Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenna Crawford.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jenna. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My career in caking actually stemmed from a hobby of baking cupcakes and always trying out new flavors that were different than what you’d normally see. My hobby blossomed after leaving an education degree on the table at Texas A&M, when I realized that public education was not my calling and I needed a creative outlet. My journey that brought me where I am today is largely in part due to the faith of my clients, mentors, teachers and my supportive husband.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The biggest struggle I continue to face is the mundane tasks of owning a business: budgeting, tracking expenses, tackling the paperwork and being on top of the back office aspects. If I had to give any advice to young women venturing out to start their business, it would be to find a supportive mentor with GREAT experience and build a relationship with them. Learning from friends who share tips and successes is much more beneficial when you’re bouncing ideas between two people, as opposed to asking for their trade secrets. Some of my best advice has come from powerhouse women who are successful in their respective industries.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into Sinfully Sweet Cake Design story. Tell us more about the business.
My business Sinfully Sweet Cake Design specializes in both unique cakes and cookies, with each project’s goal to blow clients away with the creativity, technical execution and innovative elements. I’m probably most proud of the fact that other successful creative business owners see my potential and what I can bring to the table. Having that kind of faith from other leaders speaks huge volumes to me. While my cakes are always a hit with clients and guests, people LOVE my cookies – clients and friends have dubbed them ‘crack cookies’ because you cannot just eat one-ever. It’s rare that packages make it to their destinations untouched. They definitely set me apart because now people can recognize my style of work and techniques based on the cookie itself and not a watermark or logo on an image.
Do you have any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general? What has worked well for you?
Man, you just have to find someone who KNOWS what they are talking about. I see so many younger artists (in various fields) that take advice from others who are new at this and not well-established. It’s like the blind leading the blind sometimes and then it’s not beneficial for either party involved. It also *hugely* helps if you’re open to critique, learning and understanding that we will all make mistakes – but learning from those is how you grow. I’ve been on the receiving end of mentoring many times and while sometimes it’s a blow to the ego when you’re wrong, knowing that each experience helps me down the road is a large part of success. Don’t be afraid to be wrong, own it when you are, make each step something to build on. I’m a different kind of mentor… while I never intend to hurt feelings or tear someone down, I strive to give sound advice that is backed by experience and help someone else grow. Luckily, I have a sweet friend who has understood that I’m not a coddling-type person and she’s grown so much since understanding that I encourage from a place of wanting her to succeed.
When it comes to networking, I strive to find like-minded individuals who have made their own mark in their industries, with their own exceptional style. When you work with other businesses who share the same values, clientele and overall design ideas for innovation, it makes this job a lot easier when it comes to collaborations or working on larger events. The same is applied to mentors – I heed my own advice and find those who are willing to share and uplift someone – when the future of an industry succeeds, everyone wins.
Pricing:
- Events, $200+
- Weddings, $500+
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sinfullysweetcake.com
- Email: jenna@sinfullysweetcake.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/sinfullysweettx
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/sinfullysweettx
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/sinfullysweettx
- Other: https://www.theknot.com/marketplace/sinfully-sweet-cake-design-cypress-tx-985741
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
