Gift biz unwrapped episode 316. I hadn't even came through the door yet. I hit the door and attention. Gifters bakers, crafters, and makers pursuing your dream can be fun. Whether you have an established business or looking to start one. Now you are in the right place. This is gift to biz unwrapped, helping you turn your skill into a flourishing business. Join us for an episode, packed full of invaluable guidance, resources, and the support you need to grow. Your gift biz.
Here is your host gift biz gal, Sue moon Heights. I do it too. Thanks for joining me here today. If you've been a time listener, I so appreciate your loyalty. And if you're brand new here, welcome before we get started. I have to tell you that it's time. The doors are now open for enrollment in my makers MBA program. If the idea of starting a business by selling your handmade products has been swirling around in your mind. It's time to take action.
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Moving on to our show today, you've heard the stories of people overcoming tragedy and rising to something greater. This is going to be one of those inspirational stories, but it's even more you see to use Rochelle's own words. She decided it was time to step out from inside the box and has it ever paid off this popular sweet maker experienced let downs on several fronts, but Rose baking pun intended to create her own product line and catch this.
You guys be a final four contender in the greatest Baker. All because she stepped into her greatness. Today's guest is Rochelle Ingram. If you check her out on Instagram, right in her bio, she starts with it's yo girl row. And that pretty much sums up the spirit behind this powerhouse of a lady. The room lights up when she enters and her energy is contagious. Rochelle is a well-known and popular Baker pastry artist and
confectioner. She serves as head instructor and CEO of your sweet connection, a company that serves other bakers, the knowledge and techniques to develop their own baking business. She's been featured in America cake decorating magazine and seen on tasty. Rochelle. We've been working so hard and finally, I've gotten you on the gift biz unwrapped podcast. Welcome. Thank you. It took us a while, but that just means this is going to be a super special episode. How about that?
Absolutely Valley made it here. Finally. Finally, anyway, I always start out by asking each of my guests the same question we've been airing actually for about six years now. So I have six years of answers to this question. Congratulate. Thank you. But our listeners really are interested because it gives people a different look besides just the intro, like a different peak inside of who you are.
So if you were to share with us a motivational candle, that in your mind, you imagine would be your perfect candle. What would it look like by color and quote? Well, for color would be purple and quotes would be live life and live it more abundantly And live it more abundantly because do you feel like people aren't really giving the life all the Gusto it deserves? No. Yeah. I think we hold ourselves back. Oh yeah,
absolutely. Especially in this industry, a lot of people hold back and don't know what they really hold or what they really have until they tap into their gifts. Why do you think that is that they hold back? I believe fear, fear of the unknown or fear of the success, fear of the work. And that's just from my experience in teaching other students, a lot of them have a lot of fear or fear of having such a big responsibility. Oh, interesting. So the fear comes from all over the place then. Oh yeah.
That's just from the students that I have interact with. And it's so many, I have taught over thousands of bakers or entrepreneurs from those that have brick and mortars, but all of them have displayed to me a fear of everything I just mentioned. And more so lately I've noticed the fear of responsibility is like, they start off real good and soon as they feel like they can handle it or something feels like it's too much like bills, customer service, they want to shut down.
Be like, okay, I can't handle it. Yeah. Well I would say that this whole entrepreneurial journey, like the whole word entrepreneur is such a big, popular word right now. Yes. It can equate to freedom in some way, because you get to be your own boss, but there is a lot to it.
And like with you, with working with Baker specifically, I think it's the same, whether you're a Baker or another type of product maker, but you love what you're doing because you love the idea of the making portion, but there's all the other business aspects to look at and consider as well. Right. Everything looks good once you get it done or something that you either create and then, or produce, or start a nutrient. It's good at that moment.
But then when you're constantly going and going, it's work involved at the end of the day is nothing but work. And the key to that is to stay consistent. Yeah. Well, and I think you also have to like doing it. Oh yeah. I have a passion. Yes. Some people get into it and say, you know what? I really like baking cakes, but this whole business side of it not interested. So either they get somebody to do that business side or, and this is an okay thing too.
