Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Heather Leavitt, owner of Sweet Heather Anne, located in Ann Arbor, MI, USA.

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

Sweet Heather Anne is a cake studio in Ann Arbor, Michigan. We specialize in artistic wedding cakes and milestone event cakes with a focus on local and high-quality ingredients. We also have an online shop with a beautiful line of pre-designed cakes for smaller occasions and online tutorials for bakers looking to expand their cake design skills.

Tell us about yourself

I've always been happiest when working on a creative project. That led me to Art School, and eventually studying abroad in Italy, where I fell in love with food. Cake design was a way to pursue my passions in both art and food, and I haven't looked back since I started making cakes in 2005.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I just gave birth to my son, Levi, last December, and I was able to take just over two months off to stay home with him. It might not seem like a lot, but having the systems in place for the business to run without me currently feels like my biggest accomplishment.

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

One of the hardest things for me was learning to be an effective leader. I had never had a management position before starting my own business, and I'm still learning how to best support and encourage my amazing team.

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

  1. Start with a dream and figure out the details later. If your passion is strong enough, it will get you through the ups and downs of owning a business.
  2. When it comes time to hire, hire for your weaknesses and not your strengths.
  3. Give yourself a weekend. My weekend is Sunday and Monday. If I end up working on the weekend, I congratulate myself for getting a little extra work done instead of working every day and still feeling behind.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Here is the website for our online tutorials:
https://onlinelearning.sweetheatheranne.com/

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.sweetheatheranne.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sweetheatheranne
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweetheatheranne/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/swtheatheranne

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.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.