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<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFirst up is HoneyBook<\/a> member Marisol Morley who might just win for coolest job title ever: Cookie Artist. A born and bred New Yorker, she\u2019s been a cookie artist and business owner at Tiny Kitchen Treats<\/a> (TKT) for almost four years.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Marisol\u2019s first career was as a recording artist under Wyclef Jean. \u201cI was discovered by his executive producer when I was 18,” she says. “I was shopping at Forever 21 and singing to myself and then BOOM. Two weeks later I was on a plane to meet Teddy Riley.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Tiny Kitchen Treats turns four at the end of April. Congrats! Which accomplishments are you most proud of? \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n TKT has done SO much (I am so proud of her), including creating:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Have you always been a baker? <\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Yes and no. I started when I was five years old. My mom would hand me a wooden spoon and a bowl, and I would get to help with the mixing. I was hooked from my first experience. My dad taught me how to whip meringues by hand (we didn\u2019t own any type of mixer), and I would beg to make parva cookies (a dense cookie with an egg wash, sort of like a shortbread).<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n What was your measure of success when you first started? How does that compare to now?<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Surviving! I was working full time at Moelis & Company, a boutique investment bank, as an executive assistant to one of the partners, and finishing my BA at night part-time. I barely slept and would take naps in the conference rooms so that I could live to do it again the next day, ha! My husband wanted to kill me because I would be baking in the kitchen of our studio apartment until 5 a.m. and he was maybe 20 feet away trying to get his few hours of sleep (all the while completing his summer internship in IB). I knew TKT was going places because I would make it get there, and I realized I\u2019d jumped into a bubble that was new and flying high.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Now we have a shop manager, a baker, and various artists who come in part-time on an as-needed basis. The clients are the best of the best. It\u2019s really a dream come true.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Based on your definition of success your first year, were you successful? <\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Yes. I survived and then\u2014thanks to proving to myself that I could survive in the most difficult of situations\u2014I gave myself the confidence to thrive.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Was there ever a moment where you thought, \u201cI can\u2019t do this,\u201d and if so, how did you overcome that?<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Absolutely. Every few days! I kid, but yeah we all have those moments. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying to make themselves look tougher, but there is strength in allowing yourself to be vulnerable and to feel breakable.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n There is strength in allowing yourself to be vulnerable and to feel breakable.<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n It\u2019s backbreaking work building a business from the ground up with nothing but bootstraps and elbow grease. One night, I was building a shelf that I\u2019d ordered on Amazon to house the $1000\u2019s-worth of bulk sprinkles that I\u2019d just bought. After four hours, I could not get it to work (and I am a professional Ikea furniture builder), and I found myself on the floor crying in exhaustion and feeling stupid and defeated. Of course, I wasn\u2019t ACTUALLY crying about a shelf\u2014I was crying because of everything else.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n It\u2019s a lonely thing dream building. Often times\u2014even when your family and friends support you, and mine did\/do\u2014it\u2019s really you in your head keeping something alive that seems like a pipe dream to many. The mental stress of that, after you quit a really good job and put it all on the line with no business degree, etc. is like the weight of the world on your shoulders. Luckily, I had already met my best friend and shop partner, Ashley Holt<\/a> of Sugar Monster. I called her and we ugly cried together on Facetime until I was laughing at myself for stressing out about a shelf.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n What was the most fun part of your first year of business? <\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The magic of endless possibility and the response on social media. At that point, I was growing exponentially at a rate of about 1,000 followers a month. That really makes you feel legit and heard. I had learned how to work the machine to work for me and was at the forefront of the decorated-cookie craze. I\u2019m not a surfer, but I did try once, and it felt like when I finally caught that wave and felt myself being propelled to shore. Except the wave was a monster 50-ft. wave and the 50-ft. wave was a cookie.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n How did you figure out how to set your prices? <\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n I looked at what other people were charging and charged $.50 less. About $4.50 a cookie. In four years that has increased by over 200% for the average starting price of a cookie. I keep looking at my brand, the value I give, and adjusting for overhead, skill, our name, etc. We really deliver on customer service, from designing the cookies all the way through to the deliciousness of our product, the artwork and, finally, the packaging.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n What new things did you need to learn how to do when you got started? Which resources did you turn to for help? <\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Instagram<\/a>! I would share for family and friends but knew nothing about using it as a business tool.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Also, learning to manage my time and say no. I really sucked at it then and probably still suck at it now, but I have gotten better. One way I say no is setting my prices as a luxury good\u2014in effect, saying no to some people. What we do is an art and should be priced as such. Most sweets businesses are run by women, and we tend to underestimate the value of our work.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n One way I say no is setting my prices as a luxury good.<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n I also learned to build my own site using Squarespace (and they actually became a client this year!)