Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Oxana Moore, owner of Full Circle Baker LLC., located in Foristell, MO, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Full Circle Baker, LLC is an online bakery selling cookies from around the world on Etsy. Each cookie sampler comes with a fun brochure telling the history of each cookie and cares instructions. What makes us unique is that we offer cookies that you can’t easily find in your local bakery, like Armenian Gata or Russian Pryanik. This sets us apart from other bakers on Etsy and brings customers who want to send a unique gift to their loved ones.

This year I am trying something new and will be offering on Etsy and social media our recipes of the unique Russian cakes that have been loved by our local customers. This way, other bakers can taste and offer one-of-a-kind cakes to their clientele.

Tell us about yourself

I was born in a small country of Belarus but was blessed to attend high school and college in the US. In college, I studied international business and marketing with hopes of one day climbing the corporate ladder in a big city. My dreams changed when I married a country boy and had four children, and later decided to homeschool them all. In the spring of 2018, I received a phone call that my dad in Belarus had a stroke, and his left side was paralyzed. My dad and I have kept in touch by phone up until this point but haven’t seen each other in 18 years. The thought of possibly never seeing my dad again left me on my knees, pleading with God for us to reunite.

One day I felt a tug on my heart to show my Russian walnut-shaped cookies (Oreshki) on social media, which started my baking journey. Friends, family, and strangers came along my side and started to place orders and give generously. We raised enough money for my entire family to travel to visit my dad in no time. The day that I was able to hug my dad was priceless, and it is a memory that I will treasure for the rest of my life. When I returned home from visiting my dad, orders continued to come in. What started as a simple fundraiser of baking Russian cookies to see my dad turned into a successful business.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishments are shipping my cookies to customers in all 50 states and becoming a top 5% shop on Etsy.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Not having enough hours in a day to do everything that you want to do and balancing running a business and home life. Running a business alone means that you have to do all aspects of business by yourself. This includes posting on social media, taking pictures of your product, customer service, baking, packaging, shipping, ordering, and the list goes on. Some days I wish I had a few extra hours a day to accomplish everything. This year I had to close my shop early at Christmas time because I was at full capacity sooner than I anticipated.

It is also tough to balance work and home life, especially during holidays when the volume of orders is increased. Since I have four small children who I also homeschool, mama's guilt kicks in when I have to make boxes and dough in the evening instead of playing outside or cuddling on a couch watching tv with my kids.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Be true to yourself and your passion. Don’t make something just because it is trendy at the moment. Instead, educate your customers on why your product is the best in the market and why they need it!
  2. Be prepared to make mistakes. Some of the best business lessons are learned from mistakes and failures.
  3. Don’t expect overnight success. Instead, work hard and be consistent, and over time you will see the rewards of your labor.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Don't wait until tomorrow to start a business when you have more time, all the expensive tools, more knowledge, etc. Start now! You will make mistakes. You will have to adjust and pivot your business. The knowledge that you will gain from that will be priceless and make you a better business person.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/fullcirclebaker/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fullcirclebaker/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/FullCircleBaker/


If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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