Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Erika Grainger, owner of Erika's Wildflour Bake Shoppe, located in Dwight, ON, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
My business is a bakery/coffee/gift shop. You will find our bakery to be more of a traditional bakery featuring mostly handmade baked goods daily. Our customers say our products are what our grandparents used to make, from our date square to our ginger cookies. However, our most popular item has to be our 13 varieties of flavours for our butter tarts. Our customers are the everyday workers that come in at 6:30 a.m. on their way to work for a good morning smile and a great cup of coffee and breakfast, the relaxed cottager that enjoy their holidays getting their treats for the week, our tourists that travel by on their way to Algonquin Park and pick up their picnic lunch and snacks along the way. Once a customer stops, they will return. You will always hear laughter ringing throughout the building on most days.
Tell us about yourself
I grew up loving to bake with my mom, and it continued from there. Growing up, I worked in the restaurant industry and then went to college in the culinary arts program but realized that in this area, the employment is very seasonal, so in order to work year-round, I felt I needed to own my own business. Therefore the bakery dream came into reality. The smiles on our customers keep me getting up at 4:30 a.m. every morning.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Buying a business at 23 years old and owning a successful business for 12 years now, in my books, is an amazing accomplishment. I feel that surviving the pandemic is worth a pat on the back, especially over the last couple of years. There were a lot of changes, and keeping up and staying one step ahead and making it all work for our customers in keeping them safe.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Staffing, especially during these difficult times, has to be the hardest thing in running your business. As you build your business, you have to rely on staff to keep your business successful.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- The first tip would be to do something you love to do; I love to bake and love my customers.
- The second tip would always be to be thinking about how to improve your business. Do not be just happy when your business is successful think ahead on changes as the world is always evolving, and you need to change constantly. Think outside the box; the extraordinary working ethics that I grew up with make a business grow.
- The third tip would be to know that you have to give 100% of yourself to the business and not rely just on staff. Some people feel they can start a business and then just get a team to run the company, but you need to constantly be in tune with what is going on to keep your business to be successful and to keep growing.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
This business would not be as successful without the help of family. My mom and sister are an intricate part of this business, so I definitely have to give them credit for my success; I couldn't have done it without them. It is good to have extra hands to help out and have a couple of extra brains for our think tank sessions.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://erikas.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ErikasBakeryDwight
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erikaswildflourbakery/
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.
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