They just decide that they're not going to have it be a business. Not in the sense that we're talking about a professional business where you're really going to try to have some portion of life sustaining income with it. Right. Even if it's an extra $500 a month, let's say, cause still with that, you've got your taxes. You've got your bookkeeping. You have all that, that you would need to do. This is a whole concept.
I like what you brought up here is that the fear comes at all different stages because I don't think, well, I'm going to ask you this question. I mean, aren't you, I don't know if you use the word fearful, but anxious or nervous sometimes as you continue to grow. Oh, absolutely. I was going through that right now because I've started my online shop. My e-commerce, but I've been open publicly since the black Friday sale.
So since I was there in November, I always had an online shop, but I was selling to just my students, my groups, no, the students that's in my groups. Oh, so now you're public facing with your shop? Yes. All right. We're going to dive into that a little bit more as we go, but I just want to say one more thing about this fear thing and Rochelle, I might embarrass you a little bit. I'm not sure, but you just have to go with me here on this. I'm very transparent. I'm open. All right.
So talking about like looking on And thinking that you want to start your business. I remember when I first met you in person. Okay. Which was at Sid's show, right? The ultimate sugar show. Yes, that's correct. And I'm not even kidding when you walked in first off, you're really tall. So you have a big presence when you come in. Right. But it was like, people knew you entered the room and swarmed You. Right. I was shocked. Do you remember that? Yeah. And I'm like, Whoa, who is that?
I got to know who that is. And then when I found out it was you because I already knew you by name and face. Really? Okay. Yeah. I didn't know you in person and you know how I knew you. I knew you because of Aaron from arc-on mounts. Oh, okay. Yes. Yeah. Because Aaron and I got into a conversation about you at one point along the way he's been on the show too. Okay, great.
Yeah. And so that was how, but so my point in bringing this up and embarrassing you a little bit, maybe, but just giving our listeners a feel for who you are too, is that a lot of people could look on and say, Oh, I want to be that. Right. All they see is that, and they don't see everything else that it's taken you to get there. And I'm really curious.
How did you feel when you entered the room and like all these people swarmed over to you, was it like shocking and nerve wracking or were you like excited and happy and accepted? It was shocking and exciting just to even be in their presence and that they thought that much of me, so I'm like, Oh my goodness. Like, okay. It had to feel so great. It's like affirmation for everything that you do. I hadn't even came through the door yet and I hit the door. Oh. I mean, like everybody Caught up.
I know, right. Oh, okay. Well I just walk in. Yeah. And that wasn't a small room either. I mean, it was a whole big, that was the trade show area where all the booths were and all that. So it was a big room. So yeah, that was hysterical. But I want to go back and have everyone learn about myself, included your journey. Cause we've already talked a little bit about where you are now. We've also talked about the fear.
You've pointed it out that a lot of your students, one of the big fears is just even taking that first step. So let's go back in time for you and talk about how that happened. Where were you when you identified that this was something that you love doing the whole baking industry? Well, my story is a little different and maybe the same for others. And it just hasn't out with some, maybe You've piqued my curiosity now. So I've been baking for a long time.
Since I was 14, 15, then I got into baking cakes and pound cakes for my dad's church. He's a pastor. Well, he just retired Just now, just recently, just, Oh, good for dad Was this last year and my brother took over. So I would do cakes. And it was a point in my life in 2014, 2015 things, 2014 or 2015, one of them. And I just asked my daughter, this question. I had a tumor, the size of a soccer ball in my belly. Didn't know it, it had to be removed. It sat me down.
I got into a depressed state in my life because at that time I had other business, I had a group home business. I had eight homes and I would manage them every single day. Well, this particular day, April 17th, 2014, I was sat down. I had to learn how to walk again. I couldn't do anything. And I was in a depressed state in my life that I had to figure out something. I felt I was losing everything. Because at that time I was making $300,000 a year between those eight homes.
So those Were group homes for Seniors and the mentally developed disabled. So that's one of, so you were going out and making sure that all the homes that everything was working properly and functioning well and all that. Yep. I had staff, I would network with different lawyers, different counselors, guardians, whoever needed placement for their family member. That's what I did. Wow. What a fabulous service that you were providing?
