Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kurt Anderson, Owner of Pretty Great Cheesecake, located in Chaska, MN, USA.

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

We create beautifully handcrafted mini cheesecakes you can't get anywhere else! We put a unique spin on an old classic. To us, cheesecake can be more than plain. Plain is boring, and we don't want to be boring. Pretty Great Cheesecake incorporates unique flavors from top to bottom! We're not just drizzling chocolate on the top and giving it a name. We also use infused whipped toppings: cinnamon sugar, and pumpkin spice, which accent the flavor of the cheesecake. Our crusts aren't just graham cracker crumbs. We use everything from cake crust, blueberry pancakes, pound cake, and shortbread cookies. We are always trying something new!

Our business is 100% run out of a food truck. It's like I have an office on wheels! We can provide cheesecakes for weddings, corporate events, graduation, retirement, and birthday parties; anything you need a dessert for, we can do! You can find us at car shows, concerts, food truck festivals, and sporting events games.

Tell us about yourself

I never dreamed of working for myself. I went to the University of Wisconsin-Stout for Restaurant Management. After graduation, I discovered it wasn't the life I wanted. I went back to Stout and studied food science. As a food scientist, I use my background to create unique, ever-evolving, and changing cheesecakes with the season. I know what flavors go well together and which ones don't. It's all trial and error, but I've created some really delicious flavors during the process! I enjoy being my own boss, waking up and having my kitchen right in the driveway, and working with my wife. We don't work together all the time, but when we do, it's fun being a team! It's been a process to learn how to work together. We've learned to play off each other's strengths and use our unique skills to complement each other and the company. We're both learning how to run a business - something neither one of us has done before. We are also very lucky to have a supportive group of family and friends around us.

I really love seeing people taking the first bite. I remember one group of people, in particular, who began eating our banana cheesecake right in front of the truck; they said, "Oh my goodness, this is stupid good!"

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Starting your own business is a learning process. No one could have prepared us for this. We're thrilled to be thriving and celebrating five years in business in 2023!

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

Some of the biggest challenges we've faced were finding the right food truck for our needs and getting financing. Many people don't realize everything costs money, from paying a fee to be at events, licensing, permits, maintenance of the truck, the food containers, forks, napkins, bags, and our website, to figuring out what payment system to use.

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

  1. You may not know where to start or the means to get there, but I would encourage anyone to follow their dreams.
  2. Come up with a business plan that works for your personality. I have a restaurant management background, but I know I really don't like managing people. I came up with a business plan where I was the only employee. Labor is also the biggest expense to a business besides overhead (like the cost of the truck and insurance). Depending on what you serve, this won't be feasible with all food trucks.
  3. I would suggest coming up with an interview process. Don't hire someone just because you need them. Hiring the wrong people will cost you money in the long run. You're better off having nobody than having the wrong person. Also, hiring friends and family might not be the best route to take.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.prettygreatcheesecake.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prettygreatcheesecake
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prettygreatcheesecake/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/truckcheesecake
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3lu2gCU

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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