Alecia Ryan lives in Ardmore, PA and sells cookies and mini desserts with her cottage food business, Lee Cee Pie.

Back in 2022, Alecia started her business on a whim after discovering an amazing pie recipe, but then paused her business for almost 2 years due to life circumstances.

Last year, she started up the business again by partnering with a coffee shop and developing a very strong brand, and she quickly went from having no orders to selling hundreds of cookies in a week! And now she is now in the process of renting a commercial kitchen to take her bakery even further.

In this episode, Alecia shares how she built her business into a success by focusing on branding and customer relationships, despite facing many unpredictable changes along the way.

3 Key Takeaways

• Start Before You’re Ready: Alecia launched her business just one day after discovering her signature hand pie recipe. She did not wait for everything to be perfect. Instead, she shared her creation with friends and family and let her passion lead the way. If you are hesitating to start, remember you can tweak and improve as you go. Progress is always better than waiting for perfection.
• Let Your Brand Reflect Your Values: Alecia’s brand is all about being organic, whimsical, and minimalist. She uses thoughtfully sourced ingredients and designs her packaging to match her clean, artistic vision. This authenticity not only sets her apart but also attracts customers who value quality and care. Think about what makes your business unique and let it shine through every detail.
• Build Relationships, Not Just Sales: Alecia grew her business by donating cookies to local businesses and events, which led to repeat orders and valuable partnerships. She shows that investing in relationships, whether through samples, collaborations, or simply showing up, can open doors and grow your customer base. Do not be afraid to put yourself out there and connect with your community.

Resources

Lee Cee Pie website (Instagram | Pinterest)

Episode 78 with Carla Jones-Harris

Pennsylvania Cottage Food Law

Free Tutorial: Intro To Email Marketing

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Are you building an email list for your business yet? If not, you really should be collecting customers’ email addresses and emailing them on a regular basis. Even these days, email continues to be better than social media for generating consistent sales, and the best part is that you own it. Once you build an email list, nobody can take it away from you.

I created this free tutorial that will walk you through the essentials of using Kit to build an email list and get more followers!

Get full show notes and transcript here: https://forrager.com/podcast/155