I mean, I know you're doing it as a business, but what a fabulous service. So you, with the tumor that you found, like everything had to change in your life in including learning how to walk, as you were saying, and like it was a whole life reset for you, then I'm guessing, Oh, reset. Everything that was flashed before me was just like, you know, and then it was crazy because I was getting tired of just doing it by myself. My son had went off to college.
My oldest daughter had started driving semi trucks. So it was just my youngest daughter, which is going to be 18. And then my son is 14 and it was her birthday. And I got cold. Had chills, came back home and took her to her priorities. Still try to get her a special day. And that day they had to rush me from her event to the hospital. My temperature was 256, over 180. I passed out in the lobby. I woke up, I was in a hospital bed. Oh my gosh.
But from that day, after going through all of that, I knew that I was like, okay, I recoup, I got to get back into it. Cause I got a business to run. So my body went septic. I was at home with Ivy. I couldn't do anything. My sister had to come over and give me medicine. So during that time I just had to sign up to do something cause I don't drink or smoke or do anything like that. So I really began to tap into my gift.
And over that period of time, I fell in love with sugar art and started doing candy, apples, anything with sugar temper in and all of that. Did you test like a couple of creative endeavors and then land on sugar art or did it come to sugar out right from the beginning? No. It started with strawberries and then I started doing candy apples. And then as just started, just like, Oh, I can do this with sugar. I can make a Rose with sugar. It started from there.
And I remember my sister, she would come over and she would get me up and take me into the kitchen. And I would just sit in there because I couldn't walk. And I would just sit in there and everything was assessable to me. And I would just begin to start with my craft. And I was like, I feel alone until my kids got home. The time I wasn't a Facebook person. But at the time I would try to figure out what I needed to do or to something that would entertain me.
Cause my mind was already focused in, on being creative for tapping into my gift. And at that time, I didn't know what I was just trying to spend my day with my mind, keeping my mind stimulated. So I wouldn't think about my condition because I just didn't want to be disabled. Right. Like your condition. But you were also lonely cause everyone was off doing their days. Yeah. Yeah. And I couldn't go nowhere until somebody came that was like reality hit. Like, this is what I do for people.
Now. I got people coming over here doing this for me. This is not how it is supposed to be. So it was a depressed state of my life. And at that time I had a friend of mine, a guy, friend of mine and he left. That was it. So I was like, well Lord, what am I going to do? What is it that you want me to do? So this is what I'm having a conversation every day. Like I'm here. You saved me to be here at the, all it is. What is it that you want me to do? So I got into Facebook.
Someone asked me, Oh, they liked what I had posted. They wanted to know how could they learn? And I just got into Facebook doing different photos posting. And then I found Periscope. I was introduced to Periscope, chat on Periscope. And all I did was show how, and this is after I done, went through my therapy and stuff like that, the tumor was connected to my kidneys and my bladder. So I had to go to therapy and they had to make sure everything was good.
But as I made it through all of that, I just started to be more in tune with people that had the same liking of the art. And I'm like, Oh, it's all another world. I was realized it's a whole nother world over here.
Yeah. So at that depressed state of my life, I realized I had a gift that needed to be shared to other people because when I got on Periscope and hearing the stories or reading people's stories or people inboxing me telling me, Oh my God, I told my testimony through Periscope and people just started coming off from all walks of life. I'm like, okay, there's something here. Yeah. So when you Periscope, where you demoing, how you made some of the sugar art, is that what your content was?
Yep. So did You have a regular show where you showed up a certain day of the week or in time of the day and all that? So people knew to look for you or was it that people just happened to find you if they were scrolling Periscope? Well, at first I would just jump on and just start doing different things and just record myself. And then when I seen that I had a following, then I created a group called divine bacon divas.
And that now holds, that was one of the group that everybody wanted to get into, which DVD stands for divine bacon, diva and divas, meaning divinely and spired, but victorious and always serving, Oh, I love that. Yeah. Not just serving treats or cakes, but we're serving to the community and others to continue to be inspired as a sisterhood. So I created that group and that's when I started with looking to see who would be a part and their free time helped me to grow the group.
