Today we’d like to introduce you to Tahira Christensen.
Hi Tahira, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve always had a passion for baking. My mom would make us these sheet cakes on our birthday that were shaped like animals or different things that we liked. This was way before Pinterest so she would spend time making the shape and baking the cakes, coloring icing, etc to make us these creations. She would work mostly at night so we would wake up to these cakes and be so excited to see what it was this year! Our birthdays were always our special day and while we didn’t have a lot of money, my parents went out of their way to make sure we felt loved and special on our day! When I went away to college I found myself sharing this tradition with the special people in my life! I would get up early and make breakfast and end the day with a cake or some baked treat I knew they liked.
I ultimately graduated college and found myself working in Retail Management, I made good money, but felt I was always working and really working my body to the ground for other people. Year after year I would daydream about working for myself but really had no clue what I would want to do! I mostly sought out jobs surrounding my degree in Advertising but realized they weren’t really doing it for me either. I even tried my hand at writing for a bit because I’ve always loved that but realized when I was forced to do it, it wasn’t as enjoyable. Then I had my eureka moment and realized the thing I most enjoyed doing casually could be something that could make me some money.
Scrumptious started as a side business that I did mostly for birthdays and friends and family at first. I couldn’t really do big holidays because that was also when were busy at work! I found myself making a tough decision to leave a job in 2016 and that’s when Scrumptious was really born! I started making cheesecakes and found a commercial kitchen to use, I developed a menu and found 2 bars that would carry my desserts. I started taking way more orders and doing vendor events to help sell more and to get the word out about my business. It was fun, but I always knew I ultimately wanted to open a storefront. I started developing an even larger menu and spent most every Sunday visiting a bakery.
So in 2020 in the middle of the pandemic when the opportunity to take over a retail space became available, i jumped at the opportunity. And we have now been there a year and have built so many great relationships and a great following in our local area! We are already thinking expansion and hoping to add more locations in the next few years!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It wasn’t always easy. When I first left my job, I really had no experience running my own business and didn’t truly understand how much work went into it. That was a real eye-opening experience early on. but the lessons I learned i think really helped me later on.
Having my daughter in 2019, made me realize the importance of time management. I was so used to just working whenever I wanted and not really keeping a schedule. But when you add a human to the mix you have to get organized and strategic really fast!
And of course the biggest obstacle to date, the shutdown of 2020. I was so lost and had no idea what would happen with my business. I was getting so many cancellations and everything was uncertain. I was able to pivot through and start selling slices at the local wine bar I baked at and that really helped me find even more local customers and really helped shape what the storefront would be like.
We’ve been impressed with Scrumptious Houston, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Scrumptious is a bakery located in Nassau Bay, TX, less than 5 minutes from Johnson Space Center. We offer weekly rotating menus featuring cheesecake, cake slices, cupcakes and so much more. We have become a local favorite for our cheesecake, banana pudding, brownies and cookies, But we have something for every sweet tooth. What sets us apart is definitely our cheesecake menu, we are up to 30 rotating flavors and we have even more for seasonal/ holiday offerings.
I’m most proud of how we were able to transition from being a home-based business to a retail bakery. The job description literally changed overnight and we were able to change with it and build our brand, in the middle of a global pandemic!
I would like readers to know that no matter the occassion, Scrumptious has a dessert for YOU! We can customize anything to your liking and we are truly driven by the joy our desserts bring to others! We want to deliver some of that joy to your next event!
Who else deserves credit in your story?
My husband deserves so much credit he really is my rock and only one that sees how hard this entrepreneur thing is. He is my cheerleader and my shoulder to cry on when needed. He keeps me balanced and pushing forward!
My Teammate and Business Partner Nicole McEachern chose me to take on this retail ride with her when the space opened up and for that, I am so grateful. We have both been able to grow our businesses so much and learn so much from each other in the process.
My Family and friends for dealing with my absence and my gripes and loving on me anyway. So many people root for me daily and I feel it and see it and it’s so motivating!
Contact Info:
- Email: info@scrumptioushouston.com
- Website: www.scrumptioushouston.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/ScrumptiousHouston
- Facebook: facebook.com/ScrumptiousHouston
