Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jen Frank, founder of Pretty Sweet Pastry Boutique, located in Thornhill, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Pretty Sweet creates customized, bespoke dessert creations, perfect for any celebration (or just because!) Our specialties are Cookie Grams, Designer Sugar Cookies, Deep Dish Cookie Cakes, Gourmet Cereal Treats, and a few other cookie-based delights. The fun thing about our Cookie Grams and Designer Sugar Cookies is that each one is fully customizable so the customer can get exactly what they want for every aspect of the product, from the designs to the message to the colours. Our customers are anyone living in the GTA with a sweet tooth, but most of our products are bought as gifts for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, weddings, and other big life events.
Tell us about yourself
My two passions in life are baking and art, so Pretty Sweet was born out of my desire to bring those passions to life. Since every Cookie Gram or Designer Sugar Cookie I do is fully customized and uniquely made to order, each is a new opportunity and adventure to challenge myself and work on my baking and decorating skills. I strive to make every recipient of one of my orders say "Wow!". The biggest compliment I receive is when a client tells me that it looked (almost) too good to eat.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I've had some really fun and exciting partnerships and collaborations with some big brands, like Google, Starbucks, Becel, Canadian Living Magazine, Tokyo Smoke, and many more. I was also asked to teach a baking class at Georgian College for a couple of semesters which was a rewarding way to pass on some of my knowledge to the next generation of pastry chefs.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
It can be overwhelming to wear so many hats (not just a chef hat). Between baking, decorating, administrative work, deliveries, sourcing supplies, marketing, there are sometimes not enough hours in the day. It is also difficult to "turn off" and give myself time for non-Pretty Sweet things, but it is really important to do so every now and then.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
1) Be ready to work hard and accept that your friends with "regular" jobs may have a tough time understanding why you're not available when they are. You need to love what you do absolutely.
2) Practice self-care. Owning a business can be all-consuming, so knowing when you need a break is so important to avoid burning out.
3) Stand up for yourself. At the end of the day, you need to know your self-worth so that others don't try and take advantage of you. I've found this to be especially important for younger women entrepreneurs.
Where can people find you and your business?
https://www.instagram.com/prettysweetjen/
https://twitter.com/prettysweetjen
https://www.facebook.com/Pretty.Sweet.Pastries/
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.