And I met some wonderful ladies. Some came, some went, but there are some that still they're holding it down till this day. So divine baking divas. Is that Periscope specific or is it a Facebook group or what is that group now? It's a Facebook group. It's a Facebook group. Okay. So that's what I was scheduled. Like make an announcement. Hey, I'm doing this on Periscope. Join me. And that's when my following just started to grow. Okay. Gotcha.
And at this point, were you monetizing anything or you were just what you knew and your skill you were teaching, but you weren't getting paid for any of that. Yeah. I wouldn't monetize it at all. But What you were doing at that point is validating that there was a ton of interest out there to learn from you and to know what, you know. Yeah. I was still letting the community, I had to figure out like, what's really going on. You know what I'm saying?
It's so, and the Facebook group grew and we still have 3000 over 3000 people in the group. It was like, we got to like six to 8,000 people waiting to get in. And I made it private because the foundation that I was laying on in this group, we're going to do everything I'm teaching for free. And this is what I'm displaying. So I wanted people to have the freedom of advertising or showing their work because what I've learned then when nobody share and I'm like, well, I'm just a vessel being used.
Cause we be going through that process of what I went through at that time, I felt I should do this freely. And I still give a lot of free information, but now that it's more structured and I'm doing things as a business and at that time it wasn't a business for me. It was just sharing what I know what I learned and I'm self-taught. Yeah. Well, I love that because that will relate to a lot of our listeners.
Right. Because, and a lot of people I know who listen, feel like maybe if they didn't have education behind their craft, that it's not worth charging for all know, like they've never had to learn the skill, even though they naturally have the skill or to your point are self-taught. But so let's continue with your story. So how, where at what point did the transition come in of you starting to form a real business? I would say in 2015.
So within a year, within a year, because I was getting so many requests and at the time I still had my homes, but I had lost four, had eight. Now I had lost four. I had to shut them down. So in this process, I'm still going through my issues, which nobody knows. And I'm writing a book about it, then wrote a book. I just got to finish it.
But in my book, I talk about this process because after all of that, I'm still here and I got a whole nother business and not saying that I didn't love it, but I love this is just where I should be. Well, there's nothing to say that at that time in your life and in the world, that was what you were supposed to be doing. He has some differences. Yeah. Now At this point, this is what you should be doing. So what steps, like tell us in more of a concrete way, how did you start building a business?
Did you decide then that you were going to create the name of your business? What did you do? When I created the vine back in Davis, I had to file paperwork. Cause at that point it became a business for what I wanted to see form out of it. So we started serving to the community, me and another ambassador of mine. Her name is Tijuana, she's still ambassador and LaDonna and we did Easter basket drive. So I knew if I was going to be out in the community, I had to pad my name and get started in that
process. I was setting up to do shows like to have people come out and just show they work. You know what I'm saying? And just make money off of it. But I started doing my own workshops, traveling to different States, doing my own workshops. I did a tour and just did candy. I did treat, it was just a treat tour. And I did candy, apples, strawberries, rice, Krispie treats is whatever everyone was really into. And I did a whole treat package and I made that a workshop.
So These were face-to-face workshops where they connected with a trade show or were they just your own workshops? No, they were at my own workshops. I didn't get into trade shows until that following year. All right. So you went around to probably where people were, who were part of the divine baking DeVos, I'm guessing. And then we're doing live workshops and that's the first way you monetized teaching what you knew. Okay. Love it. And so how big were those classes?
Between 25 to 30. So nice size. Not too big, but not too small either. Yeah. Not too small where you weren't making money on them, but not too big where people didn't felt like they didn't get any of the attention. Yeah. And I think the first class I had 20 people and then when they seen network, they work, then more people wanted to come and I'm like, Oh my God. So I took a whole summer, did a whole summer tour and I did it every year.
And I traveled from that time until now I traveled over 20 States. Wow. That's amazing. You have that going. And were you doing that up until last year when everything got shut down? Yeah. It got different. Cause that at that point, when they started to hear about me, they wanted me to come to their shows, right? With this girl, I was doing my own workshops. So I would be invited to do different shows and I did a meet and greet with divine bacon divas.
And when I did the meet and greet, it was in Atlanta, the first one was in Atlanta and we would do it every other year. And it was just from that community, divine bacon, Dave, the sisterhood. And over the period of time, I had to realize it's just more than us now. I have helped and, and build these ladies up. Those that need help. And it's time for me to take it for me, step out.
