We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Trish Hammerl a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Trish, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Folks often look at a successful business and imagine it was an overnight success, but from what we’ve seen this is often far from the truth. We’d love to hear your scaling up story – walk us through how you grew over time – what were some of the big things you had to do to grow and what was that scaling up journey like?
It all started in my home kitchen, where I began baking for friends and family shortly after the birth of my son. What started as a hobby quickly grew into a full-fledged passion. I was determined to get my sweets into as many hands as possible, believing that if people could just taste my treats, they’d love them. So, I started baking for anyone I could—friends, acquaintances, and anyone who would take a bite. Word spread, and I knew I had something special, but I also knew that getting my product in front of people was key.
After about a year of baking from home, I made a bold decision: I quit my full-time job and decided to go all-in on my business. I registered my kitchen, formed an LLC, and began baking professionally. I quickly realized that if I wanted to grow, I needed to market myself and my products. So, I took countless marketing courses and learned everything I could about building a brand and connecting with customers. But despite all the education, my approach remained the same—I believed the best way to grow was by letting my sweets speak for themselves. If I could get people to try my products, they’d keep coming back.
As the business grew, so did my need to reach more people. After three years, I began hearing the same feedback over and over: “You’re too far away for me to visit.” I realized that in order to expand, I needed to go to the people. So, I made a significant investment in a 1964 Zipper trailer that was renovated to be a food truck, allowing me to take my bakery on the road. With this mobile setup, I could participate in pop-ups and local events, bringing my treats directly to communities that couldn’t easily access my kitchen.
Five years after officially launching my business, I faced a new challenge—my home kitchen had simply outgrown its capacity. It was time to take the leap and open a brick-and-mortar location. It was a big step, but after years of hard work and dedication, I was ready to make this dream a reality. My journey had come full circle—from baking in my home kitchen to setting up a permanent location where I could share my passion with even more people.
Trish, 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?
Over the years, my business has grown, and my commitment to creating high-quality, delicious sweets has never wavered. But one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is the importance of meeting customers where they are. After hearing time and again that I was “too far away” for some customers to visit, I decided to take my sweets on the road with a custom trailer, allowing me to bring my products directly to different neighborhoods and events. It was a game-changer—customers were able to enjoy my treats without having to make a special trip, and I was able to build a stronger connection with my community.
Fast forward to five years after I officially launched my business, and I reached a new milestone: opening my own brick-and-mortar location in Churchville, NY. It was a huge leap, but it felt like the perfect next step. Now, I’m proud to offer my treats in a space where customers can relax, connect, and enjoy what I’ve poured my heart into.
At Spoonful of Sugar, we specialize in a wide range of freshly baked goods, from decadent cakes to gourmet cookies and seasonal treats. Every item is made from scratch using only the finest ingredients, with a focus on flavor, quality, and presentation. My goal is to make every bite a memorable experience—whether you’re enjoying a classic favorite or trying something new and exciting. I’m passionate about creating treats that not only taste great but also bring people together. Whether it’s a special occasion like a birthday, wedding, or holiday gathering, or simply a random Tuesday afternoon when you need a little sweetness in your life, we’ve got you covered.
What really sets me apart is my unwavering commitment to my craft and my customers. From day one, my philosophy has been simple: get my sweets into as many hands as possible and let them speak for themselves. The customer experience is just as important as the product itself, and I work hard to create a welcoming, down-to-earth environment that reflects my passion for baking.
I also pride myself on staying connected with my community and understanding what people want. My business was built on word-of-mouth recommendations, and I continue to value the relationships I’ve built with my customers. Whether it’s offering custom cakes for special events or collaborating with local businesses and artists, I’m always looking for ways to give back and support the people who have supported me.
I’m incredibly proud of how far my business has come. From starting in my kitchen to opening a brick-and-mortar location, it’s been a dream come true. But what I’m most proud of is the community I’ve built. The connections I’ve made with my customers, the support from local partners, and the joy I see when people taste something I’ve created—that’s what keeps me going.
