abilities, enough to start this business and see what would happen! And I love that 2nd place is always overlooked, it’s kind of an afterthought, but I am bringing it to the forefront in this funny, humble, name of a pie company.

Suzie, 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?

Before I jumped fully into pie making, I had worked in Costumes for TV & Film, having experienced that career for 9 years, I was ready to try my hand at something different, and the potential strikes gave reason to look for other sources of income. That’s when the calling came to become a pie maker. I was finishing up a show I had worked full-time on when one of my co-workers asked if she could place a pie order… I had brought the Transparent Pies in to share, and she was willing to buy more! I had always wanted to start a small business, and pies were just what felt right. The writers & actors strikes happened to be a blessing in disguise, as they gave me the time to focus on building this small pie company and see what could happen!

I grew up in Kentucky during the summers where we baked a lot, when you’re stuck on a farm sometimes there’s nothing better to do! We used to make a peach crisp that will always remind me of summer, it’s the inspiration for the Southern Peach Pecan pie we recently sold at the market during peach season. Kentucky was also where my signature pie came from, Transparent Pie, this delicious caramelized honey pie was a summer staple. And now everyone in LA can also experience this Southern treat! Even those who are gluten-free!

I started the business very small, just making mini pies for friends in LA, and then slowly grew by getting into markets and there was a really good response. This was a huge confidence boost when people came back for more. In the beginning I only made the Transparent mini pies – they were what I knew, and they were delicious! Then I slowly branched out to Gluten-free and then a Vegan option. Now, I have a wide range of pie flavors I regularly make for the markets, changing seasonally depending on what’s available at the farmers market. These mini pies are the perfect treat to go with your morning coffee, an afternoon pick-me-up, or grab a box to bring to a party and share. I also make full size pies, keeping everything small batch, I really enjoy making sure every pie that I make is going to be good.

It already feels like I’ve come a long way, even though this is still the beginning! Selling directly from my home, and now selling weekly at the Silver Lake Farmers Market, every Tuesday afternoon and Saturday morning. And starting mid-month I’ll also be selling at the Riviera Village Farmers Market in Redondo Beach also. The sense of community I’ve found in this is like nothing I knew in LA before! It’s pretty incredible the friends you make while making and selling pies.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson that had to be unlearned, was that everyone knows what they’re doing. No one really knows what they are doing! It’s all a game of figuring things out, and yes, with more experience you have a better idea. But ultimately we all are just moving forward in the direction that feels right for us, there is no road map!
Remembering this has helped me to listen to my gut and do things that align with how I want my company to run. Even if it’s different than how “most” people do it.
A small example, is wholesale, sure it would be great to sell in coffee shops and other outlets, but that’s just not right for my business right now, maybe never. Many people have suggested this, but I make small batch pies which are much better directly consumed by the customers rather than producing more and losing touch with the customer. It’s really important to me to have a good relationship with my customers. They know by whom and how their pies are made.

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

Consistency! Both in product and showing up. Being there for your customers. This is something I learned the hard way after hopping around different markets in the beginning. I started at the Silverlake Flea and the Los Feliz Flea, and I would jump between them depending on availability and pop up at other new markets I heard about in between those. But found that I would’ve done much better if I had picked one and been there every week or every other week. People like to know where to find you, and if they can depend on that, they will be happy and returning!
Once I got into farmers markets, it’s been a game-changer. Every week I’m there, selling the best pies I can, and getting to be a part of the community that I didn’t know existed in Los Angeles.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://2ndplacepie.com
• Instagram: @2ndplacepie
• Twitter: @2ndplacepie
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/2nd-place-pie-los-angeles-2
• Other: Google Maps:

  https://maps.app.goo.gl/dRSRN6Me6GgZyvic9

Image Credits

Caroline Brodt