So that's where from the vine baking divas, since I was creating and building my platform and getting myself out there, I knew I had to do more. And so I would tell Towanna, or LaDanna like, I need to step out and I'm coaching to them. Y'all do too. It's more than just these four walls. I feel like we in the four walls and that's not where we should be in order to grow, we have to step outside of the box. And I feel like now we are inside of the box.
And So what was the action to step out of the box, Create another brand, another Institute which produced your sweet connection. So the divine baking divas is still more of an exclusive community. And then how is your sweet connection? Different? They have some similarities, but your sweet connection is more because I did so much in there freely. I didn't want to feel like I wanted to take from that. I still wanted to be as that non-profit so it's not for profit. You know what I'm saying?
So, which your sweet connection is the whole brand, a whole corporation where from other businesses that can come from up under that, like YSU supplies shop the VIP, the YFC VIP Academy, which is online. And I just created, I'm still waiting on the paperwork YFC care foundation non-profit foundation to help the less fortunate, those that are at need, any Baker that may be striving and trying to come up and need help. So maybe offering scholarships or things like that.
Yes. The vision currently, some of this is still getting established and some of this is already in existence under your suite. Connection is the supply shop, which is your e-commerce location. Right. I want to get into that an Academy, which is a training center and then your care portion, which is the giving back and the nonprofit. Yep. Beautiful. I love that so much. Thank you. Let's talk about the supply shop. How did you decide to get into that? And tell us a little bit more about that.
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To for more information, go to the ribbon print company.com. Well, I go to all these different shows and being asked to be a brand ambassador for this company, for that company. I began to be a brand ambassador for seven different companies. What does it mean when you become a brand ambassador you're displaying or promoting someone else's product or just being a face to their brand for that company to bring in sales or show the use of a product that is good.
And I'll only be a part of those that I really do like, and that is good. That works. How did that come about? Is it because they saw that you were using their product already? So I'm saying that I was using their product and then they would email me and say, Hey, we want you to try this. And a lot of the times, if it wasn't something that I have never used and I'm open, but if I don't like it and I don't think it's going to work, then I don't even mention it.
And plus, when I started your sweet connection, I started doing YouTube. So I get a lot of sponsor and brand deals from YouTube as well. So they just email or they just act. Okay. And then do you have to sign a contract or something? Or how does that work With some companies? Yes. So they would just send free products for me to try out and just do the content from my social media platform. And just go from there. I do get monetized. I get compensated for whatever I display or whatever I do.
So like an affiliate type program. Right. Got it. Okay. So this is, what started you thinking about the supply shop? The e-commerce shop? Yep. I wanted my own baking line. Ooh. Yeah. Wilton's had promised me my own line with them and it's cause I had started doing YouTube and they sent me some stuff and I was, I was created the content, but it never happened. So I was disappointed. Cause by I put out a lot of content on YouTube.
You put out A lot of content on YouTube using their product with the understanding that your name or somehow those products. At some point we're going to be a product that people could buy through Wilton, but be branded you. Right. Because my following, if I show or display it, they're going to buy it. Right. And that's where a lot of other companies will come to me because I wouldn't refer.
I'm like, Hey you to go down, check out this shop, check out this shop because if it's good, I'm going to recommend my students or whoever to go and purchase or try it out. So I didn't get it. And at that point I said, you know what? I know, it's a way I can get my arm. But I started researching before I even jumped into even getting my own brand line. And I sat on it for about a year and a half. And I'm like, am I prepared? This is where the fear comes in.
Right. So I'm like, am I stuck here for this? Cause soon as I put something out, they want to know. So when I did put it out, Oh my God, I had almost 800 orders. And that was just a silicone mat. I had got silicone mats and I was working on other items. And then I said, okay, I need a supply chain. Okay. So time to back it up, back it up. Okay. So having your own mind, that sounds awesome. How do you get products to be in your own line? Because you're not recreating a product,
right? You're not like remaking a product that's different from other products or like, or are you like, how do you get your products and get your name on products and make it into a shop? That's a big question. I had a class for that. Oh, you're so funny. Okay. So just give us a little summary, just a teaser. You don't have to tell us all the details. Obviously people need to take your class if they want to go that route. No. You find a manufacturer that is okay. Say pair rate glass.
