Today we’d like to introduce you to Liza Spencer
Liza, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up watching my grandmother preparing delicious meals in her kitchen and watching how she put so much love into her cooking. As a young married gal I took to preparing creative dishes in the kitchen, specifically when it came to desserts. My parents owned a fine chocolates company for a time and in addition to helping out in the retail store, I learned how to hand dip chocolate truffles in the chocolate factory. As young moms, a group of friends and I discovered our love for caramel covered pretzel rods afterwhich dipped into chocolate and decorated for family and friends for Christmas gifts. We spent multiple days carefully hand rolling and dipping hundreds of pretzels for gift giving. . Three decades later, my neighbors still anticipate them at Christmas time!
In 2017, I worked with a local chocolatier who taught me proper chocolate handling and chocolate tempering methods. I was hooked! Dipping anything from fruits to cookies to caramel covered pretzels in chocolate became my passion.
In 2020, during the pandemic I had some time on my hands and spent a lot more time in my kitchen. At the urging of my children, I built an Instagram account and website displaying photos of uniquely decorated pretzel rods and other sweets. I began creating custom dipped caramel/chocolate pretzel orders for friends and acquaintances; the word was spreading! These treats became a welcome relief from the dismal reality of a pandemic, and I found a lot of joy using my creativity to bring smiles to people’s faces.
In the following years I continued to build my small business by advertising on social media and taking online orders. I began taking orders for birthdays, holidays, events and parties. Each treat is handmade with high quality ingredients, all prepared in my home kitchen, with attention to detail, such as Halloween characters, Thanksgiving turkeys and Santa with reindeer. I continue to provide sweets ranging from a dozen to a couple thousand at a time.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s not always smooth sailing! There is a lot of market saturation in the confectionary space. I’m striving to set myself apart from other offerings.
Consistency in sales is also a challenge. Anticipating major holiday orders is manageable, but it’s difficult to have enough help on hand when a significant order of large quantity comes in since I don’t have any regular employees yet.
Additionally, providing a perishable product with a limited shelf life requires continuous attention to maintain freshness and quality.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As a single mom, I took a chance on myself to reach beyond my comfort zone and become a small business owner. I’m passionate about a business where I’m able to use my creativity and skills in the industry while always holding space for family. My children are my world but my business decorates it.
In the crowded sea of homemade goods, I make the effort to ensure each handmade item is made with care using high quality ingredients. My specialty product, caramel and chocolate dipped pretzel rods, are quite unique. My sweets are uniquely designed to each party, gathering, wedding, business event or gift-giving for any occasion. All of my orders are taken “on demand” and customized to customers’ specifications. To me, sweets are edible art, beautiful and delicious.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I draw inspiration and ideas from Pinterest or similar business owners on Instagram.
I regularly listen to podcasts such as The Mel Robbins podcast and Lewis Howes The School of Greatness podcast. I was recently inspired by a fantastic book by Jamie Kern Lima called Worthy.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://LizaSweets.com
- Instagram: @liza.sweetss
- Facebook: LizaSweets