When you choose Spoonful of Sugar Sweets, you’re not just getting a sweet treat—you’re getting a piece of my heart and hard work. My brand is about authenticity, quality, and community. I truly care about the experience I provide for my customers. Whether you’re stopping by our shop, ordering for an event, or seeing me at a pop-up, know that you’re supporting a business that’s built on passion, dedication, and love for what I do.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
There’s one moment in my business journey that truly stands out as a turning point—when I had to make a tough decision to pivot my business from all orders being picked up at my home to purchasing a mobile sweets trailer and taking my treats directly to my customers.
For the first few years of my business, everything was baked and prepared in my home kitchen. Customers would place orders and come by to pick up their treats. It was a system that worked well at first, but as my business grew, I started hearing a common complaint, “You’re too far away for me to make the trip.”
At first, I didn’t think much of it. After all, I was doing everything from my home kitchen, so being local was part of the charm! But as time went on, I realized that my location was becoming a real barrier to growth. More people wanted my products, but they weren’t always able to make the journey to pick them up. That’s when the lightbulb went off, I needed to go to them.
I spent a lot of time thinking about the best way to overcome this challenge. After doing research, talking to other small business owners, and weighing the pros and cons, I realized that purchasing a mobile sweets trailer could be the solution. It would allow me to take my treats directly to the people, set up at local events, pop-ups, and markets, and reach communities that were too far for a pick-up-only model. The decision wasn’t easy. Investing in a 1964 Zipper trailer was a significant financial commitment. But I believed it was the right move to keep my business growing and to get my products into the hands of more customers.
Once I had the trailer, I took it on the road, participating in local events, markets, and festivals. The response was overwhelming. Not only was I able to reach new customers, but I also had the opportunity to create new experiences for people. It felt like I was no longer just a small, home-based bakery—I was becoming a brand that people could find and enjoy, no matter where they were located.
The mobile trailer opened up so many new doors. It allowed me to tap into new neighborhoods, increase brand visibility, and build relationships with customers who might never have heard of me otherwise. It also gave me the flexibility to be more present in the community, which is something I’ve always valued.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
When I first started my business, social media wasn’t part of my everyday life, and honestly, I wasn’t sure how to leverage it for growth. I began with Facebook, thinking it was the best way to connect with my local community and keep people updated on my baked goods. For the first two years, my growth on Facebook was steady but slow. I didn’t have a big following, but I was learning the ropes, experimenting with different posts, and figuring out what kind of content resonated with my audience. It wasn’t an overnight success by any means, but I kept at it, posting consistently and trying to engage with people who shared my love for sweets. I focused on building real connections with my followers, even if that meant starting small and working my way up.
After two years, as I began to expand my reach and get more comfortable with the social media landscape, I decided to branch out and start an Instagram account. Instagram felt like a great fit for showcasing the beauty of my baked goods—photos of cakes, cookies, and pastries that looked just as good as they tasted. It took time, but I slowly began to gain traction on Instagram. The visual nature of the platform helped me connect with more people, and I found that it was an ideal place to build a more engaged community around my brand.
Then, three years in, I decided to expand my presence even further and launched a LinkedIn page. LinkedIn seemed like a good platform to connect with other local businesses, entrepreneurs, and industry professionals. While growth on LinkedIn was even slower than on Facebook and Instagram, it added another layer to my brand’s visibility and allowed me to network in ways I hadn’t considered before.
It wasn’t fast, and it wasn’t easy, but it was steady. Over time, each platform helped me reach different audiences, and I started to see the cumulative impact of these efforts. My social media presence grew bit by bit, and as my business grew, so did my followers and engagement. I didn’t rush or try to force viral moments—I focused on building an authentic, engaged community one post at a time. And that consistency paid off.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.spoonfulofsugarsweets.com
- Instagram: @spoonfulofsugarbakes
- Facebook: @spoonfulofsugarbakes
- Linkedin: Spoonful Of Sugar Sweets
Image Credits
Emilia Callahan Photography
Amanda K Photography
Array of Brown