Today we’d like to introduce you to Alekka Sweeney.
Alekka, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I started my company 10 years ago with my sister-in-law in her attic. I had an idea to bring cooking classes to people’s home where the felt comfortable to ask questions and invite friends. As a pastry chef, I decided to put a cake decorating class on our menu-this was at the beginning of the Food Network cake shows.
After that, the demand was greater than the supply (just me). I started hiring my friends to help with the classes and eventually rented out bakery spaces to hold our cake classes that were growing in popularity.
The challenge was brand confusion, we were teaching at a bakery but under my company name. I then decided to look for a commercial space to offer more classes and have a dedicated space for my company.
After looking at many, many spaces I finally landed in our current space that use to be a Montessori school. It had everything I needed to start a small school without having to do major build out. In September 2010 we opened our doors to host classes and parties.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Starting a storefront had many challenges. Getting the working capital was the biggest. Banks were not handing out money to small, female-owned food businesses. It was a scary time with bills coming in and rent, security deposit and filling the space with equipment and retail.
I honestly turned to my family and friends for help. I borrowed money from my parents via my lawyer. My husband and his father helped with the small construction needed. And I bribed my neighbors with beer to help bring in the kitchen equipment.
I am lucky to have small business owner friends to ask for advice but most of the time I figured it out as I went along. I missed many holidays during the first five years, but my family made a point to come visit me at the shop and sometimes even work for cake or cupcakes.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
My business is a school where we teach baking and pastry classes. We also host many private events-Birthday Parties, Corporate Events, Bridal Showers.
I am most proud of what sets us apart from most. We purposely keep our classes small and hands-on. I have had the same staff since day one and we have become a family after nine years working together. We have had many repeat clients because they see the same people here year after year and some of our clients have become friends.
I have been told that people enjoy coming here because of the atmosphere we have created here-it is small, I personally answer the phone most of the time and our studio is styled to make people feel at home. I also enjoy teaching people and so does my staff. Each of my staff members have their own approachable way of teaching an that makes the learning environment fun and stress-free.
What were you like growing up?
I am a middle child-that should say it all! I grew up with parents who both worked full-time jobs. As kids, we had to start dinner for the family. I would always make this creation from what I could find n the refrigerator. Joy of Cooking was my Bible back then. I also remember watching Julia Child on PBS and thinking I wanted to be her.
I grew up with a garden in the back of our house and a milkman who would deliver twice a week. My Mom taught me how to make bread at age seven (I never had store-bought bread). My family was middle class and cooking at home was normal for us-family dinners were very important to my Dad. That was family time with no TV, no phone calls, it was the time for our family to connect.
Food has always played a huge role in my life and it was my dad who encouraged me to drop out of college and go to culinary school at age 22.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2205 West Belmont Ave Chicago,IL 60618
- Website: www.givesugar.com
- Phone: 773-281-3154
- Email: alekka@givesugar.com
- Instagram: @givesugar
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GiveSugar/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChefAlekka
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/give-me-some-sugar-chicago
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