Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Tina Tam, owner, and baker of Cookie Crumbles Vegan Bakery, located in Richmond, BC, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I'm Tina, the owner, and baker of Cookie Crumbles Vegan Bakery, a vegan bakery in Richmond, BC specializing in dairy and egg-free treats and cakes. I can also accommodate gluten-free friendly orders along with other dietary requests (nut-free, soy-free, etc.). My clients range from vegan families (like ours) to curious onlookers who passed my booth at a farmers' market and thought, "Hey, that piece of lemon bar looks good."
My goal from the beginning was to make delicious vegan baked goods accessible and familiar and break down all the misconceptions out there about vegan baking. I wanted people to taste for themselves that you don't need dairy or eggs to make an amazing Swiss meringue buttercream cake or chocolate pudding. My favourite comment is, "You can't even tell it's vegan!"
Tell us about yourself
I'm a mother of 2 young kids. The reasons for starting my business came from an amalgamation of my son's dairy and egg allergies, an innocent question from my husband regarding a birthday cake, and my unsatisfied craving for a vegan treat while at a farmers' market one weekend. All these incidents led me down the unlikely path of starting my own vegan bakery and selling at the local farmers' market, which has led to 191 orders fulfilled last year.
Seeing and hearing my family, friends' and clients' reaction to my baking is what motivates me each day to continue despite the long, lonely hours of standing in a kitchen at all hours of the night and the missed opportunities to spend time with my family because a big order is due. Despite my grumbling, I do love what I do, and it's very satisfying when a test recipe turns out perfectly!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment as a business owner so far is teaching myself how to bake from scratch, figuring out the intricacies of vegan baking, and turning my hobby into a mildly profitable business. My goal from the beginning was to introduce skeptics to a world where fluffy and flavourful baked goods can be made dairy and egg-free, and I think I've been able to change a few minds along the way!
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
One of the hardest things about being a business owner is setting clear boundaries between my business and personal life and knowing when it's time to take off one hat and do another. A poster I saw recently perfectly encapsulates my last three years: I didn't want a 9 to 5 job. Now I work 24/7.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Take a step. No matter how small or insignificant you think that step may be, it beats hands down, just sitting there, twiddling your thumbs and THINKING about making a step.
- Have a clear goal in mind and write it down in painstaking detail. What service/product would you like to offer, and how would you introduce it to the world? What are distribution channels available? What would be your definition of success? Is it personal satisfaction, exposure, monetary? Not only is the HOW important, but also the WHY to give your business a soul, a purpose.
- Start building a digital presence. I can't overstate the importance of having a functional and clean-looking website and having it listed on Google. And no matter your personal feelings towards Facebook and Instagram, it's undeniable the exposure a well photographed and written post can bring to a fledgling business. About 65% of my business comes from my website and social media accounts. The rest is from word of mouth and repeat customers.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Starting your own business is one of the hardest and most gratifying things you can do and at the end of the day, be proud of what you built with your own two hands.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.ccvbakery.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ccvbakery
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cookiecrumbles_veganbakery/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-t-3795b671/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.