So I use chocolate. So my signature thing on melting candy, wafer chocolate wafer is in a of glass. Now, if I wanted my own, which I've been working on that for some years now I got one, but I don't like the quality of it. So I'm still in search of finding a new manufacturer that will provide that good quality of glass. So you find a manufacturer or supplier that will produce or create item that is fitting for your brand, your company, or if that's something that's signature that you use.
And some people may want. And I'm trying to ask, this is according to me Without telling the secrets. Okay. So you find a place to manufacture your product and then you work with the manufacturer to get it the way you would like it to be. Right? Exactly. So what types of products do you have in the supplies shop Now? That's my own brand or your own brand? My silicone mats, my mixing spoons. I have some measuring cups, but they're not out yet. Ooh. So you're tempting our listeners,
Rochelle. Oh yeah. You can have your own product lines. I had a pot, but this pot and this particular item was an issue because it was being manufactured from China and the weight of it was an issue and it got held up at customs for a whole year. So it caused a whole issue. And at that point I had to tell them, okay, and at that time, I didn't know what could have held up that shipment, but anything that's coming from China will cause an issue.
If something in that package detects something file or files. I mean, something, it can be just as small as a bee or something could be in the package. If something is not right with the package is not going to come over to the United States. Yeah. I know that. I import from China. I have my own product also. Okay. And come in from China. I know all that story, but my question is, so you have a lot of different types of products in your supply shop. Are they all from different factories?
Yes. Okay. So that's a whole organization thing onto itself too. Yes. Different vendors. Okay. So you've got that. And then you also have you're selling products that are made by others. They're you just endorse them. So you've put them in your shop. You're getting them wholesale. I'm guessing. And then selling them out. Yes, that's correct. Okay. And where Is all of that functioning from?
Do you get the product over to you and then you fulfill all the orders physically in some location around you? Yeah. I have everything shipped to me. Everything is delivered to me and I repackage from whatever wholesaler, whether it's from chocolate Merkin's I can even open the whole candy shop. So I tell you, I was telling my students that I just don't know. They so excited because I do have a brick and mortar and an e-commerce class online.
But the vendors that I am working with will help provide a million dollar business if they do it. Right. That's amazing if they do it right. If they do it. Right. And the reason why I say that is because if you just throw out some numbers and a scenario, and this is how I did my research, because before the pandemic, I was heading to Atlanta, which I still am to open up a shop and you know, I got some supplies still there and I was going to connect with cooking up.
Yeah. Michelle, Michelle has been on the show too. Yeah. Yeah. Mark and Michelle. Yeah. That's my girl. I want to say something really quick here to everyone who's listening. So gift biz listeners. When we talk about collaborations, listen, as Rochelle keeps talking, this is a perfect example of a collaboration. She was going to build this huge.
I don't know if I should be saying this cause not me, but we were going to collaborate and combine our businesses and our services and make something master. I say master elite because it was, they was going to build a state of the art studio for bakers to come in and teach, do video. And I was going to have my portion of the shop in their location. And I still think it's going to come. Yeah. Everything was just put on pause.
That's all. Yeah. So I was headed to Atlanta, but I tell people all the time, if you take this scenario, go somewhere. And this is where I did my research. I did my research for even before then. So like three years ago, if you take everybody into bacon, in a location where it's hard and I'm going to say like North Carolina and Riley, they don't have too many supply shops. Right. And I'll use Atlanta for example, because that's where the research came from.
Cake art is in Atlanta and they liked the only place that everybody go to in the state of Georgia. They have other little places, but everybody go to cake art because they have everything in there that's needed. They can walk in and get it, Mr. The wait on the orders that come through the mail. Right? So if you have this one shop that everybody's shopping with, this is a million dollar company,
right? So say for instance, you have your shop and you put your shop in an area where everybody is in a neutral zone. Everybody can come to. And then now there's another place you're open from Monday through Friday. Right? And just say, for instance, people like to shop Monday through Friday, your doors are open and you have 200 customers come in a day. So say you have a Saturday, which is busy. You got 200 customers come in, you do your end of the day sale.
