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

Alright, Tyeshia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Looking back, do you think you started your business at the right time? Do you wish you had started sooner or later

In my opinion, starting a business would be better done sooner than later because it involves taking risks. In life, however, that decision can backfire. If not planned well, many obstacles can arise. On a late midnight day in early 2017, I was inspired to start a gourmet cookie bakery. Since I enjoy cooking in the kitchen, baking wasn’t my strong interest, the idea came to me as a surprise. My curiosity began to grow as this clever idea slipped into my mind, and I became interested in finding out more. In order to work out every step, I headed into the kitchen to test my hypothesis. Along the way, I had many failures and mishaps, but I managed to overcome them. Samples were presented to crowds of people for tasting. The results were amazing. This was the beginning of Lil Dipper Delights. After a night of discussion, my mother and I came up with the name. Now you all know that nighttime is where the magic happens (Giggling). The only thing I would change about my experience, resulting in my early start as an entrepreneur, is my self-drive. I feel I can accomplish anything if I put my mind to it, but sometimes our minds may not be prepared. Therefore, if I were to change one thing, it would be the stability of my mind. Apart from that, the experience has been beyond my expectations. There is always positive support, and positive feedback and I look forward to what comes next.

Tyeshia, 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?

It is my pleasure to welcome you to Lil Dipper Delights, a company founded by myself, Tyeshia Smith. My fellow friends welcome back. A delightful treat awaits all new visitors, and we hope to see you again soon. Unlike other cookie companies, Lil Dipper Delights strives to be different with each flavor of our cookies, so we can stand out from the crowd. Each flavor was created by the owner herself. To get the flavors right, she spent hours researching, testing, and trying different foods. You haven’t tried Lil Dipper Delights if you haven’t tried Funnel Cake, Honey Bun, Cheesecake, Ice cream cone, Peach Cobbler, etc. With the right ingredients and recipe, the odds are in your favor. I never expected to work as a cookie baker. In spite of my lack of interest in baking, I have always enjoyed cooking, but art has always been my greatest passion. I found so much joy in ART. With Lil Dipper Delights, I was able to express my creativity through my drawings and baking. As a result of this business, I not only discovered my passion for baking but also unleashed my creativity. That’s why I enjoy it so much. In every aspect of my business, I strive to represent myself to each customer. Lil Dipper Delights offers a wide variety of cookies, not just your typical cookies, but many cookie flavors in your favorite desserts. Our cookies are inspired by your favorite desserts. Who doesn’t love cookies? Oh, and don’t forget, “Lil” is what we serve. Our bite-size cookies may be small, but they are packed with flavors. Pop one, and the next thing you know the cookies are disappearing. With any business there are ups and downs, I have had plenty. As a business owner, you have to value your craft more than the unknown. Clients can be overwhelming at times, but realizing the different types of people you encounter helps you understand different situations. I accept love, positivity, and support with open arms, therefore negativity is not welcome. If you don’t like my product, find another cookie business of your choice. If I believe that I have outstanding cookies, then that is what I have. Every business is different and not everyone will like you differently. It’s okay, continue to strive for your Dream.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

The process of building a platform for my brand has been challenging. Your target audience may seem easy to identify, but a target audience does not equate to a reputation. There are many businesses that are similar, therefore you have to deliver something different to the market. Sometimes, that’s not an ideal or effective way to gain a reputation, as most people stick to the norm. Throughout my career, I have worked hard to build my reputation around who I am. As people know me and see who I am, they will gain a better understanding of what I have to offer. Relationships build support, and relationships build reputations. In most cases, my support came from promoting my brand or from other supporters giving feedback. I believe my reputation will grow if I keep promoting and pushing it. Although I am not where I want to be, I will continue to spread the word about Lil Dipper Delights cookies.

We’d love to hear your thoughts about selling platforms like Amazon/Etsy vs selling on your own site.

All orders can be placed on the website of Lil Dipper Delights. Shipping timeframes depend on the postal service, where if you are like me, you will be ready to enjoy your treats right away, however, if you live far away, you will have to wait 2-4 days. No worries the freshness of our cookies can last up to 2 weeks. We offer free shipping online, plus we bake our products fresh to order. One of the advantages of having a website is the large selection of products that customers can choose from. It is easy to manage to ship on a website, you can promote the latest flavors or have specials, and you can link to other platforms to drive traffic. However, getting visitors to purchase from a website is a downside. It is likely that potential customers will browse but not purchase. In order to encourage people to try more, I give out samples to random people. It is my hope that my website will grow in the future and more people will purchase cookies from me.

Contact Info:

• Website: lildipperdelights.com
• Instagram: Lil Dippers Delights
• Facebook: Lil Dipper Delights