Building a customer-facing business from an access problem I understood personally.
So Sweet Dessert Emporium began with a simple frustration: finding enjoyable dessert options that worked for different dietary needs could be difficult. Over six years, I turned that frustration into a custom dessert business—developing products, managing orders, building systems, creating content, and learning what it takes to deliver at scale.
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A personal access problem became a business question.
So Sweet began because I understood firsthand how limiting dessert options could feel when many products did not work for your dietary needs. I wanted to create custom treats that felt celebratory, personal, and accessible—not like an afterthought.
What started as a small baking project grew into a six-year business where I was responsible for everything from recipes and product development to customer communication, inventory, packaging, marketing, and financial tracking.
Not every product was allergy-friendly. The business offered allergy-friendly options alongside a broader custom dessert menu.
A business with more moving parts than a kitchen.
Product Development
Developed 50+ dessert offerings and adapted custom orders around customer needs, event themes, and preferences. Every product required testing, costing, and iteration before it reached a customer.
Customer Experience
Managed 300+ completed customer orders, using direct communication and customization to create a reliable, personal experience from inquiry to delivery.
Operations
Tracked orders, costs, inventory, and profitability while handling packaging, fulfillment, and event logistics—often simultaneously, without any operational support.
Marketing & Brand
Built and managed the brand's presence across Instagram (@sosweetdessertemporium), TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest, and a business website. Grew the Instagram account to 600+ followers and reached 109,406 impressions over a 90-day period. Pinterest Idea Pins surpassed 100,000 total views, confirmed by Pinterest. Content was engaged by verified accounts including Wilton Cakes.
The spreadsheet that worked at 10 orders stopped working at 100.
Early on, I managed the business through a simple spreadsheet. That system was fine when orders were occasional and products were limited. As demand grew, it exposed bottlenecks: custom requests were harder to track, inventory decisions became more complicated, and resource allocation required more discipline.
This was one of the clearest lessons of the business: growth is not only about getting more customers. It is about building systems that can handle more complexity without losing quality.
"Growth is not only about getting more customers. It is about building systems that can handle more complexity without losing quality."
So Sweet — Operational ReflectionLearning to run the numbers, not just make the product.
I maintained financial records for the business, using them to understand costs, pricing, margins, and reinvestment decisions. Across recorded activity through 2025, So Sweet generated $7,584.17 in gross revenue and $4,541.71 in net profit—roughly a 60% net margin.
Building a business with a purpose beyond the transaction.
Rainforest Trust
From early in the business, So Sweet committed 20% of each order to Rainforest Trust, linking customer purchases to endangered-species conservation.
Donation totals to be documented and added.Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Participated in the 2023 Student Visionaries fundraising campaign through Team Confections for Cancer, connecting the business to a cause-driven community effort.
Fundraising totals to be documented and added.What customers said.
The following are public Facebook recommendations posted on the So Sweet Dessert Emporium page. Displayed with attribution.
Reviews sourced from public Facebook recommendations on the So Sweet Dessert Emporium page. Additional reviews on file.
Growing beyond the kitchen.
GoNanas
Served as a GoNanas ambassador with confirmed onboarding, a unique affiliate code, product seeding, and recurring social content for the allergy-friendly dessert brand.
The Professor Kev Show
Interviewed about the origin and journey of So Sweet Dessert Emporium—entrepreneurship, access, and what it takes to build a business as a student.
Watch InterviewEntrepreneur Features
So Sweet contributed to a broader public entrepreneurship story featured through outlets including CanvasRebel, VoyageDallas, Girls Fund the World, Innobitious, and others.
View Press & FeaturesClosing a business does not erase what it built.
So Sweet closed in May 2026 because I moved out of state for college. The closure was not a failure—it was the end of one chapter and the result of choosing a new one.
The business taught me how to handle uncertainty, make decisions with incomplete information, communicate with customers, recover from mistakes, and keep improving systems as the work became more complex.
What I would carry into the next venture.
Systems Matter
A good product is not enough. The customer experience depends entirely on the systems behind it—order tracking, inventory discipline, communication, and fulfillment all have to work before the product ever reaches someone's door.
Customization Has a Cost
Personalization creates value, but it also introduces operational complexity that has to be priced and managed thoughtfully. Every custom request is a small project—and those projects add up.
Small Businesses Teach Fast
The quickest learning came from real stakes: a late order, an inventory mistake, a recipe that failed, or a customer problem that needed a solution immediately. There was no buffer between the decision and the consequence.
Evidence & Artifacts
Photography, documentation, and records from the life of the business. Replace placeholders as assets are gathered.