You got 200 customers come in out of those 200 customers. Every one of them spent $200. Okay, let me get out my calculator here, everyone don't spend $200. This is just the example. You got 200 customers. That's $40,000 on just that day. And a Saturday is different than other days Than other days. And all the days is not going to be the same because you got to have your slow days.
But just the example, if you was the only shop in a location and everybody go to this particular store Monday through Friday, and your traffic is still high throughout the week, that's a million dollar business. If you getting 40,000 a day. Cause I seen the people spend the money in the supply shop, right.
I spend two to 300, but I'm just saying like, if you can go into a hobby lobby and they have the high traffic and it's just 200 people, so which are small business, if you get that same type of traffic and you just get that in one day, just imagine what you're getting through the week. And that's just Monday through Friday. So if you come in on a Saturday, you got more people or if you open seven days a
week. Yeah. For sure. And what you're really getting at is you're identifying an opportunity in a market. You're seeing that there are already people interested and then you're coming in and taking a little piece of the pie if you will. And when you have a brand like you've started to develop, you have a following and it can really add up.
Okay. Yeah. Now the one thing I just want to say to people who are maybe new to the show or new to business, Rochelle is talking about a million dollar business. Now that's top line revenue. That's not take-home money. Cause you still have the cost of leasing employees buying the products, taxes, all of that. So I just want to make sure that yeah, all of it, but still you're just showing how there's a market. And there are people that can buy and 200 customers may or may not be realistic,
right. When you're starting gardening. Absolutely. But it's just a peek at how the numbers can like to look at your numbers and to see what you need and to go from there. Of course. So you were mentioning in the beginning of our conversation about the supply shop, that it can be very lucrative. As long as you don't make some mistakes. Can you share with us one mistake that you see happen? Like maybe something that you've seen with your students or one
mistake. Yeah. Why do you have like 10, you want to share with us or just something that people should be cautious about? What would you say Don't do it because you think you're going to make money. I believe in doing it because you love to and make money, but it's a lot behind it and don't do it to be like someone else or to be better than someone else. Just be great at it. Speak in my language. I mean, it has to be a deeper reason than just financial, The reward.
Exactly. So serving the public or serving that community, you have to have a heart behind it. So the biggest mistake you can make is going into it just for the money, because you want to be inviting to your customers. Or the biggest mistake is to go into it and feel like, Oh, I'm going to do the same day. They're doing it. I'm going to get the same thing because it's working for them. But no, what may work for them may not work for you. Right? Every market is different.
So you can't take what you see somebody else market and put it in your market and think it's going to work over in this area because that's not the case. Every market is different. Yeah. So true. Wrong thing to do is not do your homework and not research. It's important. Yeah. So we're, do you see things progressing in the future?
You've talked about the collaboration that you'll be doing or hopefully still be able to pick up and do with Michelle, but like what else do you see in the next couple of years coming up for you Next couple of years, we're going to continue to do you YouTube opening my shop for my brick and mortar and helping others to do the same. I want to help build. And then I'm still helping people build their business.
But I want to be that chef Ramsey, not the Hill part, not the Hills kitchen, but I want to be that age or be that blessing to come in and help others where you see fit. Because when you're in business, it's not easy. And a lot of times people get stuck in the market of a bakery. I want to be the one to just fly out and be like, Hey, where do you need help at? Let's do a sale. Let's look at your numbers. Let's look at, see where you need to do a sale to increase your
sales. You know, I want to be that person to go out and help their business. Yeah. So it sounds like you're really high touch. Like you want to be right there with them helping them. All right. So we can not end the show without talking about a blessing that you've received over the last several months. Can you tell us what's exciting and what had happened to you? Oh my goodness. Yes. That was the greatest Baker. Let's talk about it. Tell us your experience there, man. That was so stressful.
Well, tell us, walk us through. It was so stressful. Could you say this was like the shark tank for bakers man? Yes, it definitely was because I got up to the quarterfinals. I could have had it, but it was man. I seen the fight in the quarter finals. I was in first. Then in third I was bounced around from first, second and third, first, second and third, first, second and third.
