We were lucky to catch up with Tasha Boone recently and have shared our conversation below.

Tasha, appreciate you joining us today. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

In the beginning, I planned to just sell on a small scale, enough to have supplemental money for bills. But before I began anything, I did tons of research. I searched for what I was allowed to sell from home based on state laws. Then I researched local city laws. I visited the commissioner of revenue to find out what licensure was needed to allow me to legally sell. I didn’t want to run into issues with taxes or being shut down without the proper paperwork in place.

I also, researched websites on pricing and what the average price was for items I wanted to sell. This was before I learned the correct way to break down and properly price my items based on a number of factors.

Launch day was a Sunday. I was able to make an announcement at church and it’s where my first sale came from without the person ever sampling my cakes. Most of my initial customers came from the church by word of mouth.

After launching joined a few groups on social media and found a few people to follow that focused on both the business side as well as the sweets side. Both are as important as the other.

The more I learned, the more I was able to pivot and grow not only in customers but financially. Over the next several years, I learned about creating an LLC, creating a website, and opening a business bank account to keep personal and business finances separate.

Tasha, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m a wife, mom, grandmom, and nurse by profession.

I initially created my sweet treats business almost 11 years ago to have supplemental income then it became a passion. It was all I could think about. It became my creative outlet and stress reliever. Creating a sweet treats business put my knowledge & love for organization, time management, and science into edible creations.

I love making people smile and being a part of their special occasions. After several years of being an inclusive business of cakes. cupcakes and treats, I decided to become more focused on cakes and cupcakes. I rebranded in Dec. 2020 from Ms. T’s Sweet Treats to Sweet & Elegant Delights.

I’m able to customize their cakes/cupcakes to complement the customer’s celebration. My favorite cakes to work on are wedding cakes. Collaborating with couples to bring their dream cake to life is a great feeling. Most recently I created a last-minute wedding cake for a lovely couple whose original baker became ill. Although I was already booked for that date, hearing their story and the vibe I got from them, helped me to know it was the right thing to do & their gratefulness when I delivered it was well worth it.

In 2016, I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Technical Management with a concentration in Small Business & Entrepreneurship. I have since retired unofficially from nursing in 2021 to be a full-time entrepreneur focusing 100% on my customers because customer service is very important to me. I also wanted to improve my skills and add to my business knowledge through continuing education as it relates to the Sweets Industry.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Building an audience on social media was difficult at first. But now it’s very easy. I’ve learned you have to build trust, solve a problem and become transparent.

My audience is mainly a mix of customers, potential customers, and other business owners. I’m not one to dance and do voiceovers. That’s not my thing, however, I am in front of the camera educating and encouraging anyone who can relate to my post and videos.

I like to engage with those who comment on my post or those who DM me. I love to learn names so when I respond, I can actually call them by their name. It’s my way of connecting and building camaraderie.

I always tell people you don’t have to do things perfectly to post a video or picture. People want to see the behind-the-scenes. It also helps people understand that what you do takes a lot of work. I just set up my phone and hit record. I don’t make a specific videos for specific things. But once I do record, I then splice it to show a snippet of what I’ve been working on.

I also tell people it’s not how many followers you have that’s important but it’s about the relationship you build with the ones you have.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

I relocated to a new city and state in October of 2021, so word of mouth has been the best source for new clients. I’m also listed on Google. If someone, in my area types in “bakeries near me” or “custom or wedding cakes near me”, I will show on their search page.

And since moving to the new area, I’ve had several repeat customers based on their initial experience with me.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.sweetandelegantdelights.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/sweet_elegantdelights
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/sweetandelegantdelights