Today we’d like to introduce you to Nasly Perez.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Hi there! I’m Nasly Perez (most people call me Nas), and I’m the owner of Sweet Stuff by Nas. A few things led me to become a stay at home mom & small business owner. I met my husband in 2014 and became a mother in 2018. We discussed and agreed that when the time came, I would stay home to care for our children. As a young first-time mom, I struggled mentally more than physically and I was desperate to find myself again. Although I wanted to be a stay at home mom, I also felt inclined to do more.
Fast forward to December 2020, I found out we were pregnant again, this time with TWINS! My pregnancy was very smooth so I continued to help my husband grow his business until I had my twin daughters. The first couple of months were a blur but before I knew it, I was planning their first birthday party! This is where Sweet Stuff By Nas is born. As most parents know, party planning is stressful. There is an extensive checklist to make a party come to life. One of the things on every list for a special occasion are desserts and sweet treats. I stressed about having to look for multiple vendors to make the different desserts I wanted. This made me realize how many times I would need to repeat this process for every birthday party and special occasion, for 3 children, for the next 18+ years. Yikes! Fortunately, I am also the biggest sweet tooth.
I love being a stay at home mom and I didn’t want to give that up but at the same time, I wanted to do something that I could proudly call my own. Creating delicious desserts that are beautiful/visually appealing and sharing them with others, really sparked my excitement. I realized that I could facilitate the process of ordering desserts by allowing my customers to order a variety of quality crafted sweets rather than ordering from three or four different vendors. I’m still learning every day. I love the quote, “practice makes improvement”. I try and keep that in mind when dessert making & family life gets hectic.
There are days that I’m extremely busy balancing my business and family, while on other days I can focus on just my family and myself. I chose to start my own business as it allowed me to share my passion for delicious desserts while providing me the freedom to do it on my own time. Sweet Stuff By Nas offers custom desserts, party packages, dessert gift boxes, and much more. We have all the Sweet Stuff you need in one place!
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
One of the first obstacles I faced when starting my business was the self-doubt that emerges when trying something new. I was worried about how I would manage orders while taking care of my kids at home. I was worried about starting something that I would not be able to finish. My husband tells me, “worry about getting some orders in first, then worry about the rest.” He was right. After getting a few orders in, I found my groove and figured out how to manage orders while taking care of my kids. There have been nights where the only way to finish or prepare an order meant starting when the kids went to bed and staying up until 2am. Some days, I am waking up at 5am to get an order finished before the kids wake up. I am blessed to have a great support system. When things get overwhelming, I have my husband to talk to, who gives me great advice and clears my head. I have my mother who is always there to help me with my kids when I need a break or need to keep the kids busy while I finish an order or go grocery shopping.
A different challenge I have faced is finding enough strawberries. Of course, I didn’t have that problem when I was just buying a container of strawberries for my kids. I want to give my customers a delicious product that I am proud of which means finding the perfect berries. There are a few requirements when picking the berries I will use for my desserts. From each container at the store, there are only about 4-6 strawberries that I can use to dip. They are not bruised, they are ripe, they are not too small or large, and most importantly, they are fresh. This means buying more strawberries than I’m used to just to round up a couple dozen. Also, strawberry shortages have had me scrambling. I had no idea strawberry shortages were a thing until I had to go to six different stores to find some decent strawberries! One night I was at Kroger at 11pm looking for strawberries. The nice man working in the produce section let me sort through all of the boxes to pick and choose individual strawberries and make my own containers. They get rid of strawberry containers every night, even the fresh ones!
Having a small business means going through a lot of trial and error, from recipes, packaging, and social media. I used to be hard on myself when something didn’t turn out how I expected the first go around. What I once considered an obstacle is now an opportunity to grow and learn. It is an exciting realization when I figure out what I did wrong and how I can correct it on the next try.
As you know, we’re big fans of Sweet Stuff By Nas. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Sweet Stuff By Nas is a small business owned by a young mother of 3. I am active on social media in hopes of inspiring other young mothers to find a hobby or skill they enjoy that they can also monetize. Sweet Stuff By Nas offers custom desserts and sweet treats. Chocolate covered strawberries, dessert cups, dipped pretzels, rice crispys, oreos and cakepops are a few of our most requested treats. We have party packages for your dessert table that are great for special occasions and small gatherings. Dessert boxes are a special treat to share with friends and loved ones. They can be customized with special toppings that include peanuts, oreo crumble, toasted coconut, and much more! Our treats can also be customized to fit your theme and colors for baby showers, birthday parties, holidays, and other special occasions. I personally love delivering orders because I love to be a part of the excitement when receiving a sweet treat. Who wouldn’t have a smile on their face when receiving a box of sweetness?! There is nothing more fulfilling than a satisfied customer. I take pride in making sure every customer has a smooth experience ordering Sweet Stuff By Nas. I believe my customers feel like they are ordering from a friend rather than a business. This is why every order is made with love and gratitude. I hope to make friendships out of customers and be a part of every celebratory milestone.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
My family. I would not be where I am at today without the motivation my family provides me with. The times I felt lost and discouraged, my family was there to lift me up and keep me on track. Through them, I have learned to believe in myself and push through when life gets hectic. I practice gratitude daily, which allows me to feel happiness even on days I don’t feel so great.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @sweetstuffbynas