But it's definitely something that you have to be involved to get your following or family involved to, to, to support. Cause the audience votes. Yeah, the audience votes and they by hero votes. So hero votes would double like I think they would double, but when I did it, I didn't really think what it was. I was like, okay, good. I'm like, I gotta follow him. Let me do this. But then I realized I'm like these people it's a whole thing. Yeah. Because I just would just post it.
And some of the other people from my students will post it and I didn't think nothing of it I'm like, okay. They was like, Rochelle, you to the next round. I'm like, I did. I'm like, okay, I'm gonna post it tomorrow. I was barely posting it until I got was gradually going to the next level. And I know, you know, chef Blake, right? Yeah. Okay. So he will call him crazy. I got to be in competition with you. I'm not going to lose this me. I'm like, shoot. He was working.
It is just, it was like we had a job to do and we were doing it every day after that point. And he was like, well shit, you know, you made it to the quarter finals. Right? I'm like, no way. I'm like I did. Oh, exciting. So that's when it starts to really be interesting. But yes, I was may I made it to the quarterfinals and the greatest Baker challenge. And that was very interesting That you say that was very interesting. Did you see any increase in your following from that?
You know, I really didn't do the analytics on that. It was more for the experience. Yeah. It really was. I'm sure you got new followers from that and you definitely got your name out there to other people for sure. Oh my gosh. That was so fun. I loved watching the progression and then you posted and then you got to the next level and everyone was excited and then you posted again and you got to that next level. It was like, yeah, I clever. Yeah. It was excited. I was like, Oh my God,
really? I'm like, no way. That's so fun. So every day I got to the point I was checking, I was checking out. I was like, wow. But always know those that are listening. Be on your a game because there is always someone watching, Oh, that's really good advice when you don't think they're not watching, they're watching.
And I always say, till my students to be professional, be you be unique and your gift because you can't be like nobody else got in intended intends for you to be that way because you were created and a unique way. So even in your gifting or just be you and be unique. Beautiful, perfect. We are going to end it there because those are golden words. For sure.
If someone wants to join your circle, know more about you, Rochelle, where would the single place online be that you would suggest for them to go? I would say they can follow me on Facebook, but mainly you can go to my YouTube channel and that's all information on what you may need or look for is on there. And that's your sweet connection. Or you can follow me on my Instagram at your sweet Connect and you go there. I give up a lot of gifts. Well now you've piqued. Everyone's curiosity for sure.
And give his listeners, you know, all of that. It'll all be over in the show notes. So if you weren't able to capture the links, just look at the show notes and you will be able to get directly over to Rochelle. So thank you so much for shell. This has been so interesting. I love your story. I am so glad that you healed and moved on to the whole world of confection artistry. Thank you so much for being on the show today. Thank you for having me.
All I have to say is Wilton missed out big time on not taking on Rochelle's line. A great example of keeping an eye on the end goal. And if one path doesn't take you there, you just find another road. Pinterest is our topic for next week. There's been a lot of conversation about Pinterest in the breeze. So I'm loaded with all your questions and next Monday, it's answer time.
Finally, make sure you check out maker's MBA while the doors are still open, class starts March 15th and it's already shaping up to be a great group. And I'd love to have you included go to gift biz, unwrapped.com forward slash makers, MBA for all of the details and to grab your seat. Thank you so much for spending time with me today. If you'd like to show support for the podcast, a rating and review would be fabulous and you know what that does. It helps the show get seen by more makers.
So it's a really nice way to pay it forward. Also, if you follow the podcast, you'll automatically get new shows, right? The second that they air that way you don't miss anything and now be safe and well. And I'll see you again next week on the gift biz unwrapped Cast. I want to make sure you're familiar with my free Facebook group called gift is breeze. It's a place where we all gather and our community to support each other. Got a really fun post in there. That's my favorite of the week.
I have to say where I invite all of you to share what you're doing to show pictures of your product, to show what you're working on for the week to get reaction from other people and just for fun, because we all to see the wonderful products that everybody in the community is making my favorite post every single week, without doubt. Wait, what, aren't you part of the group already, if not make sure to jump over to Facebook and search for the group gift biz breeze don't delay.
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