Designed Beyond Your Wildest Dreams - For the Love of Sugar

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Manal Hussein, owner of For the Love of Sugar, located in Detroit, MI, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

For the Love of Sugar. We offer an array of from scratch desserts! We have our cakes available by the slice, cookies, brownies, French macarons, and more! Our customers are super diverse from all parts of metro Detroit, Canada, and other visiting states! We also offer vegan and gluten-free items so everyone can have their cake and eat it too! Our place is a place of comfort where our customers can come to and enjoy sweet treats with a coffee, latte, or other drinks. We also do custom cakes for parties and weddings!

Tell us about yourself

I went to school for Marketing Management, but after graduating and working full-time and baking for close friends and family, I realized baking and making edible art creations was what I really wanted to do and loved. So, I quit my job and pursued baking full-time. I did it for a few years, and it sort of took over my life; I was always working, and my home no longer felt like home. That was when I decided to open up a storefront so I could share my passion with a larger audience!

I am completely self-taught and learned everything through trial and error. This is why I am a huge believer in failure. If you can learn just one thing from every failure, then it can become a lesson learned. Every day I am motivated by our customers and the amazing feedback we get. Nothing is more rewarding than a customer coming back and telling us how we made their day or special occasion!

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Probably surviving a worldwide pandemic, nationwide staffing shortage, and giving birth to my first child all at the same time while trying to keep my business afloat.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

No one can cover for you at the end of the day. No one else will be able to do what you do. I am used to covering for people and doing whatever I have to do to make ends meet. But after certain health issues I had, I was forced to slow down, which can be really difficult when you are trying to run your own business.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

1. Fail. If you are not failing at something, are you really pushing yourself enough? At the end of the day, you can just turn it into a learning lesson you would not have experienced otherwise.
2. It is a lot of work. No matter how many times someone tells you that, it will still be more work than you think. So, just mentally preparing for that is important.
3. Go in with an open mind and be willing to learn from everyone and anyone. It doesn't mean you have to do what everyone says, but feedback is important.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.fortheloveofsugar.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fortheloveofsugardetroit/

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.