Today we’d like to introduce you to Claudia Wentzell.
Claudia, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
In 2014, I started my business with my kids in mind. I wanted to create moments of celebrations that I can fully enjoy and not have to worry about what my kids were eating and what type of ultra-processed food I was giving them when they were cutting their cake. It was then when I decided that I would take a shot at making their birthday cakes and sweet treats, knowing that I can have control of the type of ingredients that they were eating. I focused on organic and quality ingredients that I can feel comfortable using while baking. Which is what my business is mainly about the organic and quality of each treat.
After many trials and errors, I was able to find recipes and ingredients that work well for me and also practice the art of decorating the treats. And after a while my friends, co-workers and family members started asking me if I would be able to create treats for their special events, this helped me build the confidence to start offering to more people outside my circle and expand my horizons.
In 2019 I decided to go into my baking business full time. I started promoting my treats on Instagram and Facebook and with the help of my wonderful community, my business started expanding. My business operates mainly on referrals that my beautiful customers do when they are happy with their order. I am very grateful for them and all the help they have offered me through the years. And of course, my repeat customers that thu the years come back to give me the opportunity to create something special for their loved ones, which also gives me the opportunity to see their families grow. It is truly an honor to watch families grow and be a small part of that celebration through my treats.
Today I continue to promote my treats thru Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, we also have a small YouTube channel where I showcase short videos and I also have a small Etsy shop where I sell seasonal treats for each holiday. These have all helped me through these last couple of years in keeping my business open.
My family has been an immense help and support for me to keep going through the years, especially through the obstacles. They have helped me bake, package, and deliver my treats locally and across the states. It’s been an incredible journey putting this business together with the help of my family and watching it grow.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road to growing my business has not been a smooth road. And I don’t think there is any business that grows without its challenges and obstacles. Throughout the years I have learned that it is through the obstacles and challenges that you learn valuable lessons and you are able to grow into the next level. My business biggest challenge was in 2020 when the world came to a stop because of the pandemic. Trying to figure out how to keep my business alive thru that year was very challenging and having to think fast with a positive mind to pivot my business to online sales was what helped my business keep going. The years after that have also had its challenges because of the scarcity in ingredients that tend to happen from time to time. Some of the main ingredients for any bakers like milk, flour, eggs, all had tough moments when there will be a limited amount of them. At those moments I had to stay positive, think and strategies ways of getting my products without sacrificing the quality of each ingredient.
Somehow even though 2020 and the years after that were difficult years for me as a business owner trying to survive, they were one of my biggest years for my business financially.
I know it sounds crazy but the sales numbers thru those years were significantly higher than any other years. Now looking back, a big lesson that I learned through it all was to always stay positive and look for solutions on how to keep moving forward and not focus on the problem in front of you, because crying and losing my head over it was not going to help my business at that moment. And thanks to the wonderful community I have built over the years in my social media I was able to push through the obstacles and find ways to keep going and stay in business.
Innovating in every aspect of a business is crucial, because it helps create opportunities in areas you have not thought of. Challenges and obstacles are part of every business, but learning how to innovate and pivot through them is what helps a business grow into their next level.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I love baking and decorating edible treats. I feel like it’s a special kind of art that I get to do for my clients. My top two-star sellers are my custom cakes and custom designed sugar cookies, although I do offer a variety of different treats, these two are the ones that people mostly know me for. I focus on working with organic and quality ingredients, baking everything from scratch and finding recipe combinations that work well with what I am trying to create. For me the types of products and the quality of ingredients I choose to work with is what sets me apart from others. I’m proud of everything I do in my kitchen and everything I bake for my clients. Knowing that I am putting together a quality product with a beautiful design is a big satisfaction in my heart. And after so many years of learning how to perfect my art of decorating, I still find myself surprised by the designs I create.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
Some of the books and podcasts I read before the pandemic that helped me mentally prepare for my business journey are:
Books: Capital Gaines by Chip Gaines, You are a Bad Ass Making Money by Jen Sincero, Podcasts: Enjoying Everyday Life by Joyce Meyer, Heart, Faith & Business by Danira Cancinos
Also, I truly believe that building a community of not only followers by other creators that can help you along the way is necessary. Some creators have probably experienced something similar to what you are going through and they can help you get through the obstacles. I love knowing that I can send a quick message to some of these creators and they are always happy to help me with open arms.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatlovensweets?igsh=Z3Y4NDVsZ3FvM2Vz&utm_source=qr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@eatlovensweets?si=ZE-zzHT_bR8TLjK5