<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Which tools did you use to help run your business? Are there any new tools you use to run your business now? <\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n At first, I used Paypal to process payments, and it was awful. It\u2019s not integrated so I felt myself constantly spinning wheels, replying to emails, working on an invoice in Word, PDF\u2019ing, attaching to an email, then sending a PayPal invoice. I was reinventing the wheel every time and dropping balls despite my best efforts.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Now I use HoneyBook<\/a>, a small business management platform<\/a> which keeps all of my communications with each client in one place, including payments, photos exchanged, previous work done, emails, proposals and online invoices<\/a>. The program also has THE BEST feature where you can create different email templates. So I have one for a price quote, follow-up, review email, etc., saving me hours upon hours every day.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Did you ever struggle with feelings of loneliness? If so, where did you find support?<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 100%. I became a business owner and mom of two all within four years. Holy crap, that was hard. No more time for myself, my social life or my marriage. It\u2019s been rough. But I’m a survivor. I talk to others going through the same thing (mostly, Ashley and my insta cookie\/cake friends), I let myself have a crying session here and there and don\u2019t shame myself for being human.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n I admit when things are hard and have learned to let go\/ask for help. That was the biggest thing I learned. It\u2019s helped me grow as a business, a friend, a wife, a mother, sister, daughter, etc. I thought I could watch my kids full-time and grow my dream and it\u2019s impossible. I\u2019ve found a good balance now, and I\u2019ve learned that sometimes good for now is good enough.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n I\u2019ve found a good balance now, and I\u2019ve learned that sometimes good for now is good enough.<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Rome wasn\u2019t built in a day and neither was TKT. Last month, I finally hired a shop manager and a full-time nanny and that has been a game changer. I\u2019ve been setting up dinner with friends and finding time for just myself, too.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n We\u2019d love to know how you spend your time and how that\u2019s changed from your first year to now. <\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n TKT\u2019s growth has been incredible. Which three actions do you credit for that growth?<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n What’s the best business advice you got and from whom?<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The IB held monthly speaker series\u2014they would have an influential person come in once a month and do a talk\u2014to keep people motivated and hungry. Martha Stewart came in and I told her about my business idea (all-in-one party planning\/treat supply). She gave me the most simple advice: Pick one thing and become the best at that one thing.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Marcus Samuelson came in, too, and that man is an inspiration. He told us about his experiences with failure and when I asked him what advice he\u2019d give me, he said: Just keep pushing.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n That\u2019s sort of been my life motto. I have \u201cfailed\u201d at so many dreams, but the moment I stopped seeing those as failures, and rather segues into the next part of my journey, was the moment I started loving myself and letting myself be an ever-evolving person. I began to listen to the universe and that\u2019s when the magic started to happen.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n I can\u2019t say I wished I\u2019d done anything differently, because of the outlook above\u2014it\u2019s all part of my journey. And even if it\u2019s not, wishing I could change something doesn\u2019t actually change anything. It\u2019s unkind to look back through the 20\/20 vision of retrospect and say I should have done this and that. Instead, I am always self-evaluating. I identify areas of weakness, and then do something about it moving forward. No crying over spilled milk or burnt cookies. Just clean it up and buy yourself a louder timer LOL.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n What\u2019s your favorite HoneyBook feature?<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The preset emails! We save SO much more time to do the things we really want and need to do, and the \u201cvoice\u201d of my brand is always there because I created them.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFun Fact<\/h4>\r\n
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How Tiny Kitchen Treats Got Its Start<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBusiness Tools and Resources<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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HoneyBook to the Rescue<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Your Business: Then and Now<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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\r\n Task<\/strong><\/td>\r\n % of an average work day in<\/strong> your first year<\/em><\/strong><\/td>\r\n % of an average work day now <\/em><\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n \r\n Sales\/bookings (i.e., responding to\/following up with inquiries, meetings with inquiries\/clients)<\/td>\r\n 15%<\/td>\r\n 10%<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n \r\n Providing my service<\/td>\r\n 20%<\/td>\r\n 10%<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n \r\n Business strategy + planning<\/td>\r\n 5%<\/td>\r\n 10%<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n \r\n Marketing<\/td>\r\n 10%<\/td>\r\n 15%<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n \r\n Administrative tasks (e.g., preparing invoices, sending contracts, managing paperwork, general email, etc.)<\/td>\r\n 25%<\/td>\r\n 10%<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n \r\n Accounting<\/td>\r\n 0%<\/td>\r\n 0%<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n \r\n Networking\/partnerships<\/td>\r\n 10%<\/td>\r\n 20%<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n \r\n Employee relations<\/td>\r\n 0%<\/td>\r\n 5%<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n \r\n Developing your product\/service<\/td>\r\n 15%<\/td>\r\n 20%<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/hbbadmin.dev.reliablepenguin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/i-credit-my-growth-to-2.png\")
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<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nTiny Kitchen Treats on HoneyBook<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n