Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Adrieanna Allen, Founder of The Vegan Sweetie Bakery, located in Atlanta, GA, USA.

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

Everyone deserves something sweet. However, there are an array of food preferences and dietary restrictions, and goals that can limit someone from enjoying a confectionery treat whenever they like. For this reason, fueled by our passion and love for baking and bringing enjoyment to people in our community and beyond, we founded the Vegan Sweetie in 2019. What started as a simple vision to create treats that are high quality, dairy-free, and delicious has grown into a community name and partnered with an ever-evolving menu of items to satisfy the sweet tooth of those looking for sugary alternatives. We focus on creating treats that are vegan because we truly believe in the power of plant-based foods.

We are a Mother-Daughter trio who have been plant-based for going on six years, which motivates us to create treats that can be enjoyed by everyone. Creating food from cruelty-free matter is just the right thing to do. Not only has the Vegan Sweetie allowed us to share our gifts with those around us, but it has brought us together as a family and challenged our minds as we experiment to find the best new recipe, develop our business skills as a black-owned business, and grow closer to one another through the satisfying art of making—and eating—desserts.

Tell us about yourself

We began as a vegan Pop-up bakery in 2019, vending festivals and events on a casual basis. We started with Atlanta-based and plant-based festivals like The Veggie taste, Atlanta's largest vegan food festival, whose mission is to be used as a tool to expose and educate the importance of transitioning to a healthier lifestyle. Essentially these events were helping us build the foundation of our business, even if there were mistakes and pitfalls in between. We also learned that not only does a large portion of our market want us, but they need us. We get plenty of emails from customers asking about specific allergies and how our products are a great fit for them. We enjoy these kinds of interactions because it helps us find out what our customers need. Several conversations and menus later, we have added even more allergy-free treats to our repertoire and built a consistent customer base by consistently meeting their needs on taste and quality.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

We had the opportunity to vend our treats at last year's Dreamville Festival 2022, where over twenty thousand music lovers came together and enjoyed music and the vibes from popular music artists. The two-day festival was fun and allowed us to reach our customer base in Raleigh and four oaks North Carolina.

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

One of the hardest things that come with being a business owner is maintaining the consistency of the stride.

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

Be patient with yourself, and remember why you started!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://thevegansweetie.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevegansweetie/

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.

Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.