Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Freddrena Wright, Founder of SUGES LLC., located in Atlanta, GA, USA.

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

SUGES is a family-owned and operated company that has taken a unique and delightful way to enjoy and savor your favorite desserts and gourmet coffee. Our approach is simple, using the best quality products that are rich in flavor, so every bite takes you to your happy place all in one jar. SUGES is dedicated to providing the best-handcrafted desserts suited for every sweet tooth and flavored gourmet coffee with an aroma that heightens your senses with pure joy.

Here at SUGES, we make everything with love. We currently offer a multitude of assorted desserts ranging from a variety of cheesecakes, cakes, pudding, and cobblers, all in a cute single or double-serve mason jar. And what's dessert without coffee?! Our coffee is made with 100% Arabica beans and ranges from light to dark roast. Our delightful flavors include Caramel Truffle, Almond Amaretto, Chocolate Mint, Bourbon Pecan, and many more! The smell alone will have you wanting more before you take your first sip! The flavors dance on your tongue. It's the perfect pick-me-up without weighing you down.

Our customers are very diverse and unique. So here at SUGES, we cater to everyone! We provide exceptional customer care that tailors everyone's needs, providing high-quality products and aesthetics. We also customize labels for any event, such as baby showers, weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and much more. Each is designed with the customers' own personal touch to make their occasion magical and memorable.

Tell us about yourself

I am Freddrena Wright, the proud owner of SUGES. Very career-driven and family-oriented, I started baking before I could even walk. Both of my grandmothers, Joyce Wright & Katherine Stovall both, had me in the kitchen watching and learning. By the age of 4, I was baking whole cakes and pies. Now, let me tell you something they didn't measure anything, so I had to pay close attention to detail. That skill set would then eventually lead me down the path to where I am today. When I was younger, I would bake just for fun because I enjoyed the joy on people's faces after they tried what I had made. I now try to instill what I've learned in my little nieces and nephews. So they too can have a love and skill set of baking when I started at their age.

The name for my company SUGES came about because I wanted to honor my brother, that passed away. It was his nickname, "SUGE." As the popularity of my desserts started to take off and doing more events on a larger scale, I employed my mama Melissa and my sisters Nakieta and Melody. They definitely help keep me on track. I never realized how many extra hands help things easier, especially when you're used to doing everything on your own.

Making a name for yourself and having a positive impact on the community is important. Eyes are always watching you. I've been blessed to take SUGES to another level with celebrity clientele and catering to different productions in the film industry. What I've done here at SUGES couldn't have been done without my family and those seeds that were planted early in my life. So I am forever thankful and grateful.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is maintaining exceptional customer service, integrity, fairness, and high ethical business practices. We want everyone that purchases our products to feel inclusive. It's important to maintain a healthy relationship with people and other businesses because everyone is a potential client and word of mouth spreads fast.

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

The hardest thing that comes with being a business owner is the unknown. You can dot your I's and cross your T's, but life happens, and it will throw you a curve ball. Be prepared! As an entrepreneur, you are responsible for every aspect of your company. Marketing, logistics, scheduling, events, inventory, sales, paperwork, etc., it's easy to focus on one aspect and not the other, but they are all equally yoked to help your business run smoothly. So multitasking is important. The unknown is just as important. Because some things you simply have to go through to understand the magnitude you are working on as an entrepreneur to understand.

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

  1. Write a business plan. It's important that you come up with a game plan and write it out. It's your blueprint.
  2. Create a vision board. To know where you're going, you have to see yourself there. Everything you want to accomplish, put it on the board and check off everything you accomplished as you go.
  3. Research Research Research! That's something that will always be ongoing. Things change daily, so you always want to stay up to date on what's current. Suppose any laws pertaining to your business have changed. Research your product and supplies. Take note of everything! So don't procrastinate. Set your goals and complete them the first time! Waiting will cost you more in the end.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

SUGES has a lot of things in store and expanding broader. We have partnered with Chef Jamal Miranda to bring our wonderful desserts to the Virgin Islands, so they will be available in St. Croix and St. Thomas very soon. Also, in 2023 with our dessert trailer, we will be doing more traveling from state to state!!!

In closing, I would like to share that it's ok to ask for help if you don't know something. Never run away from any problems that may occur. It's a business, and it's bound to happen, so tackle it and face it head-on. Whatever your passion is, Focus aggressively, have integrity and embrace every aspect of your business journey.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.sugesdesserts.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SugesLLC
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SugesLLC/

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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