Vendors play a big role in what we do as event planners. Without them there would not be a complete event. Because of this we like to take time and highlight some of our favorites.
So this week we’d like to highlight Crème Cupcake. Cupcakes with a twist are what this Midwest cupcake company offers – a cupcake store that pairs drinks and cocktails with specific cupcake flavors during their happy hour.
Being a fellow Entrepreneur, we sat down with the owner of Crème Cupcake, Christina Moffatt. We asked her to share some defining moments in her career and how she became the successful business woman that she is. See what we were able to find out:
After working for 10 years in corporate U.S.A., Christina decided she was tired of seeing people with no happiness in their day. Her mission became to find what makes people happy. The answer, she discovered, was cupcakes and dessert.
A baker since she could hold a measuring spoon, Christina combined her culinary skills with her management and marketing experience to create Crème Cupcake + Dessert, which expanded from a home-operated bakery to a commercial kitchen in less than a year.In May of 2015, Christina partnered to take the dessert lounge concept nationally through franchise agreements.
1. What was the defining moment when you made the decision to go into business for yourself? When I booked 1000 cupcakes for the Bravo Gala I realized this could be a full time career.
2. Did you work another job and run your business at the same time? I worked full time for 6 months while I built my business on the side.
3. If so, at what point did you decide to quit working for someone else and work on your business? After I booked the 1000 cupcakes for Bravo Gala, I ran cash flow projections to figure what I needed to produce every month to cover all my expenses and pay myself.
4. Can you give us a small idea of how that decision changed your business? It became serious with marketing plans, networking with right client/ referrals and thinking as a business rather than a hobby
5. What are some of the most important decisions or aha’s you’ve had in opening a business? You have to use tools and peoples expertise that are available to you. You can’t do everything or you’ll do it all poorly.
6. What are some really surprising things you’ve learned about having your own business that you would have never guessed before starting your business? Something is always going to break or you’ll have an unexpected expense so you have to manage your cash flow wisely.
7. At what point did you finally decide to hire your first employee? And how has that advanced your business? When my days were topping to 18-hour days I knew I couldn’t keep going at that pace. I also had a wise mentor named Tracy Fuller tell me “Be happy where you are with your business or hire people so you can grow”
8. Are there any tips or trips you would like meeting and event planners to know when working with you to get the best outcome for their event? I love Planners! They are a great referral source for us! The more precise on delivery time, directions in the building of where to set up down to the table being labeled is awesome. Saves us time from butting in to their day to ask questions.
Want to know more about Christina and Crème Cupcake? Follow them on Twitter @cremecupcakedsm
Tracy Fuller-White has owned and operated an event production company for 30+ years and has done events nationally and internationally for fortune 100 and fortune 500 companies.
